Environmental Pollution and Social

Issues
Environmental Pollution
• Environmental pollution is defined as “the contamination of the
physical and biological components of the earth/atmosphere system
to such an extent that normal environmental processes are adversely
affected.
• Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the
environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants.
Landfill
Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. Landfills collect garbage and other land
pollution in a central location. Many places are running out of space for landfills.
Truck Exhaust
Air pollution is the introduction of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. Sometimes, air pollution is visible. The
exhaust from this truck, for instance, is polluting the air with toxic chemicals such as carbon monoxide and
formaldehyde.
Shanghai Towers Above the Smog
The tallest towers of Shanghai, China, rise above the haze. Shanghai's smog is a mixture of pollution from coal,
the primary source of energy for most homes and businesses in the region, as well as emissions from vehicles.
Anak Krakatau

A dense ash plume escapes from Anak Krakatau, a volcano in the Sunda Strait of Indonesia. Anak Krakatau is
part of the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is a string of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity, or earthquakes,
around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.
Pompeii
Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy, famously erupted in 79 CE, killing hundreds of residents of the
nearby towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Most victims of Vesuvius were not killed by lava or
landslides caused by the eruption. They were choked, or asphyxiated, by deadly volcanic gases.
(Volcanic ash buried their corpses and later archaeologists were able to make molds of the remains,
above.)
Leshan Giant Buddha
The Leshan Giant Buddha, in Sichuan, China, is the largest Buddha in the world. The statue is carved directly into the mountainside and
measures 71 meters (233 feet) tall. The Leshan Giant Buddha is one of the most visible symbols of weathering caused by pollution.
Nearby industrial development and a stream of tourists arriving by bus have caused chemicals in the air to corrode, or wear away, the
delicate stone of the carving.
Industrial Runoff
Toxic water pours from a factory in South Volgograd, Russia. The factory once produced chemical weapons but now
makes detergents and pesticides. The polluted runoff from the factory pours into huge ponds. The ponds pollute the
air and seep into the groundwater. Some of the water also leaks into the nearby Volga River.
Buriganga River
The Buriganga River flows through Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dhaka, the largest city in Bangladesh, has a
population of about 12 million. The Buriganga River is heavily polluted by both individuals and industry.
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Dead Zone in the Chesapeake
The Chesapeake Bay experiences dead zones every year. Runoff from industrial and agricultural activities contributes to the dead zones in
Chesapeake Bay, an estuary shared by Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. The hypoxic, or oxygen-deprived, zone above
exists near an area where runoff from industrial and agricultural activities flows into the bay. Runoff often carries nutrients that prevent
oxygen from reaching below the surface of the water.
Oil Spill
Oil spills can pollute the ocean. Fish (such as the stingray seen here), seagrass, and marine mammals native to
Alabama Gulf State Park were threatened by the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in
2010.
Crop Dusting
Chemical pollutants can be intentionally introduced into the environment. Crop dusting allows small
planes to spray chemicals on large agricultural fields. Fields may be dusted with pesticides or fertilizers.
While these chemicals may help the crops, they may also enter the water, soil, and air.
Eggshell Cracks from DDT
The powerful insecticide DDT was widely used in the 1940s and 1950s to curb mosquito
populations, until it was discovered that the chemical caused thinning of eggshells in some
birds. This resulted in a rapid decline in bird populations.
Recycling
Lets all do our part, RECYCLE!
• Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be
created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by
factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land.
Causes of pollution:
• Many things that are useful to people produce pollution. Cars spew
pollutants from their exhaust pipes. Burning coal to create electricity
pollutes the air. Industries and homes generate garbage and sewage
that can pollute the land and water. Pesticides—chemical poisons
used to kill weeds and insects—seep into waterways and harm
wildlife.
• All living things—from one-celled microbes to blue whales—depend
on Earth’s supply of air and water. When these resources are polluted,
all forms of life are threatened.
• Pollution is a global problem. Although urban areas are usually more
polluted than the countryside, pollution can spread to remote places where
no people live. For example, pesticides and other chemicals have been
found in the Antarctic ice sheet. In the middle of the northern Pacific
Ocean, a huge collection of microscopic plastic particles forms what is
known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
• Air and water currents carry pollution. Ocean currents and migrating fish
carry marine pollutants far and wide. Winds can pick up radioactive
material accidentally released from a nuclear reactor and scatter it around
the world. Smoke from a factory in one country drifts into another country.
