ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTIONS

1. POLLUTION
Pollution means the presence of undesirable materials in the natural environment or the state of
the natural environment being contaminated with potentially harmful substances as an outcome
of human activities. The pollutants are jointly termed as contaminants because they
contaminate and alter the natural environments.

(Earth Eclipse, 2020).

2. AIR POLLUTION
1. Air Pollution
The largest amounts of air pollution come from human activity though there are some natural
sources. Fossil fuels are no doubt the most important source of harmful atmospheric emission.

Anthropogenic causes of Air pollution

Biofuel combustion
Industry and refineries
Power generation
Residential and commercial sector
Road, rail , air other transport

Air pollutants

Sulfur dioxide- colorless gas with a pungent suffocating odor. Corrosive to organic materials
and it irritates the eyes, nose and lungs. Sulfur is contained within all fossil fuels, and released
in the form of sulfur dioxide during fossil fuel combustion.

Nitrogen oxides- are produced by combustion of all fossil fuels including coal- and gas- fired
power stations and motor vehicles

Carbon monoxide- highly toxic gas which has no color, odor or taste. Fossil fuel combustion
normally produced carbon dioxide but sometimes, when such combustion is incomplete it also
becomes a source of carbon monoxide.

Ammonia- is a pungent, hazardous caustic gas. Agriculture , specifically livestock farming and
animals waste, is the main source of ammonia emissions
Airbone particles- are tiny fragments of solid or liquid nature suspended in the air (earosols).

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)- from pure hydrocarbons containing chlorine, sulfur, or
nitrogen. VOCs may affect health directly (ex. Leukemia) or indirectly contributors to the
formation of tropospheric ozone, with all the negative effects of ozone on human health and the
environment.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) - may include dioxins, furans, polychlorinated biphenyls
and organochlorine pesticides such DDT. Exposure o POPs may lead to cancers,
neurobehavioral disorders and other illnesses.

Effects of Air Pollution

Global warming
Photochemical smog
Formation of acid rain
Aerosol formation
Ozone depletion
3. WATER POLLUTION
Water Pollution
There are a lot of factors that contribute to water pollution.

One very major contributing factor is industrial effluent disposed into rivers and seas and
causing a large imbalance in the properties of water and this makes the bodies of water unfit for
live.
There are also a lot of diseases that are caused by water pollution and these diseases affect
both non-aquatic and aquatic species.
Pesticides and insecticides that are sprayed on different plants is a source of pollution to the
groundwater and also, oil spills in oceans have led to severe irreversible damage to the bodies
of water.
Another source of water pollution is eutrophication and it happens due to activities like the
washing of utensils, clothes near rivers, ponds or lakes; the washing detergent moves into the
water and inadvertently blocks the penetration of sunlight and this reduces the oxygen content
of the water and makes it inhabitable.
4. SOIL POLLUTION
Soil Pollution
This is also called land pollution and it happens due to addition of chemicals that are not wanted
to the soil caused by human activities.
The use of pesticides and insecticides removes all the compounds of nitrogen from the soil thus
making it highly unfit for the plants to get nutrients from.
Deforestation, mining and waste release from industries also depletes the soil and this will
inhibit the growth of plants and the soil will end up being eroded.
A significant part of solid waste is the industrial or commercial waste.
Hazardous waste can be said to mean any solid, liquid or sludge form of waste that has
properties which are dangerous or are potentially dangerous to the environment or human
health. Hazardous wastes are generated in industries from pesticide manufacturing, petroleum
refining, mining and a whole lot of other productions involving chemicals. Hazardous wastes are
not solely generated by industries; households also generate waste that are hazardous like
fluorescent lights, paints and solvents, aerosol cans, motor oil and ammunition.
5. NOISE POLLUTION
Noise Pollution
This is caused anytime there is a noise that has intensity higher than 85db and it reaches the
bare ears.
Noise pollution causes different psychological problems (e.g. hypertension and stress).
It sometimes also causes a permanent impairment of hearing which is a very devastating thing.
Noise pollution is largely caused by loud compressors and pumps in industries.
6. RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION
Radioactive Pollution
This is believed to be one of the highly dangerous types of pollution because the effects are
permanent.
Nuclear waste disposed carelessly, accidents in nuclear plants, etc. are all examples of
radioactive pollution.
Radioactive pollution can cause infertility as a result of exposure, cancer (blood and skin),
blindness and various birth defects.
It can also permanently alter the air, soil and water – which are the major life sources.
It has been found to cause serious mutation in some species that can for ages propagate
(Sophia, 2020).
7. CAUSES OF POLLUTION
Causes of Pollution

Industrial Activities
Industries from all around the world even though they have brought affluence and prosperity
have continually disturbed ecological balances and have probed the biosphere. The fall-outs of
experiments, pall of smoke, industrial effluents and the swirling gases are a constant hazard to
health, contaminating and polluting both water and air. The inappropriate disposal of industrial
wastes has become a source of both water and soil pollution. The chemical wastes from the
various industries can cause pollution to rivers, lakes, seas and also to soil and air through the
release of fumes.

