CHAPTER 5 STUDY PLAN

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

5.1 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (Article)

5.1.1 Types & Causes of Environmental Pollution (Article)

5.1.2 Effects of Environmental Pollution (Article)
5.1.3 Control of Environmental Pollution (pdf)

5.2 NUCLEAR HAZARDOUS AND HUMAN HEALTH RISKS

https://www.slideshare.net/taaraksachdeva/nuclear-hazards

5.3 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (ppt, pdf)

5.4 POLLUTION CASE STUDIES

5.4.1 Yamuna A Dead River- A news report (Article)

5.4.2 Case News on Noise Pollution (Article)

5.4.3 Air Pollution (Video)

5.4.4 Delhi’s Air Pollution (Video)

5.4.5 Light Pollution (Video, Article)

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POLLUTION AND ITS TYPES

Introduction

Pollution, we hear it every other day at school, college and read about it in newspapers. So what is it?
Pollution occurs when pollutants contaminate the natural surroundings; which brings about changes
that affect our normal lifestyles adversely. Pollutants are the key elements or components of pollution
which are generally waste materials of different forms. Pollution disturbs our ecosystem and the
balance in the environment. With modernization and development in our lives pollution has reached
its peak; giving rise to global warming and human illness.

Pollution occurs in different forms; air, water, soil, radioactive, noise, heat/ thermal and light. Every
form of pollution has two sources of occurrence; the point and the non-point sources. The point
sources are easy to identify, monitor and control, whereas the non-point sources are hard to control.

Environmental pollution

The most appropriate definition of environmental pollution would be the introduction of different
harmful pollutants into certain environment that make this environment unhealthy to live in. The most
common pollutants are usually chemicals, garbage, and waste water. Environmental pollution is
happening in many parts of the world, especially in form of air and water pollution. The best example
for air pollution are some of China's cities, including capital Beijing, and the best example for water
pollution is India with its Ganges river pollution problem.

The different types of pollutions, their causes and effects on mankind and the environment as a whole
are being discussed below:

Types & Causes of Pollution

Air Pollution is the most prominent and dangerous form of pollution. It occurs due to many reasons.

 Excessive burning of fuel which is a necessity of our daily lives for cooking, driving and
other industrial activities; releases a huge amount of chemical substances in the air everyday;
these pollute the air.
 Smoke from chimneys, factories, vehicles or burning of wood basically occurs due to coal
burning; this releases sulphur dioxide into the air making it toxic.

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The effects of air pollution are evident too. Release of sulphur dioxide and hazardous gases into the
air causes global warming and acid rain; which in turn have increased temperatures, erratic rains and
droughts worldwide; making it tough for the animals to survive. We breathe in every polluted particle
from the air; result is increase in asthma and cancer in the lungs.

Water Pollution has taken toll of all the surviving species of the earth. Almost 60% of the species
live in water bodies. It occurs due to several factors; the industrial wastes dumped into the rivers and
other water bodies cause an imbalance in the water leading to its severe contamination and death of
aquatic species. .

Also spraying insecticides, pesticides like DDT on plants pollutes the ground water system and oil
spills in the oceans have caused irreparable damage to the water bodies. Eutrophication is another big
source; it occurs due to daily activities like washing clothes, utensils near lakes, ponds ,or rivers; this
forces detergents to go into water which blocks sunlight from penetrating, thus reducing oxygen and
making it inhabitable.

Water pollution not only harms the aquatic beings but it also contaminates the entire food chain by
severely affecting humans dependent on these. Water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea have also
increased in all places.

Soil pollution occurs due to incorporation of unwanted chemicals in the soil due to human activities.
Use of insecticides and pesticides absorbs the nitrogen compounds from the soil making it unfit for
plants to derive nutrition from. Release of industrial waste, mining and deforestation also exploits the
soil. Since plants can’t grow properly, they can’t hold the soil and this leads to soil erosion.

Noise pollution is caused when noise which is an unpleasant sound affects our ears and leads to
psychological problems like stress, hypertension, hearing impairment, etc. It is caused by machines in
industries, loud music, etc. So an excess of noise in the outdoors leads to “Noise Pollution”.

This can be experienced by too many vehicles honking at the roads, heavy machinery being operated
in the open (for ex, a jackhammer), trains, clubs, over populated crowds and many more.

Radioactive pollution is highly dangerous when it occurs. It can occur due to nuclear plant
malfunctions, improper nuclear waste disposal, accidents, etc. It causes cancer, infertility, blindness,
defects at the time of birth; can sterilise soil and affect air and water.

Thermal/heat pollution is due to the excess heat in the environment creating unwanted changes over
long time periods; due to huge number of industrial plants, deforestation and air pollution. It increases
the earth’s temperature, causing drastic climatic changes and extinction of wildlife.

Light pollution

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Most people can't imagine living without the modern convenience of electric lights. For the natural
world, though, lights have changed the way that days and nights work. Some consequences of light
pollution are:

 Some birds sing at unnatural hours in the presence of artificial light.

 Scientists have determined that long artificial days can affect migration schedules, as they
allow for longer feeding times.
 Streetlights can confuse newly hatched sea turtles that rely on starlight reflecting off the
waves to guide them from the beach to the ocean. They often head in the wrong direction.
 Light pollution, called sky glow, also makes it difficult for astronomers, both professional and
amateur, to properly see the stars.
 Plant's flowering and developmental patterns can be entirely disrupted by artificial light.

Turning on so many lights may not be necessary. Research published by International Journal
of Science and Research estimates that over-illumination wastes about 2 million barrels of oil
per day and lighting is responsible for one-fourth of all energy consumption worldwide.

Effects of Pollution

1. Environment Degradation : Environment is the first casualty for increase in pollution weather in air
or water. The increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere leads to smog which can restrict
sunlight from reaching the earth. Thus, preventing plants in the process of photosynthesis. Gases like
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide can cause acid rain. Water pollution in terms of Oil spill may lead
to death of several wildlife species.

