Pollution
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POLLUTION
Pollution • Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the environment that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or that damage the environment. • Pollution can be in the form of chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat, or light.
• Pollutants can be naturally occurring substances or energies, but are considered contaminants when in excess of natural levels. • Pollution is often categorized into : point source and nonpoint source pollution. • Point source pollution : A single identifiable localized source of air, water, thermal, noise or light pollution.
• Some examples of point sources of pollution are : Air pollution from a powerplant flue gas stack Water pollution from oil refinery wastewater discharge outlet Noise pollution from a jet engine Thermal pollution from an industrial process outfall
• Non Point source pollution : pollutants that come from several different sources. As water from rainfall and snowmelt flows over and through the landscape, it picks up and carries contaminants from many different sources. • Major forms of pollution : • Air pollution, the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere.
• Common examples include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. • Photochemical ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. • Water pollution via runoff, leaching to groundwater, liquid spills, wastewater discharges, eutrophication and littering.
• Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage. • Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons, heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons. • Radioactive contamination • Noise pollution, which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar
• Light pollution, includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference. • Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash or municipal solid waste.
• Thermal pollution, is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant • Pollution can also be the consequence of a natural disaster. For example, hurricanes often involve water contamination from sewage
• Some sources of pollution, such as nuclear power plants or oil tankers, can produce widespread and potentially hazardous releases when natural disaster occur. • Effects : Human health Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans
• Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion. • pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries. • Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. • Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance.
• Ecosystems Sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen can cause acid rain which reduces the pH value of soil. Soil can become infertile and unsuitable for plants. This will affect other organisms in the food web. Smog and haze can reduce the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out photosynthesis.
• Invasive species can out compete native species and reduce biodiversity • Biomagnification describes a situation where toxins may be pass through trophic levels, becoming exponentially more concentrated in the process. • Pollution control : the control of emissions and effluents into air, water or soil
• Without pollution controls the undesirable waste products from human consumption, industrial production, agricultural activities, mining, transportation and other sources will accumulate or disperse and degrade the natural environment. • In the hierarchy of controls, pollution prevention and waste minimization are more desirable than pollution control.
Regulation and monitoring by region • International : • The Kyoto Protocol – Countries which ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases – The United States and Australia,have signed but not ratified the agreement.
Pollution • Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the environment that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or that damage the environment. • Pollution can be in the form of chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat, or light.
• Pollutants can be naturally occurring substances or energies, but are considered contaminants when in excess of natural levels. • Pollution is often categorized into : point source and nonpoint source pollution. • Point source pollution : A single identifiable localized source of air, water, thermal, noise or light pollution.
• Some examples of point sources of pollution are : Air pollution from a powerplant flue gas stack Water pollution from oil refinery wastewater discharge outlet Noise pollution from a jet engine Thermal pollution from an industrial process outfall
• Non Point source pollution : pollutants that come from several different sources. As water from rainfall and snowmelt flows over and through the landscape, it picks up and carries contaminants from many different sources. • Major forms of pollution : • Air pollution, the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere.
• Common examples include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. • Photochemical ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. • Water pollution via runoff, leaching to groundwater, liquid spills, wastewater discharges, eutrophication and littering.
• Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage. • Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons, heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons. • Radioactive contamination • Noise pollution, which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar
• Light pollution, includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference. • Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash or municipal solid waste.
• Thermal pollution, is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant • Pollution can also be the consequence of a natural disaster. For example, hurricanes often involve water contamination from sewage
• Some sources of pollution, such as nuclear power plants or oil tankers, can produce widespread and potentially hazardous releases when natural disaster occur. • Effects : Human health Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans
• Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion. • pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries. • Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. • Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance.
• Ecosystems Sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen can cause acid rain which reduces the pH value of soil. Soil can become infertile and unsuitable for plants. This will affect other organisms in the food web. Smog and haze can reduce the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out photosynthesis.
• Invasive species can out compete native species and reduce biodiversity • Biomagnification describes a situation where toxins may be pass through trophic levels, becoming exponentially more concentrated in the process. • Pollution control : the control of emissions and effluents into air, water or soil
• Without pollution controls the undesirable waste products from human consumption, industrial production, agricultural activities, mining, transportation and other sources will accumulate or disperse and degrade the natural environment. • In the hierarchy of controls, pollution prevention and waste minimization are more desirable than pollution control.
Regulation and monitoring by region • International : • The Kyoto Protocol – Countries which ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases – The United States and Australia,have signed but not ratified the agreement.
