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Causes of Air Pollution
Causes of Air Pollution
Nobody is safe from this pollution, which comes from five main human sources. These
sources spew out a range of substances including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide,
nitrogen oxide, ground-level ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons,
and lead–all of which are harmful to human health.
Household
The main source of household air pollution is the indoor burning of fossil fuels, wood
and other biomass-based fuels to cook, heat and light homes. Around 3.8 million
premature deaths are caused by indoor air pollution each year, the vast majority of
them in the developing world.
Out of 193 countries, 97 countries have increased the percentage of households that
have access to cleaner burning fuels to over 85 percent. However, 3 billion
people continue to use solid fuels and open fires for cooking, heating, and lighting. The
adoption of cleaner, more modern stoves and fuels can reduce the risks of illness and
save lives.
Industry
Transport
The global transport sector accounts for almost one-quarter of energy-related carbon
dioxide emissions and this proportion is rising. Air pollution emissions from transport
have been linked to nearly 400,000 premature deaths. Almost half of all deaths by air
pollution from transport are caused by diesel emissions, while those living closest to
major traffic arteries are up to 12 percent more likely to be diagnosed with dementia.
Agriculture
The major sources of air pollution from agriculture include livestock, which produces
methane and ammonia, rice paddies, which produce methane, and the burning of
agricultural waste. Methane emissions contribute to the formation of ground-level
ozone, which causes asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Methane is also a more
potent global warming gas than
carbon dioxide – its impact is 34
times greater over a 100-year
period. Around 24 percent of all
greenhouse gases emitted
worldwide come agriculture,
forestry and other land-use.
Waste
Improving the collection, separation, and disposal of solid waste reduces the amount
of waste that is burned or landfilled. Separating organic waste and turning it into
compost or bioenergy improves soil fertility and provides an alternative energy source.
Reducing the estimated one-third of all food that is lost or wasted can also improve air
quality.
Other sources
Not all air pollution comes from human activity. Volcanic eruptions, dust storms and
other natural processes also cause problems. Sand and dust storms are particularly
concerning. Fine particles of dust can travel thousands of miles on the back of these
storms, which may also carry pathogens and harmful substances, causing acute and
chronic respiratory problems.
Centro Escolar “República De Venezuela”
Matter: English.
Katherine Valencia.Nº33
Grade: 9º
Section: “A”
2019
Introduction
The pollution is one, the problem, the weather, the environment, the cause of the
adverse effects on man, animals, plants and materials. Define a dose exceeding the
acceptable levels in nature. Pollution can arise from certain manifestations of nature
or, due to the different productive processes of man that make up the activities of
daily life. The sources that generate the contaminations of the most important human
origins are: industrial, commercial, agricultural, domiciliary and mobile sources.
The technological progress and the accelerated demographic growth, produce the
alteration of the environment, reaching in some cases to attempt against the biological
balance of the Earth. It is not that there is an absolute incompatibility between
technological development, the advance of civilization and the maintenance of
ecological balance, but it is important that man know how to harmonize them. To do
this, it is necessary to protect renewable and non-renewable resources and to be
aware that sanitation of the environment is fundamental for life on the planet.