2. Human Health : The decrease in quality of air leads to several respiratory problems including
asthma or lung cancer. Chest pain, congestion, throat inflammation, cardiovascular disease,
respiratory disease are some of diseases that can be causes by air pollution. Water pollution occurs
due to contamination of water and may pose skin related problems including skin irritations and
rashes. Similarly, Noise pollution leads to hearing loss, stress and sleep disturbance.

3. Global Warming : The emission of greenhouse gases particularly CO2 is leading to global
warming. Every other day new industries are being set up, new vehicles come on roads and trees are
cut to make way for new homes. All of them, in direct or indirect way lead to increase in CO2 in the
environment. The increase in CO2 leads to melting of polar ice caps which increases the sea level and
pose danger for the people living near coastal areas.

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4. Ozone Layer Depletion: Ozone layer is the thin shield high up in the sky that stops ultra violet rays
from reaching the earth. As a result of human activities, chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), were released int to the atmosphere which contributed to the depletion of ozone layer.

5. Infertile Land : Due to constant use of insecticides and pesticides, the soil may become infertile.
Plants may not be able to grow properly. Various forms of chemicals produced from industrial waste
is released into the flowing water which also affects the quality of soil.

6. Mental Stress: Noise pollution is known to cause mental stress and depression. It can also cause
damage to the ear drum which can cause deafness. Noise pollution has more of a psychological effect
rather than a physical one. -

Conclusion

Pollution not only affect humans by destroying their respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological
systems; it also affects the nature, plants, fruits, vegetables, rivers, ponds, forests, animals, etc, on
which they are highly dependent for survival. Therefore it is important to prevent all these forms to
look forward to a greener cleaner and much more pleasant living experience.

Reference:http://worldwildlife.org/threats/pollution

5.2 NUCLEAR HAZARDOUS AND HUMAN HEALTH RISKS

https://www.slideshare.net/taaraksachdeva/nuclear-hazards

5.3 Control Measures of Urban and Industrial Wastes

Indiscriminate disposal of solid wastes, especially of hazardous wastes causes adverse

environmental effects. The main objective of solid waste management is to minimise these
adverse effects before it becomes too difficult to rectify in the future. Solid waste
management is a manifold task involving many activities like:
(i) Collection of solid wastes.
(ii) Disposal of solid wastes
(iii) Waste utilisation.

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Collection of Solid Wastes:
Collection includes all the activities associated with the gathering of solid wastes and the
hauling of the wastes collected to the location from where the collection vehicle will
ultimately transport it to the site of disposal. There are three basic methods of collection.

(a) Community storage point:

The municipal refuse is taken to fixed stor age bins and stored till the waste collection agency
collects it daily for dis posal in a vehicle.

(b) Kerbside Collection:

In advance of the collection time, the refuse is brought in containers and placed on the
footway from where it is collected by the waste collection agency.

(c) Block Collection:

Individuals bring the waste in containers and hand it over to the collection staff who empties
it into thewaiting vehicle and re turns the container to the individuals.

(ii) Disposal of Solid Wastes:

Before the solid waste is ultimately disposed of it is processed in order to improve the
efficiency of solid waste disposal system and to recover usable resources out of the solid
wastes. The processing techniques such as compaction i.e. mechanical volume reduction or
incineration i.e. thermal volume reduction and manual component separation i.e. manual
sorting of the waste are employed to increase the efficiency of solid waste management.
Due to heterogeneity of the city refuse it is important to select the most appropriate solid
waste disposal method keeping in view the following objectives:
(a) It should be economically viable i.e. the operation and maintenance costs must be
carefully assessed.
(b) It should not create a health hazard.
(c) It should not cause adverse environmental effects.
(d) It should not be aesthetically unpleasant i.e. it should not result in offend insights, odours,
and noises.
(e) It should preferably provide opportunities for recycling of materials.

The commonly used methods of disposal are:-

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(1) Salvage or Manual Component Separation:
Before ultimate disposal, the manual separation of solid waste components is accomplished
to achieve the recovery and reuse of materials. Cardboard, news print, high quality paper,
glass, metals, wood and aluminum cans etc. are manu ally sorted out or salvaged either for
recycling or for resale.
(2) Compaction or Mechanical Volume Reduction:
After separation of reusable or disposable articles, compacters are used to com press the
waste materials directly into large containers or to form bales that can be then placed in large
containers. Compaction increases the useful life of landfills.
(3) Incineration or Thermal Volume Reduction:
Highly combustible wastes like plastics, cardboard, paper, rubber and combustible wastes
like cartons, wood scrap, floor sweepings, food wastes etc. are subjected to incineration i.e.
burning at very high temperatures. Incineration results in air pollution and so proper control
equipment needs to be installed to avoid contamination of environment. In order to make this
method economical, the heat generated during incineration is usefully utilized by generating
steam or by putting a waste heat boiler on the incinerator thereby partly recovering the cost of
waste collection and disposal.
(4) Open Dumping:
Open dumping of solid wastes is done in low lying areas and outskirts of the towns and cities.
Being comparatively cheaper, this method of disposal is used extensively in India.
However, major disadvantages are:
(a) Public health hazards are caused by the breeding of flies, mosquitoes rats and other pests.
(b) Obnoxious gaseous and particulate matter is produced by burning of the combustible solid
wastes, resulting in air pollution.
(c) Open dumping requires large land areas which further aggravates the prob lem of land
shortage for human habitation.
(5) Sanitary Landfilling or Controlled Tipping:
Sanitary landfilling involves the disposal of municipal wastes on or in the upper layers of the
earth’s mantle especially in degraded areas in need of restoration. In landfilling, the solid
wastes are compacted and spread in thin layers each layer being uniformly covered by a layer
of soil.
The final layer is covered by a final cover of about one meter of earth to prevent rodents from
burrowing into the refuse and scattering. This is a biological method of waste treatment and