• In the past, visitors to Big Bend National Park in the U.S. state of Texas could
see 290 kilometers (180 miles) across the vast landscape. Now, coal-burning
power plants in Texas and the neighboring state of Chihuahua, Mexico have
spewed so much pollution into the air that visitors to Big Bend can
sometimes see only 50 kilometers (30 miles).
Causes of Environmental Pollution:
• Pollution from cars, trucks, and other vehicles is and has been our major environmental pollution issue for
almost a century now.
• Fossil fuel emissions from power plants which burn coal as fuel contributed heavily, along with vehicles
burning fossil fuels, to the production of smog. Smog is the result of fossil fuel combustion combined with
sunlight and heat. The result is a toxic gas which now surrounds our once pristine planet. This is known as
“ozone smog” and means we have more problems down here than we do in the sky.
• Carbon dioxide is another product from all of the vehicles on the planet as well as unreformed power plants
and other industrial facilities. A continually growing population of humans and clear cutting of forests has
exacerbated this problem so natural defenses are no longer present and carbon dioxide levels are on the rise.
• Water pollution is a major issue. Many industries dump wastes into rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. These
water sources feed major crops and food becomes contaminated with a variety of chemicals and bacteria,
causing rampant health problems.
• Radiation comes into play as well. Primarily, there is radiation from the sun. As the natural ozone layer around
the Earth has become depleted. As the protective ozone layer around the planet has become thinner,
ultraviolet radiation has risen significantly, causing increases in skin cancers and other types of cancer in all
countries, killing millions of people every year.
• More radiation is a problem. The sun shining brightly on a naked planet is not the only source of radiation we
are exposed to. Electromagnetic radiation is another insidious culprit. Once upon a time, the major concern
around this type of radiation was due to high tension wires which carry huge amounts of electricity to cities.
Now, we even carry sources of this radiation with us as cell phones, laptops, tablets and other wireless devices.
Effects of Environmental Pollution:
• The polluting gases mentioned above have an interesting effect on climate. Essentially,
these gases form a veil around the planet which holds heat in, increasing the overall
temperature of the planet. The rise in planetary temperature, or global warming, is not
immediately noticeable. However, even a rise of a few degrees Centigrade causes
catastrophic changes in weather. This is happening now.
• Pollen has increased. It is ironic, but even with fewer trees in the world; the increase
of carbon dioxide emissions induces plants such as ragweed and many trees to produce
more pollen than ever before. This has resulted in rampant allergies across the world,
affecting the health of billions of people.
• One of the solutions to tamp out carbon monoxide emissions from coal burning
power plants was and still is to use radioactive power plants. While this does cut down
on gas emissions significantly, there is radioactive waste which causes various cancers to
bloom in major cities and small towns all around while destroying ecosystems entirely.
• Global temperature has risen significantly over the years. The protective atmosphere
is further being polluted by methane gas released from melting icecaps. This is causing
rampant weather issues around the planet.
Air Pollution:
Sometimes, air pollution is visible. A person can see dark smoke pour
from the exhaust pipes of large trucks or factories, for example. More
often, however, air pollution is invisible.
Polluted air can be dangerous, even if the pollutants are invisible. It can
make people’s eyes burn and make them have difficulty breathing. It
can also increase the risk of lung cancer.
Sometimes, air pollution kills quickly. In 1984, an accident at a pesticide
plant in Bhopal, India, released a deadly gas into the air. At least 8,000
people died within days. Hundreds of thousands more were
permanently injured.
• Natural disasters can also cause air pollution to increase quickly. When
volcanoes erupt, they eject volcanic ash and gases into the atmosphere.
Volcanic ash can discolor the sky for months. After the eruption of the
Indonesian volcano of Krakatoa in 1883, ash darkened the sky around the
world. The dimmer sky caused fewer crops to be harvested as far away as
Europe and North America. For years, meteorologists tracked what was
known as the “equatorial smoke stream.” In fact, this smoke stream was a jet
stream, a wind high in Earth’s atmosphere that Krakatoa’s air pollution made
visible.
• Volcanic gases, such as sulfur dioxide, can kill nearby residents and make the
soil infertile for years. Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy, famously erupted in
79, killing hundreds of residents of the nearby towns of Pompeii and
Herculaneum. Most victims of Vesuvius were not killed by lava or landslides
caused by the eruption. They were choked, or asphyxiated, by deadly
volcanic gases.
• In 1986, a toxic cloud developed over Lake Nyos, Cameroon. Lake
Nyos sits in the crater of a volcano. Though the volcano did not erupt,
it did eject volcanic gases into the lake. The heated gases passed
through the water of the lake and collected as a cloud that descended
the slopes of the volcano and into nearby valleys. As the toxic cloud
moved across the landscape, it killed birds and other organisms in
their natural habitat. This air pollution also killed thousands of cattle
and as many as 1,700 people.

