Pollution as an Environmental Concern for All - Essay Example

? Pollution as an Environmental Concern for All Table of Contents Pollution as an Environmental Concern for All- Introduction Page 3 Contaminated Water Sources Page 4 Industrial Polluters Page 5 Waste Management Page 7 Air pollution Page 7 Lead Batteries Page 9 What are we going to do to solve environmental problems? Page 11 Conclusion Page 11 Pollution as an Environmental Concern for All- Introduction There is no denying that pollution is a major problem in our world today. This problem poses a threat to the world’s population at the present time and to future generations, in terms of human health and development. There are several forms in which pollution can be observed. Each type of pollution has its own characteristics that make it unique from the other forms. Some forms of pollution are able to have a residual effect on the earth and inhabitants even a long while after it first originates. Some of these forms of pollution include heavy metal contamination and organic pollutants which persist over a long time period. A wide variety of different forms of pollution are affecting the quality of the soil, water and air that composes our environment. There are ways to cope with these problems, but it some cases the damage caused by pollution is irreversible. These pollutants originate from sources such as mining, improper waste management, smelting and processing plants, industrial mining activities, urban activities and improper recycling of materials such as lead acid batteries. Some of the worst pollution problems are in many forms a product of poverty. Urbanization at high levels and lack of infrastructure, overextended governments who are ill equipped to deal with crisis, present a dangerous situation for human health as people are exposed to pollution or are forced resort to dangerous forms of income generation that expose them to pollutants. Contaminated Water Sources Mercury contamination of groundwater and the environment is a major problem as a result of artisanal gold mining. Toxic materials are used quite commonly used in order to recover metals and gems from the earth. As a result of this practice, large amounts of mercury are released into the environment. The mercury is combined with gold carrying silt to form a compound that contains most of the gold that was in the silt. The mercury is later evaporated with the use of blow torches or open flame to heat the compound and release the gold pieces. Mercury is released into the air and surrounding environment, which includes faraway places as it is deposited far from its place of origin. A variety or organisms are also affected as they absorb this substance from their environment. The mercury is then transformed through this process into methyl mercury, which is one of the most dangerous toxins that can find its way into the food chain. This substance acts as a neurotoxin. The fish and seafood we eat, and the air we breathe, may be contaminated by this mercury. However, the people and miners who are working in this industry are even more at risk for experiencing health problems due to exposure. It is estimated that for every gram of gold produced, two grams of mercury are emitted into the atmosphere. To deal with this problem, certain technologies can be used to reduce mercury vapours and recapture the mercury from the amalgamated compound so that it can be reused. There are programs initiating these techniques such as the UNIDO’s Global Mercury Project. The programs are effective when implemented at a community level but they do require much work and are challenging to deploy especially in low income areas. Surficial water contamination is threatening the health of each person on the planet. If water treatment plants are not able to keep up with high water consumption demands, we will all suffer the consequences. Currently one third of the world is experiencing some sort of water pollution issues and must face the challenges of only having contaminated water available. In the developing world, almost 5 million deaths are related to water contamination and the resulting disease. Major rivers have become polluted due to improper waste management. This includes open dumpsites and poorly constructed landfills as well as industrial facilities located near water sources. They may leak or spill contaminants, and are all resources are stretched with the factor of increasing numbers of people contributing waste. Industrial Polluters Mining activities affect groundwater through the leaching of piles from mine tailings. The manufacturing and storage of chemicals can also cause a leakage problem. The overuse of pesticides and fertilizers that can seep into ground water is from agricultural sources. Individuals can also cause contamination through the dumping of motor oils, detergents and other chemicals that can leak into water sources. Water can be contaminated naturally by the leaching of heavy metals from geologic formations into the soil and surrounding waters. There are differences between groundwater and surficial water contamination. The differences are that the ground water does not generally flow into one source. It can take a long time to reach wells or other locations and is considered a non-point source of pollution. Some rivers have become biologically inactive, rendering the water dangerous to drink in this poisonous state. Groundwater is the primary source of water for approximately 20% of the world’s population, in areas where surficial water is not available. The aquifers that exist underground are displaying contamination problems at