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bacterial refuse digestion results in decomposition products like CO2, CH4, NH3, H2S and
H2O which can be harnessed as renewable sources of energy.
This method does not cause environmental damages by creating nuisances or health hazards
as the refuse is covered and prevents breeding of pests and disease vectors. Besides there is
no danger of air pollution resulting from burn ing and no water pollution provided precaution
is taken to avoid leachates of refuse from contaminating the surface or underground water
sources. This pre vention can be taken by using a plastic membrane or watertight membrane
on the base.
(6) Pyrolysis or Destructive Distillation:
In this disposal method, the solid wastes are heated under anaerobic conditions (i.e. burning
without oxygen). The organic components of the solid wastes split up into gaseous liquid and
gaseous fractions (CO, CO2, CH4, tar, charred carbon). Unlike the highly exothermic process
of combustion, pyrolysis is a highly endothermic process and that is why it is also called
destructive distillation.
(7) Land farming:
In this waste disposal method, the biodegradable industrial wastes are treated by the
biological, physical and chemical processes occurring in the surface of the soil. The organic
wastes are either applied on top of the land or injected below the soil surface with suitable
equipment, where they undergo bacterial and chemical decomposition. At frequent intervals,
the land farming sites can be reused without any adverse effects provided the land farming
site is properly managed.
(8) Composting or Biodegradation:
Bacterial decomposition of the organic components of the municipal solid wastes result in
formation of humus or compost and the process is known as composting. In this process a
compost pile is constructed by making alternate layers of or ganic matter and soil (source of
micro-organisms).
Some fertilizer and water is periodically added to the compost pile to stimulate microbial
(bacteria and fungi) action and to maintain the necessary moisture content (55%).
Periodically, the refuse is turned over to allow aeration i.e. penetration of oxy gen to all parts
of the organic refuse to facilitate aerobic bacterial decomposition.
It takes nearly a month for composting to be complete. Large waste products such as
machinery, old furniture, abandoned vehicles etc. are required to be reduced in size in order
to become capable of being handled by pulverizes. This reduction in size is usually achieved
by using impact crushers or hydraulic shears.

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(iii) Waste Utilisation:
A developing country cannot afford wastage. By proper utilisation of solid waste a
developing
country like India can avail of many advantages, for instance:
(a) Waste utilisation directly or indirectly contributes to economic development.
(b) Waste utilisation generates employment opportunities.
(c) Unused solid wastes create environmental hazards by spreading diseases and causing air
and water pollution.
(d) Waste utilisation helps in conservation of natural resources.
(e) Waste utilisation helps to generate many useful products which are the basic necessities of
life.
Resource recovery or waste utilisation is achieved by three techniques:
(1) Reuse i.e. a given material has multiple uses.
(2) Reclamation i.e. a component of the waste is recovered for use in a manner different from
its original use.
(3) Recycling i.e. isolating the material from which a given product was made and
reintroducing it into the production cycle for production of the same product.

Examples of Waste Utilisation:

(a) Clean water resulting from treatment of industrial effluents and sewage can be reused.
(b) Refilling of used cold drink bottles.
(c) Jute wastes are utilised for making good quality paper, box-boards and hard boards.
(d) Sugarcane wastes are utilised for production of electricity, paper, boards etc.
(e) Waste products of slaughter houses can also be utilised. Blood is used in pharmaceutical
industry and hides and skins are used for leather production.
(f) Cattle dung is used in gobar gas plants for making cooking gas.
(g) Cattle dung is used as a manure.
(h) Garbage is used for making compost.
(i) Waste paper is recycled to form paper, cardboard, good quality paper and paper bags etc.
(j) Scrap glass is used in production of new glass.

(k) Aquatic weeds like water Hyacinth (Eichhornia) is utilised by conversion into fertilisers,
biogas, animal feed, paper etc.

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(l) Plastic is recycled to make new packs, soft waxes, greases and adhesives etc.
(m) Used tyres casings are reused in the manufacture of synthetic rubber,
(n) Fly ash is used as a cement substitute to make bricks etc. Efforts are required to be made
to minimise the generation of these wastes and to treat them to recover useful materials i.e.
waste utilisation, and to make the residual innocuous and harmless.
In 1975, a report on Utilisation and Recycling of Wastes (Research, Develop ment and
Extension Requirements) was prepared by the National Committee on Science and
Technology of the Government of India (NCST, 1975).

Yamuna a dead river, says report, even as focus

on Clean Ganga
 Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times, New Delhi
 Updated: Apr 18, 2015 09:53 IST

A-child-showing-polluted-water-flowing-into-the-Yamuna-river--HT-Photo

The Yamuna is almost dead, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has said, even as the
government single-mindedly pushes to clean the Ganga and overlooks the filthy river at its
doorstep. It’s not just the Yamuna, whose water quality is as bad as sewage, but many rivers
across the country are reeling under an unprecedented load of urban waste and industrial
effluents, says a CPCB report.

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“These rivers are getting polluted because of the increasing flow of untreated waste water from
cities,” said Shashi Shekhar, pollution board chairman and special secretary in the environment
ministry.
About 66% of stretches monitored during a three-year study of water in 290 rivers have high
organic pollution, measured in terms of biological oxygen demand (BOD).
The decline in the quantity and quality of water flow has reduced the productivity of many
terrestrial, aquatic, and coastal zone ecosystems and led to loss of biodiversity, the report says.
This means, 8,400km of these rivers are badly polluted and not fit to support aquatic life.
The bad news goes much beyond that: the number of polluted water zones in India has
increased manifold over the past two decades.
In addition, the pollution load on rivers has been rising constantly. The report says over 370
major towns and cities are contributing to river pollution as the country has the
wherewithal to treat only 30% of its urban water waster.
The Yamuna is choking to death primarily because untreated waste is flowing into it from several
cities along its banks in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
The river’s contamination starts in Haryana and continues in Delhi, ultimately making it almost
invisible in Uttar Pradesh where it merges with the Ganga in Allahabad.

