DIFFERENT TYPES OF POLLUTION AND ITS

ECONOMIC IMPACT

1. AIR POLLUTION
Air pollution is the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful
to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to
materials. There are many different types of air pollutants, such as gases (such as
ammonia, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, carbon dioxide
and chlorofluorocarbons), particulates, and biological molecules. Air pollution may
cause diseases, allergies and even death to human. It may also cause harm to other
living organisms such as animals and food crops, and may damage the natural
environment i.e., climate change, ozone depletion or habitat degradation or built
environment i.e., acid rain. Both human activity and natural processes can generate air
pollution.
It can have an impact on the economy in many forms such as higher rates of
asthma, diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases leading to reduced ability to work and
lower participation rates in the labor force. In 2018, the report estimates that it was
linked to 4.5 million deaths, pollution also responsible for 1.8 billion days of work
absence, 4 million new cases of child asthma and 2 million preterm births. Children
susceptible to asthma attacks also miss school days, impacting their learning while
healthcare requirements can result in their guardians also taking extra time off work.
1.7 million deaths in India were attributable to air pollution in 2019, which was 18%
of the total deaths in the country. Household air pollution is decreasing in India
resulting in 64% reduction in the death rate attributable to it from 1990 to 2019,
whereas the death rate from outdoor ambient air pollution has increased during this
period by 115%. Air pollution causes the deaths of around 7 million people
worldwide each year. Children under age 5 in lower-income countries are more than
60 times as likely to die from exposure to air pollution as children in high-income
countries. The report states that additional economic losses caused by air pollution,
including health costs and the adverse effect on agricultural and other productivity.
Various pollution control technologies and strategies are available to reduce
air pollution. In most developed countries, land-use planning is an important part of
social policy, ensuring that land is used efficiently for the benefit of the wider
economy and population, as well as to protect the environment.

2. WATER POLLUTION
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies, usually because of human
activities. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers and groundwater. Water
pollution results when contaminants are introduced into the natural environment i.e.,
releasing inadequately treated wastewater into natural water bodies can lead to
degradation of aquatic ecosystems. This can lead to public health problems for people
living downstream. They may use the same polluted river water for drinking or
bathing or irrigation. Water pollution is the leading worldwide cause of death and
disease, e.g. due to water-borne diseases.
  According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 46% of U.S. streams,
21% of lakes, 18% of coastal waters, and 32% of the nation’s wetlands are
contaminated by water pollution. The most common contaminants are bacteria and
heavy metals such as mercury, phosphorus, and nitrogen. The leading causes are farm
runoff and pollution absorbed from the air. The most devastating economic fallout
from water pollution occurs in four main areas. Cost of treating drinking water,
Losses to tourism (swimming, boating), damage to commercial fishing and shellfish
harvests and lower real estate values.

There are viable and proven means to combat our nation’s water pollution.
The government must make clean water a higher priority, especially in more
populated areas. First, the government should update the 1972 Clean Water Act and
other local and state laws to reflect current conditions. Another solution is for farmers
to repurpose manure into biofuels. Repurposing would eliminate some of this
pollution.

3. SOIL POLLUTION
Soil pollution refers to the contamination of soil with anomalous concentrations of
toxic substances. It is a serious environmental concern since it harbours many health
hazards. For example, exposure to soil containing high concentrations of benzene
increases the risk of contracting leukaemia. It is important to understand that all soils
contain compounds that are harmful/toxic to human beings and other living
organisms. However, the concentration of such substances in unpolluted soil is low
enough that they do not pose any threat to the surrounding ecosystem. When the
concentration of one or more such toxic substances is high enough to cause damage to
living organisms, the soil is said to be contaminated.
The root cause of soil pollution may be agriculture (excessive/improper use of
pesticides), excessive industrial activity and poor management or inefficient disposal
of waste. The different types of pollutants that are found in contaminated soil are
heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, industrial waste, pesticides and so
on.
Soil pollution harbours a broad spectrum of negative consequences that affect
plants, animals, humans, and the ecosystem. Since children are more susceptible to
diseases, polluted soil poses a greater threat to them. Soil contaminants can find their
way into the human body via several channels such as direct contact with the skin or
through the inhalation of contaminated soil dust. The short term effects of human
exposure to polluted soil include headaches, nausea, vomiting, coughing, pain in the
chest, wheezing, irritation of the skin and the eyes, fatigue and weakness. The long-
term ailments such as exposure to high levels of lead can result in permanent damage
to the nervous system, depression of the CNS (Central Nervous System), damage to
vital organs such as the kidney and the liver and higher risk of developing cancer. Soil
pollution is often accompanied by a decrease in the availability of nutrients, plant life
ceases to thrive in such soils. Soils contaminated with inorganic aluminium can prove
toxic to plants. It often increases the salinity of the soil, making it inhospitable for the
growth of plant life. Since the volatile contaminants in the soil can be carried away
into the atmosphere by winds or can seep into underground water reserves. It can also
contribute towards acid rain. Acidic soils are inhospitable to several microorganisms
that improve soil texture and help in the decomposition of organic matter. Thus, the
negative effects of soil pollution also impact soil quality and texture. Crop yield is
greatly affected by this form of pollution. 
 The decontamination of polluted soil can be done by excavation and
subsequent transportation of polluted soils to remote, uninhabited locations,
Extraction of pollutants via thermal remediation, Bioremediation or phytoremediation
involves the use of microorganisms and plants for the decontamination of soil.

4. MARINE POLLUTION
Marine pollution occurs when harmful effects result from the entry into the
ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or
the spread of invasive organisms. Eighty percent of marine pollution comes from
land. Air pollution is also a contributing factor by carrying off iron, carbonic acid,
nitrogen, silicon, Sulphur, pesticides or dust particles into the ocean. Land and air
pollution have proven to be harmful to marine life and its habitats.
 Pollutants are directly discharged from urban centres or factories into rivers
and provided those rivers have outlets into the sea, the hazardous or toxic wastes will
find their way into the oceans. The causes of marine pollution are land run-off, ship
pollution, atmospheric pollution, deep-sea mining and so on. When the marine
ecosystem absorbs the pesticides, they are incorporated into the food webs of the
marine ecosystem. After getting dissolved in the marine food webs, these harmful
pesticides causes mutations, and also results in diseases, which can damage the entire
food web and cause harm to the humans. When toxic metals are dumped or flown into
the oceans through drains, it engulfs within the marine food webs. It affects the
biochemistry, reproduction process, can affect the tissue matter These can cause a
change to tissue matter, biochemistry, behaviour, reproduction, and suppress and alter
the marine life’s growth. Marine toxins can be transferred to several animals feeding
on the fish or fish hydrolysate as a meal, toxins are then transferred to dairy products
and meat of these affected land animals.
There are many steps to prevent marine pollution. Stop using plastic and
littering garbage as they not only choke up the drains but also releases into the oceans.
Ensure that chemicals mentioned above are not used anywhere near the streams of
water and try cutting down on the usage of such chemicals. For farmers, they need to
switch from chemical fertilizers and pesticides and move towards the usage of organic
farming methods. Use public transport and reduce the carbon footprint by taking
small and substantial measures that will not help in reducing the pollution from the
environment but will ensure a safe and healthy future for the upcoming generations.
Prevent from any oil or chemical spill in the oceans and if in case there is an oil or
chemical spill near you volunteer and help in cleaning out the ocean water. Volunteer
or initiate beach clean-up activities and spread awareness about the same in the
nearby vicinity.