11 Facts About Pollution

1. 40% of Americas rivers and 46% of Americas lakes are too polluted for fishing,
swimming, or aquatic life.
2. The Mississippi River which drains the lands of nearly 40% of the continental
United Sates carries an estimated 1.5 million metric tons of nitrogen pollution into
the Gulf of Mexico each year. The resulting dead zone in the Gulf each summer is
about the size of New Jersey.
3. 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial waste are
discharged into US waters annually.
4. Polluted drinking waters are a problem for about half of the worlds population. Each
year there are about 250 million cases of water-based diseases, resulting in roughly 5
to 10 million deaths.
5. Vehicle exhaust contributes roughly 60% of all carbon monoxide emissions
nationwide, and up to 95% in cities.
6. Large hog farms emit hydrogen sulfide, a gas that most often causes flu-like
symptoms in humans, but at high concentrations can lead to brain damage.
7. Each year, U.S. factories spew 3 million tons of toxic chemicals into the air, land, and
water.
8. In the U.S. 41% of all insecticides are used on corn. Of these, 80% are used to treat a
pest that could be controlled simply by rotating a different crop for just one year.
9. Every year, one American produces over 3,285 pounds of hazardous waste.
10. Over 80% of items in landfills can be recycled, but theyre not.
11. Americans generate 30 billion foam cups, 220 million tires, and 1.8 billion disposable
diapers every year.
Sources:
Grinning Planet
The Daily Green
CBS News
Green Net World
Environment
Pollution
Fact Sheet