Yamuna is not the lone black spot. The Mithi in Mumbai is treading the same path with
organic pollution increasing from Powai to Dharavi while the Hindon river is getting the
same treatment from industrial waste between Saharanpur and Ghaziabad.
The CPCB has put these two along with Sabarmati, Gaggar in Punjab and Umkhrah in
Shillong as the most-polluted river stretches in India.
“There may not be even a single river in India which is clean throughout its length and the recent
years have seen pollution increasing because municipal bodies do not have any plan to clean
waste water flowing into the rivers,” a senior CPCB scientist said.
India has less than 2% of the world’s freshwater sources, sustaining 5% of the world’s
population.
The CPCB report warns of far-reaching consequences if India fails to enhance its capacity to
treat urban waste — which stands at 38,000 million tonnes a day.

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 www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article

New study warns 'dangerous' levels of noise pollution in New Delhi are
causing age-related hearing loss 15 years earlier than normal
By NEETU CHANDRA
PUBLISHED: 00:01 GMT, 2 June 2013 | UPDATED: 00:54 GMT, 2 June 2013


Delhiites have started complaining of age-related hearing loss as early as 60 years of age,
says a study conducted by the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health at
Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC).
Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is the cumulative effect of ageing on hearing. It is a
progressive age-related hearing loss which generally sets in after the age of 75 years. In
Delhi, however, such cases are being reported at the age of 60.
"The ENT department at MAMC observed symptoms of presbycusis in people at the age of
60, which should ideally begin at 75.

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Deaf trap: Connaught Place is covered under the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, but
many areas in the city are found to be well above the healthy noise level
"We scanned the data of last 10 years and observed that the age for the medical condition
has actually come down by almost 15 years," said Dr T K Joshi, director of the Centre for
Occupational and Environmental Health, MAMC.
Researchers studied thousands of cases of presbycusis reported at MAMC over the past 10
years and came to the conclusion that one out of four patients developed hearing-related
problem in early 60s.
"This is happening due to very high pollution levels in the city even in residential areas.
Noise trauma is one of the major reasons triggering Presbycusis among people. Other
reasons triggering the problem are poor diet, smoking and hypertension among others," said
Dr Joshi. MAMC conducted noise mapping studies across Delhi for three years to measure
the levels of noise pollution in different areas.

The study was commissioned by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPPC). Residential
areas where the noise levels were recorded to be dangerously high are central Delhi, Rohini,
Pitampura, Dwarka and IGI Airport.
Norms not met
"We measured noise levels all over Delhi and didn't find a single area where the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) norms were met. The levels when measured were found
anywhere between 80 decible (dB) and 93 dB at different times day and night. For instance,
in Dwarka we found the noise levels were as high as 93 dB. This level is deafening," said Dr
Joshi.
In residential areas, 40 to 50 dB is considered moderate noise level during the day. At night,
the limit comes down by five notches to 40 to 45 dB.
Sixty to 80 dB is considered loud noise, while anything above 90 dB is dangerous and can
cause damage to ears if continued for a long time.
"We also noticed noise induced hearing loss in some patients. It happens due to exposure to
either a sudden, loud noise or exposure to loud noises for a long period of time. A dangerous
sound is anything that is 85 dB or higher," said Dr Joshi.

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"Higher noise can precipitate heart problems too. Stress hormones are released when a
person is exposed to noise pollution.

During the study, we found that Delhi is a highly uncivilised city. Unnecessary honking adds
to noise pollution," said Dr Joshi.
Experts say Delhi is in dire need of acoustical solutions. Not only people on roads but also
those working or dwelling on higher floors (as high as 10th floor) in traffic- heavy areas face
high noise levels that can cause health problems.
The Transport Planning Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and
Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia
Islamia, recently conducted noise mapping in the Capital and found noise levels at various
locations scaling up to 83 dB. They have given recommendations for the noise barriers at
various busy areas in the city.
"Increasing noise level due to road traffic is a major concern for the quality of life in urban
areas. It can be reduced to some extent by adopting mitigating measures such as providing
noise barriers and proper traffic management," said Nasim Akhtar, Transport Planning
Division, CSIR-CRRI. CSIR, CRRI and Jamia University conducted two types of noise
mapping - vertical and horizontal.
It gave them a clear picture of exposed areas and the number of people exposed to varying
noise levels.
"At Nehru Place, on the road, the noise levels varied between 80 and 82.6 dB(A), while till
the10th floor, noise levels were more than 70 dB(A). This means people who are staying till
that floor are exposed to that level of noise," Akhtar said.

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 Video links for Air pollution case studies
1. DISTURBING AND SCARY POLLUTING IMAGES OF CHINA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTAkVghzPQ0
2. WORST SMOG OF THE YEAR CHOKES BEIJING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bHihGr0RfY
3. WAYS TO TACKLE POLLUTION IN CHINA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cOFf962PDc

CASE STUDY ON DELHI’S AIR POLLUTION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4AmRtelWbc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm0VN3kqPgw

5.4.5 What light pollution?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjsFC2Q77FY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdIGJNVUwmE

ARTICLE

Light pollution is the excessive and prolonged use of artificial lights, in a way that
results in brightening of night skies, disrupting natural cycles and activities
of wildlife, health probelms in humans, as well as preventing humans from
observing stars and other planets.

In other definitions, it does not only have to do with the sky, but anywhere that
artificial lights are used, where they are not intended to.

Other terms often used for light pollution are ‘photopollution’ and'luminous
pollution'.

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Note that this is not only a city center problem. There is also light pollution when
you use too much light in your compound that affects the comfort and health of your
neigbours.

This could be your outdoor light ‘s intrusion into other people’s bedrooms. This can
be called nuisance. Too much light indoors also is classified as indoor light pollution
if it is wasteful and it has effect on the health of people living in that room.

