Pollution

 

"Pollution is our biggest enemy; Kill Pollution before It kills you"

Pollution

The word "pollution" interprets as any material that negatively influences the environment or organisms that live within an unnatural environment. It is a disastrous change in the natural environment.

Dr. Rex N. Olinares, a professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines, is considered to be the "father of Environmental Science." He proposed that sanitation and hygienic measures are necessary to prevent the spread of microorganisms. he also proposes that sanitation is the root cause of environmental pollution. 

Environmental pollution

"Environmental pollution is a chronic disease. It can only be pretended".

Environmental Pollution is defined as the contaminated changes in the natural environment that result in harmful effects on health, natural resources, and mankind. Any unusual and negative changes in all the extents like chemical, physical and biological factors of any element of the ecosystem. Like the change in the air, water, or soil which can affect destructive consequences on several forms of life and property is called environmental pollution.

 

History

Ÿ 
Pollution began in prehistoric times when man formulated the first fires - humans burn timber to simmer food, and the fog spewed was pollution.

Ÿ  Metal expansion is a key swiveling point in the innovation of extensive air pollution levels outside the home. 

Yet the level of pollution is low and consumed by the earth's natural systems. 

Major pollution occurred from animal waste, household waste, smoke, and ash.  

Ÿ  At the time of the industrial revolution, pollution brings the hype because of the industries, and vehicles.        

 

Pollutant

The word pollutant describes as any material that induces fatal consequences in the organisms, then that personal material may be called a pollutant.

 The elements that affect pollution are of two types:

1. Persistent pollutants

Persistent pollutants refer to pollutant which always remains the same in an environment without any alteration in its original form.

For example pesticides, nuclear trash, plastics, etc.

2. Non-persistent pollutants: 

 Non-persistent pollutants are also known as "Degradable." It can be quickly broken down by the natural process. Non-persistent pesticides break down in the environment more instantly than "persistent pesticides".If this process of breaking down is accomplished by living organisms, then such pollutants are referred to as biodegradable pollutants.

 For example, domestic sewage, tossed vegetables, and Slowly-degradable.

 

Point and non Point sources

Point

Point source pollution is a way to describe sources that remain stagnant to a point on the earth. The EPA in the US requires that facilities with point sources tabulate all of the emissions for each of the point sources to uncover what type of permits their facility needs.

Non-point

The non-point source is intended for moving or non-fixed emissions. Things like cars, and mobile generators might be good

examples.

Additionally, sometimes folks call it hard to measure emissions as a non-point source. An example of this might be wastewater air emissions. Surely there are some emissions, but they are not standard and probably irrelevant to tabulating emissions

 

Types of Environmental Pollution

1. Air Pollution  
2. Soil Pollution
3. Water Pollution
4.  Noise Pollution

Noise-Pollution

"Never allow the noise of the  world to endow the stillness of your soul"

Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is interpreted as any disturbing or undesirable sound that infringes on or distresses human health or wildlife. Noise pollution is an imperceptible hazard. It is sounds or noises that are either bizarre in volume or production. decibels (dB) is the unit of sound loudness.

 

Sources of noise pollution

The two major sources of noise pollution. 

 

• Natural sources:

Natural sound refers to the sound that is produced by the nature. The range of the sound is about 140 dB produced by thunderstorms, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flowing water bodies, animal sounds, etc.

 

• Artificial sources:

These noises are produced by man-made activities, such as construction work, transportation, industries, household noise, and musical instruments. These sounds range from 30 to 140 dB and are incredibly dangerous.

 

Causes

• Mining operations:

 The noise of elevated intensity is constructed from mining operations, such as blasting, drilling, crushing, and excavation.

 

• Industrialization:

Most industries use huge machines, generators, compressors, exhaust fans, and chopping mills that generate loud noises.

 

• Construction activities:

Noise from construction activities impedes the hearing capacities of individuals endangered by this sound.

 

• Domestic gadgets:

Domestic gadgets and utensils, such as radio, television, phone, washing, appliances, air conditioners, and vacuum cleaners contribute to noise pollution.

 

• Transportation:

Many automobiles on roads, trains, and airplanes produce a loud noise. Noise from a single airplane may generate a loudness of sound of up to 130 dB.

 

• Social events:

People play wild music of more than 100 dB in public gatherings, such as marriage receptions, parties, markets, pubs, clubs, discos

 

 

Soil pollution

 

Definition

Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants or contaminants) in soil, in high enough concentrations to pose a risk to human health and/or the ecosystem.

 

Soil pollution can be classified into two categories

• Ÿ  Naturally caused soil pollution
• Ÿ  Anthropogenic soil pollution (caused by human activity)

 

Natural Pollution of Soil

In some extremely rare processes, some pollutants are naturally accumulated in soils. This can occur due to the differential deposition of soil by the atmosphere. Another manner in which this type of soil pollution can occur is via the transportation of soil pollutants with precipitation water.

For example

Thunderstorm

 

Anthropogenic soil pollution (caused by human activity)

Almost all cases of soil pollution are anthropogenic. A variety of human activities can lead to the contamination of soil. Some such processes are listed below.

 

• Ÿ  The demolition of old buildings can involve the contamination of nearby soil with asbestos.

 

• Ÿ  The usage of lead-based paint during construction activities can also pollute the soil with hazardous concentrations of lead.

 

Ÿ  Spillage of petrol and diesel during transportation can contaminate soils with the hydrocarbons found in petroleum.

 

• Ÿ  Activities associated with metal casting factories (foundries) often cause the dispersion of metallic contaminants into the nearby soils.