a slower rate, however the damage done to these water sources is very difficult to correct. Treating this contaminated water is essential at the urban and community level but it does require monetary and human labour sources that may not be available. The attitude and priority towards maintaining adequate water supplies needs to shift immediately as the correction of these contamination problems will likely take decades. Unfortunately even after this water has been treated there are still certain levels of pollutants and trace pollutants that pose an uncertain risk to the heath of humans and surrounding ecology. One example of these subtle pollutants is medication residues that are able to upset human hormonal balances. The processing plants and smelters that work with metals are facilities that profoundly contribute to pollution. The facilities extract metals from ore to produce a different metal product. Reducing agents are used to heat the ore and extract the metal. These metals include copper, lead, nickel, zinc, cobalt, gold and several others. The reducing agents are coke, charcoal or others. Some of these facilities are known to produce high levels of substances such as hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and other vapours and gases of a toxic nature. An estimation from a survey concluded that 5-6 % of manmade global emissions are coming from steel production alone. A variety of different heavy metals are released into the atmosphere and are spread and deposited into the environment via rain, wind and air movement. Metals are released as fine particulate matter or escape as fugitive emissions that are produced in general operations. These smelting processes can also create a significant amount of waste matter that is in a solid state. This waste is known as slag and contains many of the previously mentioned contaminants. Highly alkaline residues known as effluent from the smelter and tailings are known to release acid into waterways from the waste pits. Like other sources of pollution the contaminants from these procedures are able to spread out significantly affecting different parts of the world, far from the origin of their creation. The contaminants find their way into water ways, land surfaces and in the bodies of human beings and other living organisms. Modern plants and smelters can be effectively designed to control releases and minimize contaminant levels. The problem is that this is very costly and there are many plants that do not meet regulations. The older forms of smelters are not able to effectively control emissions and therefore it is necessary to invest in facility operations and upgrade plants in order to have a beneficial improvement. Waste Management Ensuring that waste is managed effectively and not leaching into the water supply is critical to reversing the current water surficial water pollution problems that are occurring. Contaminants are generally bacteria and viruses, these coming from human waste. Human health is obviously affected from drinking the water, eating food that has been prepared in this water, or by ingesting food that has been grown with contaminated water. It is predicted that over the next few decades only one third of the world’s population will not be adversely affected by water scarcity. In terms of treating sewage properly, great improvements are being made on a global level. Interventions such as hand-washing and hygiene education, toilet/latrine installation and water treatments - called point of use treatments, are helping to reduce disease and infection. Air pollution Urban air quality concerns are a problem faced by each and every country in the world. Airborne pollutants are categorized into two classes called primary and secondary. A primary pollutant is released into the air by sources including the burning of fossil fuels from engines, industrial plants and industrial production, the burning of biomass for agricultural uses, and also through natural processes. Some of these natural processes include, dust blown by the wind, volcanic eruptions and respiration from biological forms. The secondary pollutants are formed in the atmosphere when the primary pollutants react with chemicals which are found in the air such as oxygen, sunlight, and water. The most commonly known pollutants are ozone, nitrogen dioxide, particles in the air, and sulphur dioxide. Particle matter is often composed of solids and liquids that may include any of the following: ash, soot from carbon, salts from minerals, heavy metals and other compounds of organic origin. Small particles are able to penetrate lung tissue causing respiratory problems. Smog and acid rain are generated by the burning of fossils fuels. Ozone is also a component of smog. Leaded gasoline is used in some countries and this can be a significant contribution to airborne pollution. All airborne pollution has the ability to travel far from its source of origin. Both climate and geography are critical factors in determining the persistence and extent of pollution. In warm and sunny climates especially, the upper level of the atmosphere can become heated enough to prevent the dispersion of air pollutants due to a lack of upward and downward air circulation. Areas that are surrounded by hills and mountains are also at a greater risk of being affected by this lack of circulation and they may experience a buildup of photochemical smog. Governments around the world have recognised the problems associated with outdoor air pollution and much progress has been made in reducing the pollution in developed countries. However, the situation in developing