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 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION - CONTROL MEASURES
C. Fundamentals of prevention and control of air pollution:

As mentioned above, air pollutants can be gaseous or particulate matters. Different techniques for
controlling these pollutants are discussed below:

a. Methods of controlling gaseous pollutants –

1. Combustion – This technique is used when the pollutants are in the form of organic gases or vapors.
During flame combustion or catalytic process, these organic pollutants are converted into water vapor
and relatively less harmful products, such as CO2.

2. Absorption – In this technique, the gaseous effluents are passed through scrubbers or absorbers.
These contain a suitable liquid absorbent, which removes or modifies one or more of the pollutants
present in the gaseous effluents.

3. Adsorption – The gaseous effluents are passed through porous solid adsorbents kept in suitable
containers. The organic and inorganic constituents of the effluent gases are trapped at the interface of
the solid adsorbent by physical adsorbent.

b. Methods to control particulate emissions –

1. Mechanical devices generally work on the basis of the following: dustbagfilter

(i) Gravity: In this process, the particles settle down by gravitational force.

(ii) Sudden change in direction of the gas flow. This causes the particles to separate out due to greater
momentum.
2. Fabric Filters: The gases containing dust are passed through a porous medium. These porous media
may be woven or filled fabrics. The particles present in the gas are trapped and collected in the filters.
The gases freed from the particles are discharged.

3. Wet Scrubbers: Wet scrubbers are used in chemical, mining and metallurgical industries to trap SO2,
NH3, metal fumes, etc.

4. Electrostatic Precipitators: When a gas or an air stream containing aerosols in the form of dust, fumes
or mist, is passed between two electrodes, then, the aerosol particles get precipitated on the electrode.
dustelectrostaticprecipitator

c. Other practices in controlling air pollution - Apart from the above, following practices also help in
controlling air pollution.

(i) Use of better designed equipment and smokeless fuels, hearths in industries and at home.

(ii) Automobiles should be properly maintained and adhere to recent emission-control standards.
(iii) More trees should be planted along road side and houses.

(iv) Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar energy, ocean currents, should fulfill energy needs.

(v) Tall chimneys should be installed for vertical dispersion of pollutants.

d. General air pollution control devices / equipments for industries – The commonly used equipments /
process for control of dust in various industries are (a) Mechanical dust collectors in the form of dust
cyclones; (b) Electrostatic precipitators – both dry and wet system; (c) particulate scrubbers; (d) Water
sprayer at dust generation points; (e) proper ventilation system and (f) various monitoring devices to
know the concentration of dust in general body of air.

The common equipments / process used for control of toxic / flue gases are the (a) process of
desulphurisation; (b) process of denitrification; (c) Gas conditioning etc. and (d) various monitoring
devices to know the efficacy of the systems used.

e. Steps, in general, to be taken for reduction of air pollution - To change our behavior in order to reduce
AIR POLLUTION at home as well as on the road, few following small steps taken by us would lead to
clean our Environment.

At Home:

1. Avoid using chemical pesticides or fertilizers in your yard and garden. Many fertilizers are a source of
nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Try organic products instead.
2. Compost your yard waste instead of burning it. Outdoor burning is not advisable, as it pollutes air.
Breathing this smoke is bad for you, your family and your neighbors. Plus, you can use the compost in
your garden.

3. If you use a wood stove or fireplace to heat your home, it would be better to consider switching to
another form of heat which does not generate smoke. It is always better to use sweater or warm
clothing than using fireplace.

4. Be energy efficient. Most traditional sources of energy burn fossil fuels, causing air pollution. Keep
your home well-maintained with weather-stripping, storm windows, and insulation. Lowering your
thermostat can also help – and for every two degrees Fahrenheit you lower it, you save about two
percent on your heating bill.

5. Plant trees and encourage other to plant trees as well. Trees absorb and store carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere, and filter out air pollution. During warmer days, trees provide cool air, unnecessary use
of energy on air conditioning is avoided, hence the air pollution.

6. Try to stop smoking; at home, at office or at outside. Tobacco smoking not only deteriorates self’s
health, it affects others health too.

On the Road:

7. Keep your vehicle well maintained. A poorly maintained engine both creates more air pollution and
uses more fuel. Replace oil and air filters regularly, and keep your tires properly inflated.

8. Drive less. Walking, bicycling, riding the bus, or working from home can save you money as well as
reducing air pollution.

9. Don’t idle your vehicle. If you stop for more than 30 seconds, except in traffic, turn off your engine.

10. Don’t buy more car than you need. Four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, engine size, vehicle weight,
and tire size all affect the amount of fuel your vehicle uses. The more fuel it uses the more air pollution
it causes.
D. Water pollution prevention and control:

Water is a key resource for our quality of life. It also provides natural habitats and eco-systems for plant
and animal species. Access to clean water for drinking and sanitary purposes is a precondition for human
health and well-being. Clean unpolluted water is essential for our ecosystems. Plants and animals in
lakes, rivers and seas react to changes in their environment caused by changes in chemical water quality
and physical disturbance of their habitat.

Water pollution is a human-induced change in the chemical, physical, biological, and radiological quality
of water that is injurious to its existing, intended, or potential uses such as boating, waterskiing,
swimming, the consumption of fish, and the health of aquatic organisms and ecosystems. Thus, the
discharge of toxic chemicals from a pipe or the release of livestock waste into a nearby water body is
considered pollution. The contamination of ground water, rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, and oceans
can threaten the health of humans and aquatic life.