 

• Ÿ  Underground mining activities can cause the contamination of land with heavy metals.

 

• Ÿ  Improper disposal of highly toxic industrial/chemical waste can severely pollute the soil. For example, the storage of toxic wastes in landfills can result in the seepage of the waste into the soil. This waste can go on to pollute groundwater as well.

 

• Ÿ  Chemical pesticides contain several hazardous substances. Excessive and inefficient use of chemical pesticides can result in severe soil pollution.

 

Ÿ  Sewage produced in urbanized areas can also contaminate soil (if not disposed of correctly). These wastes may also contain several carcinogenic substances.

•  Other forms of waste that can pollute soil include nuclear waste, e-waste, and coal ash.

 

Air Pollution

Air pollution is the contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Domestic explosion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities, and forest fires are common sources of air pollution.

Seinfeld, define air pollution as an atmospheric condition in which substances (air pollutants) are present at concentrations higher than their normal ambient (clean atmosphere) levels to produce measurable adverse effects on humans, animals, vegetation, or materials

 

 
Causes of Air Pollution

Ÿ 
 The Burning of Fossil Fuels. Most of the air pollution takes place due to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gasoline to produce energy for electricity or transportation.

 

Ÿ  Industrial Emission.

Industrial activities emit several pollutants in the air that affects the air quality more than we can even imagine.

 

Ÿ  Wildfires. 

Climate change is not just increasing wildfire but also spiking air pollution. Burning stubble and farm residue are also major contributors to wildfires.

Ÿ  Transportation.

There is no denying that vehicle pollution is a major contributor to air pollution, especially in urban cities.

 

Ÿ  Open Burning of Garbage Waste.

Open burning of garbage is much more harmful to your health and the environment than one may think. As per Engage EPW, Delhi Air Pollution is choking public health. Delhi generates a whopping 9500 tons of waste every day, which makes it India’s second waste-dumping city.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to cut emissions to net zero by 2070.

 

Control the damage caused by Air Pollution.

Nelson Mandela once expressed his concern about the air pollution and particularly its effect on human lives, said, “Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being, and to have that environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations.”

 

Ÿ  Conserving energy is the first step towards a better future with clean air to breathe.

Ÿ  Understanding the concept and imbibing the habit of reducing, reusing, and recycling is crucial.

Ÿ  Use public transport whenever it is feasible to save fuel and reduce vehicle pollution.

 

Water Pollution

"Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall. He will end by destroying the earth."

-Albert Schweitzer-

Albert Schweitzer wrote this quotation while analyzing the circumstances of society that how society pretends even they knew each aspect that what can impact and what can harm us but unfortunately still they are grabbing that paradigm which can devastate the social environment.

 

Water pollution is the containment of water bodies, it accumulates when pollutants or other waste are discharged into a water body. It is increasing through the garbage that makes water useless similarly when a person gains that water, it becomes a cause of disease. Human activities are the huge rationale behind water pollution. Additionally, the disappearance of biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems. Also, humans are harmed by the change in the food chain and by contracting sicknesses when drinking or using contaminated water.

 

Examples of water pollution are

 Daily life Example: if a human throws the plastic or any sort of waste materials that are directly thrown into water resources.

 

 Chemicals or other toxic waste from industries are a drain to a river, lake, etc and these actions pollute the water.

 

Agricultural fields cause water pollution. When the farmer use chemicals while fertilizing and pesticides in the agricultural field. They shower chemical over crops, that also rains into the water because each crop is nearly connected with water that is the cause of water pollution.

 Toxic consequences of water pollution

 

Water Pollution causes various Diseases in live stocks, humans, and other aquatic cultures. Various diseases are caused by water pollution.

Below are the major diseases mentioned

1. Death

2. Cancer

3. Birth defects

4. Brain malfunctions (heavy metal poisoning)

5. Disability (vision, motion, breathing)

6. Chronic illnesses

7. Loss of work

8. Shortened lives

Causes water pollution

There are many causes of water pollution, some of them are:

1- Sewage or wastewater:

The waste from households, factories, or agricultural land gets discharged into rivers or lakes. This waste can either be in the form of liquid waste, garbage, or sewage. The harmful chemicals oozing out of this waste can damage aquatic life.

2- Dumping:

Most water bodies get converted into dumping grounds by nearby localities. And this causes a huge problem because the dump contains everything from plastic, aluminum to glass, Styrofoam, etc. And since all the waste takes different time to degrade in the water, they tend to harm the aquatic life until degraded.

3- Oil pollution:

One of the worst types of water pollution is oil pollution. This is because the oil spills from tankers and ships tend to create a thick layer above the water in seas or oceans. And since oil doesn’t dissolve, the sludge stays forever.

4- Acid rain:

Even though acid rain may seem like a natural problem but it is wise to note that Acid rain are caused due to acidic particles in the contaminated air. These particles in the atmosphere get mixed with water vapor and result in acid rain.

5- Industrial waste:

Industrial waste is filled with lead, asbestos, petrochemicals, and even mercury. All of these chemicals are highly hazardous for both humans and aquatic life. But, many industries tend to discharge the waste into major water bodies like rivers and lakes around living localities, thus, contaminating the freshwater.

What Cop 26 said about pollution

At COP26 in Glasgow, we know there was limited progress made to limit warming to 1.5°C and governments missed the opportunity to advance human health, by failing to integrate air pollution measures into climate comfort.

According to the research, The UK has already achieved notable successes. 90% of the world’s economy is now covered by net zero targets, up from less than 30% when the UK took on the Presidency of COP26. This will help the most vulnerable countries like Pakistan.