countries is a large problem. These countries simply do not have the monetary resources to introduce automobile catalytic converters, low sulphur gasoline, high regulatory standards for tailpipe and power plant emissions to reduce the emissions of particulate matter, nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide levels. To solve the problems posed by outdoor air pollutants will require a world-wide collaboration of governing bodies and individuals. The people primarily involved with this approach to problem solving will be urban planners, transportation engineers, policy makers from the energy and environmental field, economist and governments. By reducing the sulphur content of diesel fuels, this will assist in combatting pollution. Lowered sulphur dioxide emissions reduce levels of outdoor air pollution and of acid rain which causes agricultural and environmental damage. More advanced pollution control systems can be implemented to reduce the particulate matter and nitrous oxide emissions through the reduction of sulphur content. Lead Batteries Another source of pollution originates from lead batteries. Every country in the world uses lead batteries. These batteries contain lead plates which are placed in a sulphuric acid liquid. Once the batteries are deteriorated and the lead plates that are contained within are incapable of recharging, the battery is no longer effective. The battery is unstable and can be classified as hazardous waste under the Basal Convention. It is the developed countries that are primarily manufacturing these batteries, yet they are often transferred to the less developed countries for reclamation of the lead that they contain. Often these used batteries are sold in bulk and are transported long distances where the lead is crudely extracted, sometimes in places such as the kitchen sink. The business can be profitable and the need for money does not stop people from removing the lead while exposing themselves to dangerous levels of toxins. There is much ignorance involved as the people and governments have not taken the required actions to be educated on how to prevent this problem from occurring. Some of the populations affected by this practice are Dakar, Dominican Republic and India. What are we going to do to solve environmental problems? A challenge of monumental proportion lies with the international community. It must identify where and how pollution originates and how it affects people. Organizations such as the Blacksmith Institute keep an international database of polluted places that exist in the world. Currently it contains 600 sites; however this is only a small fraction of what problems exist. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization also has a large inventory of areas on the globe which are polluted. Responsibility cannot be simply passed from one hand to another. The world must unite to tackle these problems as an international community. A major challenge is to obtain funds to remediate locations where health is a major risk concern and take action. The Health and Pollution Fund was created to combat toxic pollution in developing countries that has been created by industrial, mining and military operations. The countries that are involved in this are the United States, several European countries, Mozambique, Africa, and the Philippines. Representatives from the World Bank are involved and include the United Nations, Industrial Organizations, Green Cross Switzerland, and leading researchers from public health and remediation fields. The fund will be making an attempt to clean up over 400 areas of high pollution that affect more than 100 million people. Projects that that are initiated by the HPF will direct funds to local stakeholders will be overseen by a central body. Conclusion Pollution is a global problem. Different areas of the world experience different forms of pollution, however we are all affected in some form or another and contribute to it in different ways. If we are ever going to solve global environmental problems, it will take a full- fledged effort on the part of all of humanity. The underdeveloped countries are more likely to be pollution producers and suffer the effects of pollution since they often do not have adequate resources and technology to implement proper equipment, standards and investments to improve their situations. This was evident in the examples previously discussed about used lead battery processing, waste management and smelting and processing plant standards. Environmental problems are on the rise along with an increase in the number of people who inhabit this planet. Remedial operations are somewhat effective for some problems, but the ultimate solution would be to prevent these problems from ever occurring in the first place. Perhaps the greatest responsibility lies with the developed countries. It is these countries which hold the financial resources and information that is needed to effectively manage current problems and prevent future problems. We cannot simply be ignorant to problems and turn our backs to the problems that currently exist in far-away place from us. The reason we cannot ignore problems is because it would not be ethical, and it is impossible that we will not be affected at some point in some way. Pollution can be dealt with and it needs to become a priority to governments, organizations and individuals. References Pollution and Society Marisa Buchanan and Carl Horwitz, University of Michigan Beychok, Milton R. (1967). Aqueous Wastes from Petroleum and Petrochemical Plants (1st ed.). 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