Contaminants have a significant impact on aquatic ecosystems. for example, enrichment of water bodies
with nutrients (principally nitrogen and phosphorus) can result in the growth of algae and other aquatic
plants that shade or clog streams. Direct exposures to toxic chemicals such as pesticides, is also a health
concern for individual aquatic plants and animals. Without healthy water for drinking, cooking, fishing,
and farming, the human race would perish. Clean water is also necessary for recreational interests such
as swimming, boating, and water skiing.

a. Sources of Water Pollution - Sources of water pollution are generally divided into two categories. The
first is point-source pollution, in which contaminants are discharged from a discrete location. Sewage
outfalls and oil spills are examples of point-source pollution. The second category is non-point-source or
diffuses pollution, referring to all of the other discharges that deliver contaminants to water bodies.

Numerous manufacturing plants pour off undiluted corrosives, poisons, and other noxious byproducts to
water streams. The construction industry discharges slurries of gypsum, cement, abrasives, metals, and
poisonous solvents. The mining industry also presents persistent water pollution problems. In yet
another instance of pollution, hot water discharged by factories and power plants causes so-called
‘thermal pollution’ by increasing water temperatures. Such increases change the level of oxygen
dissolved in a body of water, thereby disrupting the water’s ecological balance, killing off some plant
and animal species while encouraging the overgrowth of others. Towns and municipalities are also
major sources of water pollution.
In many public water systems, pollution exceeds safe levels. One reason for this is that much
groundwater has been contaminated by wastes pumped underground for disposal or by seepage from
surface water. When contamination reaches underground water tables, it is difficult to correct and
spreads over wide areas. Discharge of untreated or only partially treated sewage into the waterways
threatens the health of their own and neighboring populations as well. Along with domestic wastes,
sewage carries industrial contaminants and a growing tonnage of paper and plastic refuse. Although
thorough sewage treatment would destroy most disease-causing bacteria, the problem of the spread of
viruses and viral illness remains. Additionally, most sewage treatment does not remove phosphorus
compounds, contributed principally by detergents.

b. Dangers of Water Pollution - Virtually all water pollutants are hazardous to humans as well as lesser
species; sodium is implicated in cardiovascular disease, nitrates in blood disorders. Mercury and lead
can cause nervous disorders. Some contaminants are carcinogens. DDT is toxic to humans and can alter
chromosomes. Along many shores, shellfish can no longer be taken because of contamination by DDT,
sewage, or industrial wastes.

c. Prevention and Control of Water Pollution - Sewage should be treated before it is discharged into the
river or ocean. This is possible through modern techniques. Groundwater-pollution

Sewage is first passed through a grinding mechanism. This is then passed through several settling
chambers and neutralized with lime. Up to this stage, the process is called primary treatment. The
sewage still contains a large number of pathogenic and non-pathogenic organisms, and also sufficient
quantity of organic matter. The neutralized effluents are sent to UASB (up-flow anaerobic sludge
blanket). It is a reactor. In this, the anaerobic bacteria degrade the biodegradable material present in the
waste water. This removes foul odor and releases methane, which can be used elsewhere. In this
system, the pollution load is reduced upto 85 percent. After this, water is sent to aeration tanks where it
is mixed with air and bacteria. Bacteria digest the organic waste material. This is called biological or
secondary treatment. Even after the treatment, water is not yet fit for drinking. The harmful
microorganisms need to be killed. The final step (tertiary treatment) is, therefore, a disinfection process,
to remove final traces of organics, bacteria, dissolved inorganic solids, etc. For tertiary treatment,
methods, such as chlorination, evaporation, and exchange absorption may be employed. These depend
upon the required quality of the final treatment. p_4
Apart from the above, you should also adopt the following practices:

(i) Waste food material, paper, decaying vegetables and plastics should not be thrown into open drains.

(ii) Effluents from distilleries, and solid wastes containing organic matter should be sent to biogas plants
for generation of energy.

(iii) Oil slicks should be skimmed off from the surface with suction device. Sawdust may be spread over
oil slicks to absorb the oil components.

E. Soil erosion and its prevention: Soil erosion by water, wind and tillage affects both agriculture and the
natural environment. Soil loss, and its associated impacts, is one of the most important (yet probably
the least well-known) of today’s environmental problems. It is mostly due to poor land use practices,
which include deforestation, overgrazing, unmanaged construction activity and road or trail building.

Soil is a complex mixture of living and non-living materials. It provides anchorage and sustenance to
plants. Natural agents like water and wind, constantly tend to remove the top soil and cause erosion.
Rain falling upon the unprotected top soil, washes it down into the streams. Due to the absence of plant
covering, eroded soil cannot hold water. Water rushes into the rivers and overflows as flood. Dust storm
also causes soil erosion. The particles of top soil are picked up in such quantities that they form clouds of
dust. Human beings also cause soil erosion. The growing human habitation and expansion of urban
areas lead to removal of vegetation. Once vegetation is removed, the naked soil gets exposed to wind
and water. Improper tillage is another cause of soil erosion. Farmers often loosen the top soil for
removing weeds and preparing seed beds. They also leave agricultural fields lying fallow for long time.
These practices expose the top soil to the wind and cause erosion.

Soil erosion is always a result of mankind’s unwise actions, such as overgrazing or unsuitable cultivation
practices. These leave the land unprotected and vulnerable. Accelerated soil erosion by water or wind
may affect both agricultural areas and the natural environment, and is one of the most widespread of
today’s environmental problems. Soil erosion is just one form of soil degradation. Other kinds of soil
degradation include salinisation, nutrient loss, and compaction.

Prevention of soil erosion - Plants provide protective cover on the land and prevent soil erosion for the
reasons:

(a) plants slow down water as it flows over the land (runoff) and this allows much of the rain to soak into
the ground;
(b) plant roots hold the soil in position and prevent it from being washed away;

(c) plants break the impact of a raindrop before it hits the soil, thus reducing its ability to erode;

(d) plants in wetlands and on the banks of rivers are of particular importance as they slow down the flow
of the water and their roots bind the soil, thus preventing erosion.

