Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
2. PROJECT OVERVIEW
I. AIR POLLUTION
V. RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION
4. INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION
7. LAND DEGRADATION
I. CAUSES
II. EFFECTS
III. SOLUTION
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Maps, photographs, graphics and cartoons for this project are drawn
from a variety of sources. The following institutions and persons
(with their institutional affiliation) are gratefully acknowledged in
this regard:
Last, but not the least, I would like to thank Mrs. Tresa Joseph,
Class X Social Studies teacher, St Joseph’s School, Abu Dhabi, for
the opportunity, and for the guidelines, to do this assignment.
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PROJECT OVERVIEW
Purpose:
To collect data about industrial pollution and environmental degradation.
Aim:
To study about the ill-effects and consequences of various industrial pollutants and
how it results in environmental degradation.
Methodology:
The required information was collected with the help of computer from the World
Wide Web, as well as from books.
Experience:
Investing in time and energy to bring out a study of the types, causes and
consequences of various industrial pollutants and land degradation, and draw a
conclusion.
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INTRODUCTION: TYPES OF POLLUTION
There are several types of pollution, and while they may come from different sources
and have different consequences, understanding the basics of pollution can help
environmentally conscious individuals minimize their contributions to these dangers.
There are certain basic types of environmental pollution, and each one has
detrimental effects on wildlife, human habitation, and the quality of life in the
affected area.
Air Pollution
Air pollution is defined as any contamination of the atmosphere that disturbs the
natural composition and chemistry of the air. This can be in the form of particulate
matter such as dust or excessive gases like carbon dioxide or other vapors that cannot
be effectively removed through natural cycles.
Air pollution comes from a wide variety of sources. Some of the most excessive
sources include:
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Water Pollution
Water pollution involves any contaminated water, whether from chemical,
particulate, or bacterial matter that degrades the water‟s quality and purity. Water
pollution can occur in oceans, rivers, lakes, and underground reservoirs, and as
different water sources flow together the pollution can spread.
The effects of water pollution include decreasing the quantity of drinkable water
available, lowering water supplies for crop irrigation, and impacting fish and wildlife
populations that require water of certain purity for survival.
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Soil Pollution
Soil, or land pollution, is contamination of the soil that prevents natural growth and
balance in the land whether it is used for cultivation, habitation, or a wildlife
preserve. Some soil pollution, such as the creation of landfills, is deliberate, while
much more is accidental and can have widespread effects.
Soil contamination can lead to poor growth and reduced crop yields, loss of wildlife
habitat, water and visual pollution, soil erosion, and desertification.
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Noise pollution refers to undesirable levels of noises caused by human activity that
disrupt the standard of living in the affected area. Noise pollution can come from:
Traffic
Airports
Railroads
Manufacturing plants
Construction or demolition
Concerts
Effects may include hearing loss, wildlife disturbances, and a general degradation of
lifestyle.
Radioactive Pollution
Radioactive pollution is one of the types of pollution that is rare but extremely
detrimental, even deadly, when it occurs. Because of its intensity and the difficulty of
reversing damage, there are strict government regulations to control radioactive
pollution.
Sources of radioactive
contamination include:
Nuclear power plant accidents or
leakage
Improper nuclear waste disposal
Uranium mining operations
Radiation pollution can cause birth defects, cancer, sterilization, and other health
problems for human and wildlife populations. It can also sterilize the soil and
contribute to water and air pollution.
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Thermal Pollution
Thermal pollution is excess heat that creates undesirable effects over long periods of
time. Many types of thermal pollution are confined to areas near their source, but
multiple sources can have wider impacts over a greater geographic area.
Power plants
Urban sprawl
Air pollution particulates that trap heat
Deforestation
Loss of temperature moderating water supplies
All types of pollution are interconnected. For example, light pollution requires energy
to be made, which means the electric plant needs to burn more fossil fuels to supply
the electricity. Those fossil fuels contribute to air pollution, which returns to the
earth as acid rain and increases water pollution. The cycle of pollution can go on
indefinitely, but once you understand the different pollution types, how they are
created, and the effects they can have, you can make personal lifestyle changes to
combat poor conditions for yourself and others around you.
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INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION
Industrial pollution is pollution which can be directly linked with industry, in contrast
to other pollution sources. This form of pollution is one of the leading causes of
pollution worldwide; in the United States, for example, the Environmental Protective
Agency estimates that up to 50% of the nation's pollution is caused by industry.
Because of its size and scope, industrial pollution is a serious problem for the entire
planet, especially in nations which are rapidly industrializing, like China.
This form of pollution dates back to antiquity, but widespread industrial pollution
accelerated rapidly in the 1800s, with the start of the Industrial Revolution. The
Industrial Revolution mechanized means of production, allowing for a much greater
volume of production, and generating a corresponding increase in pollution. The
problem was compounded by the use of fuels like coal, which is notoriously unclean,
and a poor understanding of the causes and consequences of pollution.
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There are a number of forms of industrial pollution. One of the most common is water
pollution, caused by dumping of industrial waste into waterways, or improper
containment of waste, which causes leakage into groundwater and waterways.
Industrial pollution can also impact air quality, and it can enter the soil, causing
widespread environmental problems.
