Different Forms of Pollution - Coursework Example

Pollution Pollution is caused when air, water or soil gets contaminated by discharge of harmful substances. Pollution causes imbalance in the ecosystem by causing harm and discomfort to living organisms. Pollution can be prevented if resources like raw materials, water and energy are utilized in proper way and harmful materials are substituted by materials which are less hazardous (“What is Pollution Prevention”, n.d.). By steps taken for eliminating toxic substances from production process and by diminishing production of harmful materials people can safeguard the environment and human health. Different forms of pollution Air pollution Air pollution can be caused when pollutants like carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxides of sulphur and nitrogen and also materials like dust, smoke and compounds of lead are emitted directly into the atmosphere. Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (49% to 55%), chlorofluorocarbons (14% to 25%), methane (12% to 18%), nitrous oxides and other gases (13% to 19%). Some natural sources of air pollution are volcanoes, forest fires, “oceans, swamps, lakes, vegetative matter and insects” (Faiz, Sinha, Walsh and Varma, 1990, p. 3). Other sources which are caused by human activities are fuel like coal and wood burning and most importantly transport which is a major contributor towards air pollution. All the pollutants get dispersed in the air and pollution is measured by the mass of the pollutants per volume of air. This depends on a number of factors like quantity of emission, altitude and atmospheric conditions. Rain cleans the air which gets rid of harmful materials, but these substances can react with oxides of sulphur and nitrogen to produce acids which may cause damage to buildings, forests and water bodies. This is popularized as acid rain. Solar radiation can produce ozone which can disrupt the atmospheric balance near the ground. (Faiz, Sinha, Walsh and Varma, 1990, pp. 3-5) Air Pollution To reduce air pollution it is necessary to set the standard of ambient air quality. In US there are two sets of standards of air quality and they are primary and secondary. The primary standard of air quality is designed in the way to protect the health of human beings and for this purpose those people who are more easily affected by air pollution (viz. children and the elderly people) are taken into consideration. Secondary standard of air quality is designed for general public welfare. This includes air pollution effect on soil, water, crops, animals, climate, economy and human comfort (Faiz, Sinha, Walsh and Varma, 1990, p. 8). In 1970, Clean Air Act Amendments was enacted and it changed the structure of air pollution control in US. This Act was further amended in 1977 and it imposed restrictions on plants and factories in areas having clean air to avoid any damage to air quality. Public concern about air pollution increased in the late 1980s and numerous bills were passed to improve the existing air pollution regulatory measures and also to deal with new problems like acid rain and global warming. (Bailey, 1998, pp.78, 79) Oil Pollution It was the “Torrey Canyon” incident in 1967 which awakened the public in regard to oil pollution. Since then the Oil Pollution Compensation has seen numerous changes. The incident caused the public to make loud protests against oil pollution. This led to development of international conventions to provide compensation to those who bear the cost of cleaning up or to those who face pollution damages from continuous spill of hydrocarbon mineral oil from tankers. These international conventions were developed under International Maritime Organisation. (Azab, Shorbagy and Ghais, 2005, p.3) In the Arabian Gulf, concentration of petroleum hydrocarbon (PH) average to about 26 ug/l of surface water and about 5 ug/kg of the bottom. As there will be continuous rise of production and transportation of oil, the concentration of PH in water will keep on growing especially in water areas where there is maximum flow of traffic. Aquatic animals may gather by direct exposure of these hydrocarbons. Liver, gonads and brains in benthic fish like catfish are mostly affected by high concentration of hydrocarbons as they have limited home range due to their lesser mobility. Sharks from the Gulf area and also marine invertebrates are contaminated by these hydrocarbons. Effects of concentration of hydrocarbons can be acutely lethal for eggs, embryos, newborns and spawning adults (Azab, Shorbagy and Ghais, 2005, pp.159, 160, 164). Oil being the life blood of industries serves the basic necessities of people and hence its drilling and refining activities cannot be forbidden. However care needs to be taken to prevent oil spills and leakages which cause hazards for the species. The most welcoming remedy would be to adopt alternative sources of energy or renewable sources of fuels such as solar power, wind power, thermal power and even biofuels. Water Pollution Water is the most important ingredient for human beings. Most of the water is found in oceans but it is quite difficult to procure water for various needs. Demand of water is mostly fulfilled by rain water and ground water resources. Water is purified by constant evaporation and precipitation, but sill water pollution is cause of grave concern. Various factors that cause water pollution are urbanization, agriculture and industralisation. Water becomes polluted when its quality deteriorates due to natural causes or due to human activities and becomes unsuitable for drinking, agriculture, industrial, recreational and wildlife purposes. Water pollutants have deteriorating effects on water quality and have adverse effect on aquatic animals and make the water unsuitable for drinking. There are certain chemicals which dissolve or float in water and cause water pollution. Heat and radiation are important