Preventing soil erosion requires technical changes to adopt. Aspects of technical changes include:

(i) use of contour ploughing and wind breaks;

(ii) leaving unploughed grass strips between ploughed land;

(iii) making sure that there are always plants growing on the soil, and that the soil is rich in humus
(decaying plant and animal remains). This organic matter is the “glue” that binds the soil particles
together and plays an important part in preventing erosion;

(iv) avoiding overgrazing and the over-use of crop lands;

(v) allowing indigenous plants to grow along the river banks instead of ploughing and planting crops
right up to the water’s edge;

(vi) encouraging biological diversity by planting several different types of plants together;

(vii) conservation of wetlands.

We can check soil erosion by adopting the following additional practices:

1. Intensive cropping and use of proper drainage canals.

2. Terracing on the sloping fields. This retards the speed of the flowing water.

3. Planting trees and sowing grasses.

4. Extensive aforestation practices to be carried out.

[ For more refer Soil Erosion Combating is Essential ]

F. Mitigation of Noise pollution: Reducing noise pollution by muffling the sounds at the source is one of
the best methods in industry and for urban living. Protective equipment is generally mandatory when
noise levels exceed 85 dB(A) in industry. Creation of green cover adjacent to municipal roads and in
mines is the way to mitigate noise pollution. It has been observed that noise level reduces by 10 decibels
per every 10m wide green belt development. Apart, redesigning industrial equipment, shock mounting
assemblies and physical barriers in the workplace are also for reduction and exposure of unwanted
industrial noise.

High way noise pollution can be mitigated by constructing noise barriers. Artificial noise barriers are
solid obstructions built between the highway and the residential areas along a highway. They block
major portion of noise produced by passing vehicles on a highway. Effective noise barriers typically
reduce noise levels by as much as half or more. The construction of noise barrier may be built in the
form of earth mounds, vertical wall along the highways for creation of blockage of sound generated by
heavy vehicles. Creation of greenbelt in the space between the residences and highways also reduces
the noise nuisance.

G. Conservation and protection of environment: By now, all of us have realized how important it is to
protect the environment for our own survival. The term ‘conservation’ of environment relates to
activities which can provide individual or commercial benefits, but at the same time, prevent excessive
use leading to environmental damage. Conservation may be distinguished from preservation, which is
considered to be “maintaining of nature as it is, or might have been before the intervention of either
human beings or natural forces.” We know that natural resources are getting depleted and
environmental problems are increasing. It is, therefore, necessary to conserve and protect our
environment. Following practices help in protecting our environment.

1. Rotation of crops.
2. Judicious use of fertilisers, intensive cropping, proper drainage and irrigation.

3. Treatment of sewage, so that it does not pollute the rivers and other water bodies.

4. Composting organic solid waste for use as manure.

5. Planting trees in place of those removed for various purposes.

6. National parks and conservation forests should be established by the government.

7. Harvesting of rain water.

Some action points to protect or improve the environment -

(i) Dispose the waste after separating them into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste material.

(ii) Start a compost heap or use a compost bin. This can be used to recycle waste food and other
biodegradable materials.

(iii) Avoid unnecessary or wasteful packaging of products.

(iv) Reuse carry bags.

(v) Plant trees. They will help to absorb excess carbon dioxide.

(vi) Observe World Environment Day on 5th June.

(vii) Never put any left over chemicals, used oils down the drain, toilet or dump them on the ground or
in water or burn them in the garden. If you do so, it will cause pollution.

(viii) Don’t burn any waste, especially plastics, for the smoke may contain polluting gases.

(ix) Use unleaded petrol and alternate sources of energy, and keep the engine properly tuned and
serviced and the tyres inflated to the right pressure, so that vehicle runs efficiently.

(x) Avoid fast starts and sudden braking of automobiles.

(xi) Walk or cycle where it is safe to do so – walking is free; cycling can help to keep you fit.

(xii) Use public transport wherever you can, or form a car pool for everyday travel.

(xiii) Send your waste oil, old batteries and used tyres to a garage for recycling or safe disposal; all these
can cause serious pollution.
Nuclear Hazards

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Nuclear Hazards-Argha Deb
 Nuclear Hazards

‰ Nuclear Hazards are invisible

‰ Odorless contamination

Affect on human being

‰ Different severe health hazards including cancer

Environmental Nuclear Pollution is created by the presence of radioactive

substances (radio-nuclides) in air, water and soil etc. These radio-nuclides emit
high energy particles (alpha/beta) and electromagnetic waves (gamma rays).

2
Nuclear Hazards-Argha Deb
‰ Sources of Radioactive Environmental Pollution
Our world is radioactive and has been so since it was created. Radio-nuclides are found
naturally in our environment. They are even found in human body. Every day we ingest
and inhale radio-nuclides through the air, food and water.

‰ Sources of radioactive contamination are broadly classified into two categories:

Naturally occurring radioactive contamination

Man-made radioactive contamination

Roughly, 87% of the contamination is natural and only 13% is man-made.

3
Nuclear Hazards-Argha Deb
‰ Naturally occurring radioactive contamination consists of:

¾ Primordial Radio-nuclides: They are left over from when the earth was
created.Common examples- Uranium 238,Uranium 235,Thorium 232, Potassium 40.

¾ Cosmogenic Radio-nuclides: They are formed in the atmosphere by the interaction

of the Cosmic Rays(rays coming from outer space).

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Nuclear Hazards-Argha Deb
‰ Man-made radioactive contamination mainly consists of:

¾ Radio-nuclides produced in Particle Accelerator.

Radio-nuclides produced in different non-nuclear industries like ceramic industries, phosphate
industries, mining industries etc.

¾ Radio-nuclides produced in nuclear weapon tests.

Radio-nuclides produced in Nuclear Power Plants: Although a nuclear power plant cannot
explode like an atom bomb, accidents can result in serious radioactive pollution. Moreover,
disposing of the large amount of radioactive waste generated by the plants is another serious
problem because the waste will remain radioactive for many thousands of years.