Because of the nature of the global environment, industrial pollution is never limited
to industrial nations. Traces of industrial pollutants have been identified in isolated
human, animal, and plant populations as well.
Industrial pollution hurts the environment in a range of ways, and it has a negative
impact on human lives and health. Pollutants can kill animals and plants, imbalance
ecosystems, degrade air quality radically, damage buildings, and generally degrade
quality of life. Factory workers in areas with uncontrolled industrial pollution are
especially vulnerable.
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A growing awareness of factory pollution and its consequences has led to tighter
restrictions on pollution all over the world, with nations recognizing that they have an
obligation to protect themselves and their neighbors from pollution. As these
countries industrialize, they add to the global burden of industrial pollution,
triggering serious discussions and arguments about environmental responsibility and a
desire to reach a global agreement on pollution issues.
Listed below are the major industrial pollutants, their sources and effects:
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Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) are gases
that are released mainly from air-
conditioning systems and refrigeration.
When released into the air, CFCs rise to
the stratosphere, where they come in
contact with few other gases, which lead
to a reduction of the ozone layer that
protects the earth from the harmful
ultraviolet rays of the sun.
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Lead is present in petrol, diesel, lead batteries, paints, hair dye products, etc. Lead
affects children in particular. It can cause nervous system damage and digestive
problems and, in some cases, cause cancer.
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Nitrogen oxide causes
smog and acid rain. It is
produced from burning
fuels including petrol,
diesel, and coal. Nitrogen
oxides can make children
susceptible to respiratory
diseases in winters.
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CONSEQUENCES OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION
Pollution is far from something that is merely unsightly. All over the world, industrial
pollution has raised a number of alarms.
Some harmful gases combine with moisture in the earth‟s atmosphere and produce
acids which return to the earth in raindrops. This acid harms not only the fish in rivers
but plants and trees as it is drawn up from the earth. It eats away at buildings too.
These problems are particularly severe in some of the industrialized regions.
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Some of the gases are thought to be making the world warmer and certain gases in
the atmosphere like carbon dioxide (which we exhale) trap the sun‟s rays and warm
the planet. These gases exist naturally but they are also produced when fossil fuels
are burnt.
The amount of oil and gas burned has steadily increased over the last few decades as
a result of rapid industrialization, giving off more and more of these harmful gases.
This means that more of the sun‟s heat is trapped in the atmosphere causing the
temperature of the planet to rise. Scientists fear that ice from the poles and from
mountains will start to melt which will cause a rise in the sea level and a flooding of
coastal areas. The climate may also change, arid regions becoming drier and tropical
regions wetter.
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LAND DEGRADATION
Land degradation is a concept in which the value of the biophysical environment is
affected by one or more combination of human-induced processes acting upon the
land. Natural hazards are excluded as a cause; however human activities can
indirectly affect phenomena such as floods and bushfires.
Causes
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Effects
The main outcome of land degradation is a substantial reduction in the productivity of
the land. The major stresses on vulnerable land include:
Severe land degradation affects a significant portion of the earth's arable lands,
decreasing the wealth and economic development of nations. Land degradation
cancels out gains advanced by improved crop yields and reduced population growth.
As the land resource base becomes less productive, food security is compromised and
competition for dwindling resources increases, the seeds of famine and potential
conflict are sown.
We often assume that land degradation only affects soil fertility. However, the
effects of land degradation often more significantly affect receiving water courses
(rivers, wetlands and lakes) since soil, along with nutrients and contaminants
associated with soil, are delivered in large quantities to environments that respond
detrimentally to their input.
Land degradation therefore has potentially disastrous effects on lakes and reservoirs
that are designed to alleviate flooding, provide irrigation, and generate
hydroelectricity.
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Solution
The problem of land degradation can be overcome by land improvement. Land
improvement or land amelioration is making land more usable by humans.
Road construction
Uncontrolled land utilization expanded the above traditional categories with actions
for combating soil degradation:
Combating desertification
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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
“Pollution,
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Pollution, in fact, is a part of our lives today. Natural pollution occurs naturally and
won't cause excessive harm to our lives due to its regeneration ability. However, the
man-made pollution is caused by human activities, and hard to get rid of. The
backbones of this man-made pollution are human population and technology.
What can we say about this problem? If we bring this topic out to people in general,
politicians and industrialists alike, there is an immediate agreement that pollution is
wrong and it must be prevented. But we have to ask ourselves, what the degree of
global pollution is now and the efforts taken to combat it. Is pollution now
overpowering us? But we can be assured as the world goes on; zero pollution can
never be achieved. At least, we should give an effort to minimize it, regardless of
geographical boundaries.
Industrial pollution is a growing pain. It is not a problem that came suddenly from the
sky- it's our fault and has been a part of our life through many years. Can you imagine
living in a world where all the things we use are synthetics? We must be wise in
managing our resources, and take positive action towards preventing any forms of
pollution to the environment. Make the world a better place to live.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Year: 1998
LINKS
http://www.wlfoet5.demon.co.uk/
http://www.wisegeek.com/
http://www.edugreen.teri.res.in/
http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Crisis/Industrial-pollution.htm#
http://library.thinkquest.org/
http://www.cartoonstock.com/
http://www.google.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
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