physical factors which can have major impact on organisms. Presence of high quantity of phosphorus in water can cause eutrophication (Goel, 2006, pp.1, 2). Water pollution can damage the health of human beings, fisheries and can adversely affect agriculture. It also damages the ecosystem through eutrophication. Drinking of polluted water can causes diseases like diarrhea, hepatitis, trachoma among others. Water pollution can also cause diseases in the skin, liver cancer and birth defects. Among all developing countries, China has less number of diseases caused by water pollution. This is because China has better sanitation and supply of water, although the situation is not similar between urban and rural areas. China is facing a transition in the sanitation of urban areas. With the growth in population there is also increase in the volume of municipal waste and the sewerage system is also not being appropriately developed (Johnson, Liu and Newfarmer, 1997, p.20). The best way to prevent water pollution is to spread awareness and cleanse the water bodies near concentrated dwellings in a systematic manner. The municipality as well as every household should take responsibility to keep the nearby water bodies free of wastes and chemicals. The activities of the industries are unavoidable, yet a proper disposal of the industrial wastes should be arranged. Following a tax policy (tax imposed on environmental contamination) might also help in this regard. Land Pollution Land pollution has been in recent times recognised by sanitary engineers and public health officials as a separate form of pollution other than air pollution and water pollution. Land pollution is caused by urban wastes which are disposed as a result of high usage rate of chemical fertilizers. To reduce damage of crops from insects and diseases certain noxious chemicals are used which cause land pollution. Urban wastes which are the major factors contributing towards land pollution is determined by the size and location of the community and also availability of surrounding land areas for disposal of wastes. Cost factor determines the method of waste collection and disposal. It is seen that burning of wastes at the point of collection reduces the cost involved by 70 per cent. Another major factor that gives rise to land pollution is discarded packages. In US it is seen that a population of 10,000 people dispose of 1,000 tons of paper and 172 tons of metal. Although these are salvageable, very little effort is made to reuse them. New York City disposes its waste materials by incineration and by sanitary land filling. Wastes are transferred by barges to Staten Island to be dumped in a tidal marsh land. With the increase in US population, land area required for waste disposal will reduce and so incineration will be more widely used. This can lead to air pollution if properly designed incinerators are not used. Over fertilization of land is another cause for land pollution, but this can be curbed by controlling the use of fertilizers and for this analysis of soil at frequent intervals is required (National Research Council, 1966, pp. 196-198). Noise Pollution Noise pollution has also been recognised as a form of pollution. It is caused by human activities and disturbs the environment. It can be reduced by avoiding closeness of industrial and residential areas and this can be achieved by proper urban planning. Transport system is major source of noise pollution. Other factors contributing to noise pollution are factory machinery, power tools and audio systems for entertainment. Consistent noise pollution can cause hearing loss, increase in blood pressure and heart problems. Noise pollution can also have harmful effects on animals by disrupting their behaviour of feeding, breeding rituals and migration path. Disturbance due to noise can cause animals to change their habitats frequently and this can have negative effect especially on endangered species. Extremely loud sounds can even prove to be fatal for some species of beaked whales (“What is Noise Pollution”, n.d.). Proper maintenance and better technology might lead to a reduction in noise especially in the factories. Also, a proper and systematic traffic control system might lead to less noise pollution on the roads. Conclusion Pollution in any form disrupts the natural environment and life structure of living beings. Pollution in some cases can also cause death if proper precautionary steps are not adopted. It reduces the energy in human beings which results in poor performances in academic and professional lives. Everyday there is effort to improve technology to curb pollution and make this world a safer place to live. As individuals it is also our responsibility to keep our environment clean and free from pollution. If pollution is not controlled then it will be almost impossible for life to sustain on this earth. References 1. Azab, M. A., Shorbagy, W. E. and S. A. Ghais (2005), Oil pollution and its environmental impact in the Arabian Gulf region, Elsevier 2. Bailey, C.J. (1998), Congress and air pollution: environmental policies in the USA, UK: Manchester University Press 3. Faiz, A., Sinha, K., Walsh, M. and A. Varma (1990), Automotive Air Pollution: Issues and Options for Developing Countries, World Bank Publications 4. Goel, P.K. (2006), Water Pollution-Causes, Effects and Control, New Age International, 2006 5. Johnson, T., Liu, F. and R. S. Newfarmer (1997), Clear water, blue skies: Chinas environment in the new century, World Bank Publications 6. National Research Council (US) (1966), Waste Management and Control, Washington: National Academies 7. “What is Noise Pollution”, (n.d.) karmayog.org, available at: http://karmayog.org/noisepollution/58.htm (accessed on August 29, 2011) 8. “What is Pollution Prevention”, (2007) liverpool.nsw.gov.au, available at: http://www.p2.org/about/what-is-pollution-prevention/ (accessed on August 29, 2011) Read More