Solid Waste Dumping

Commercial and household wastes are sources of environmental pollution when the wastes are
not disposed of properly.
Vehicles
Vehicles that use diesel and petrol emit smoke and also the smoke that is emitted by cooking
coal pollutes our environment. The exponential growth in the number of vehicles on the roads
has only aided the emission of smoke that when released spreads and eventually mixes with
the air that we breathe. The smoke of these various vehicles is quite harmful and is the primary
cause of air pollution. There is also the risk of sounds from these vehicles producing noise
pollution.

Rapid Industrialization and Urbanization

The rapid rate of urbanization and also industrialization are major causes of environmental
pollution because of the harm and death they bring to plant which causes harm to animals,
humans and the ecosystem.

Population Overgrowth
The rapid population increase especially in developing nations, the demand for occupation,
basic food and shelter has been on the rise. Due to the high demand, deforestation has become
rampant to help meet the growing demand of the population.

Fossil Fuel Combustion

The continual combustion of fuels of fossils is as source of pollution to the soil, the air and water
through toxic gases like Carbon monoxide.

Agricultural Wastes
Pesticides and fertilizers that are used during agriculture are major sources of environmental
pollution.

8. Effects of Environmental Pollution

Effects of Environmental Pollution

Effects on Humans
The effects of environmental pollution on humans are mainly physical, but can also turn into
neuro-affections in the long term. The best-known troubles to us are respiratory, in the form of
allergies, asthma, irritation of the eyes and nasal passages, or other forms of respiratory
infections.

Effects on Animals
Environmental pollution mainly affects animals by causing harm to their living environment,
making it toxic for them to live in. Acid rains can change the composition of rivers and seas,
making them toxic for fishes; an essential quantity of ozone in the lower parts of the atmosphere
can cause lung problems to all animals. Nitrogen and phosphates in water will cause the
overgrowth of toxic algae, preventing other forms of life to follow their normal course.
Eventually, soil pollution will cause harm and, sometimes, even the destruction of
microorganisms, which can have the dramatic effect of killing the first layers of the primary food
chain.

Effects on Plants
As for animals, plants, and especially trees, can be destroyed by acid rains (and this will also
have a negative impact on animals as well, as their natural environment will be modified), ozone
in the lower atmosphere block the plant respiration, and harmful pollutants can be absorbed
from the water or soil.

Effects on the Ecosystem

In short, environmental pollution, almost exclusively created by human activities, has a negative
effect on the ecosystem, destroying crucial layers of it and causing an even more negative
effect on the upper layers.

9. Suggested solutions to Environmental Pollution

Suggested solutions to Environmental Pollution

Environmental planning should be considered as a base stone for developmental planning.

Hence, before starting any project, a study to evaluate the environmental impacts has to be
conducted.

Shifting to eco-friendly transportation such as electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles and
promoting shared mobility (i.e., carpooling, and public transports) could reduce air pollution
significantly. The world is working on reducing the emission of hazardous gases from vehicles
causing air pollution constantly in a variety of ways such as car emission control, electric and
hybrid vehicles and public transportation systems, and in the future, we can manage to reduce
emissions profoundly.
Moving away from fossil fuels, replacing them with sustainable renewables like solar,
geothermal, and wind and producing clean energy. The world is phasing out coal.

Solar power from the sun using solar panel systems and provide energy from home systems to
large scale systems powering entire communities and cities.

Wind power with wind turbine power is also a powerful force against radioactive power and
fossil fuel power.

Regreening the environment and reforestation can help solve environmental problems to reduce
air pollution and to create environmentally responsible and resource-efficient structures to
reduce their carbon footprint.

Storage facilities for solid wastes should be built in the city. The necessary actions need be
taken to integrate the solid waste storage facility that is very close to the city, and to nature.
The wastewater recycling project should be exercised, and a recycling center should be built to
reduce water pollution.

Environmentally friendly products should be made cheaper to encourage people to use them,
and people should know the longterm advantage of using these products nationwide.

Protecting soil, air and water quality should be a fundamental goal of national environmental
policy. The national land use and conservation policies need to be developed to reduce the
misuse of productive agricultural land, and the uncontrolled and disorganized urbanization.
Markets, bazaars, recreation and amusement facilities, schools and parks inside the city should
be surrounded by trees and other plants. The industrial areas and plants should also be
surrounded by green areas (Conserve Energy Future, 2020).