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Nuclear Hazards-Argha Deb
‰ Radioactive Health Hazards:
Radioactive rays are highly energetic and can deposit large amount of energy in human
tissues. End point effect is to produce biological damages causing different types of health
problems.

‰ Most common type of health hazards that are caused by radiation exposures
are:
¾ Cancer is considered to be the most primary health effect from radiation exposure
¾ Radiation can cause changes in DNA, which is known as mutation.
¾ Acute exposure appears quickly as burns and radiation sickness. Symptoms of radiation
sickness includes- nausea, hair loss, weakness etc.

‰ Maximum allowable Exposure Limit :

It is difficult to set a safe limit of radiation exposure. Even very low level exposure over a
prolonged period can cause severe health problems. However, based on certain philosophy,
International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP 60) and National Council on
Radiation Protection(NCRP 116) have specified some limits:
Annual average effective dose limit: 1 mili Sievert (for public)
6
Nuclear Hazards-Argha Deb
Solid Waste Management
 Waste- Definition & Classification
Any material which is not needed by the owner, producer or
processor. OR
Any unwanted or unusable material, substances, or by-products.

Classification:
• Domestic waste
• Factory waste
• Waste from oil factory
• E-waste
• Construction waste
• Agricultural waste
• Food processing waste
• Bio-medical waste
• Nuclear waste
Solid Waste
Classification of Wastes
• Solid waste- vegetable waste, kitchen waste, household
waste etc.

• E-waste- discarded electronic devices like computer, TV,

music systems etc.

• Liquid waste- water used for different industries eg

tanneries, distillaries, thermal power plants

• Plastic waste- plastic bags, bottles, buckets etc.

• Metal waste- unused metal sheet, metal scraps etc.

• Nuclear waste- unused materials from nuclear power

plants
Solid Waste in India
• 7.2 million tonnes of hazardous waste

• One Sq km of additional landfill area every-year

• Rs 1600 crore for treatment & disposal of these wastes

• In addition to this industries discharge about 150 million

tonnes of high volume low hazard waste every year,
which is mostly dumped on open low lying land areas.

Source: Estimate of Ministry of Environment & Forest

Growth of Solid Waste In India
• Waste is growing by leaps & bounds

• In 1981-91, population of Mumbai increased from 8.2

million to 12.3 million

• During the same period, municipal solid waste has grown

from 3200 tonnes to 5355 tonne, an increase of 67%

• Waste collection is very low for all Indian cities

• City like Bangalore produces 2000 tonnes of waste per

annum, the ever increasing waste has put pressure on
hygienic condition of the city

Source: The Energy & Resources Institute, New Delhi

Waste Collection in India
• Primarily by the city municipality
-No gradation of waste product eg bio-degradable, glasses,
polybags, paper shreds etc
-Dumps these wastes to the city outskirts

• Local raddiwala / kabadiwala (Rag pickers)

-Collecting small iron pieces by magnets
-Collecting glass bottles
-Collecting paper for recycling

• MCD- Sophisticated DWM (Delhi Waste Management)

vehicle
How solid waste affected us in recent years?
• Cloudburst in Mumbai (2005) clogged the sewage
line due to large no. of plastic bags

• Blast in the Bhusan Steel factory at Noida, caused

due to imported scrap from Iran

• Reduction in the number of migratory birds due to

consumption of contaminated foods

• Stray animals dying on streets and farmland due

to consumption of plastic bags, which blocks the
food movement in their stomach
Hazardous / Toxic Waste & Dumping Site
• Industrialised countries have waste
management problems

• Developed countries have strict

environment regulation norms

• Most attractive option for them- to dump

into developing countries
Major Polluting Industries in India
• Around 2500 tanneries discharge 24 million
cu m of waste water containing high level
of dissolved solids and 4,00,000 tonnes of
hazardous solid waste

• 300 distilleries discharge 26 million kilo-

litres of spend wash per year containing
several pollutants

• Thermal power plants discharge huge waste

materials
Collection & Recycling of Waste Materials
Managing Waste
Recycling: Processing of a waste item into usable forms.

Benefits of recycling:
-Reduce environmental degradation
-Making money out of waste
-Save energy that would have gone into waste handling &
product manufacture

Saving through recycling:

-When Al is resmelted- considerable saving in cost
-Making paper from waste saves 50% energy
-Every tonne of recycled glass saves energy equivalent to
100 litres of oil
Recycling not a solution to all problems!

Recycling is not a solution to managing every

kind of waste material

For many items recycling technologies are

unavailable or unsafe

In some cases, cost of recycling is too high.

Solution: More Profit With Zero Waste
• Exchanging output that are considered
waste
• Waste of one could be input or raw material
for others
• Evolving a closed system- matter & energy
circulate within
• System was not designed to be so
• The system of exchange evolved in 10
years
Problems in Dealing With Solid Waste

• Education & voluntary compliance

• Collection of waste

• Technological interventions

• Institutions & regulatory framework

• Absence of mandatory standards for waste reduction

• Market action for waste reduction

Source: The Energy & Resources Institute

 http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/ghost-ship-121205

French aircraft carrier Clemenceau

French aircraft carrier Clemenceau
• December 12, 2005, Clemenceau, Ghost ship nobody wants
• 27,000-ton warship full of asbestos, PCBs, lead, mercury,
and other toxic chemicals
• Indian scrapyard of Alang (Bhavnagar district, Gujarat) , a
place where environmental regulations are lax and workers'
rights are practically nonexistant
• In most shipbreaking nations proper waste management is
absent. There are no rules and regulations. And where
rules exist, they're unlikely to be enforced.
• Basel Convention (1989) is an international treaty which
prohibits the export of hazardous waste from rich to poor
countries
• Greenpeace raised awareness campaigned against the ship
in India as well as in France
• French President Chirac has announced a dramatic recall of
the asbestos-laden warship Clemenceau
References

• Environmental Studies
-R Rajagopalan
• www.greenpeace.org

• www.teri.res.in