• Most air pollution is not natural, however. It comes from burning

fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. When gasoline is burned to
power cars and trucks, it produces carbon monoxide, a colorless,
odorless gas. The gas is harmful in high concentrations, or amounts.
City traffic produces highly concentrated carbon monoxide.
• Cars and factories produce other common pollutants, including nitrogen oxide,
sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons. These chemicals react with sunlight to produce
smog, a thick fog or haze of air pollution. The smog is so thick in Linfen, China, that
people can seldom see the sun. Smog can be brown or grayish blue, depending on
which pollutants are in it.

• Smog makes breathing difficult, especially for children and older adults. Some
cities that suffer from extreme smog issue air pollution warnings. The government
of Hong Kong, for example, will warn people not to go outside or engage in
strenuous physical activity (such as running or swimming) when smog is very thick.

• When air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide mix with moisture,
they change into acids. They then fall back to earth as acid rain. Wind often carries
acid rain far from the pollution source. Pollutants produced by factories and power
plants in Spain can fall as acid rain in Norway.
• Acid rain can kill all the trees in a forest. It can also devastate lakes,
streams, and other waterways. When lakes become acidic, fish can’t
survive. In Sweden, acid rain created thousands of “dead lakes,”
where fish no longer live.

• Acid rain also wears away marble and other kinds of stone. It has
erased the words on gravestones and damaged many historic
buildings and monuments. The Taj Mahal, in Agra, India, was once
gleaming white. Years of exposure to acid rain has left it pale.

• Governments have tried to prevent acid rain by limiting the amount of

pollutants released into the air. In Europe and North America, they
have had some success, but acid rain remains a major problem in the
developing world, especially Asia.
• Greenhouse gases are another source of air pollution. Greenhouse gases such as
carbon dioxide and methane occur naturally in the atmosphere. In fact, they are
necessary for life on Earth. They absorb sunlight reflected from Earth, preventing
it from escaping into space. By trapping heat in the atmosphere, they keep Earth
warm enough for people to live. This is called the greenhouse effect.
• But human activities such as burning fossil fuels and destroying forests have
increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This has
increased the greenhouse effect, and average temperatures across the globe are
rising. The decade that began in the year 2000 was the warmest on record. This
increase in worldwide average temperatures, caused in part by human activity, is
called global warming.

• Global warming is causing ice sheets and glaciers to melt. The melting ice is
causing sea levels to rise at a rate of 2 millimeters (0.09 inches) per year. The
rising seas will eventually flood low-lying coastal regions. Entire nations, such as
the islands of Maldives, are threatened by this climate change.
• Global warming also contributes to the phenomenon of ocean acidification. Ocean
acidification is the process of ocean waters absorbing more carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere. Fewer organisms can survive in warmer, less salty waters. The ocean food
web is threatened as plants and animals such as coral fail to adapt to more acidic oceans.

• Scientists have predicted that global warming will cause an increase in severe storms. It
will also cause more droughts in some regions and more flooding in others.

• The change in average temperatures is already shrinking some habitats, the regions
where plants and animals naturally live. Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice in the Arctic.
The melting ice is forcing polar bears to travel farther to find food, and their numbers are
shrinking.

• People and governments can respond quickly and effectively to reduce air pollution.
Chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are a dangerous form of air pollution that
governments worked to reduce in the 1980s and 1990s. CFCs are found in gases that cool
refrigerators, in foam products, and in aerosol cans.
• CFCs damage the ozone layer, a region in Earth’s upper atmosphere.
The ozone layer protects Earth by absorbing much of the sun’s
harmful ultraviolet radiation. When people are exposed to more
ultraviolet radiation, they are more likely to develop skin cancer, eye
diseases, and other illnesses.

• In the 1980s, scientists noticed that the ozone layer over Antarctica
was thinning. This is often called the “ozone hole.” No one lives
permanently in Antarctica. But Australia, the home of more than 22
million people, lies at the edge of the hole. In the 1990s, the
Australian government began an effort to warn people of the dangers
of too much sun. Many countries, including the United States, now
severely limit the production of CFCs.
• Water Pollution

• Some polluted water looks muddy, smells bad, and has garbage floating in it. Some polluted
water looks clean, but is filled with harmful chemicals you can’t see or smell.

• Polluted water is unsafe for drinking and swimming. Some people who drink polluted water are
exposed to hazardous chemicals that may make them sick years later. Others consume bacteria
and other tiny aquatic organisms that cause disease. The United Nations estimates that 4,000
children die every day from drinking dirty water.

• Sometimes, polluted water harms people indirectly. They get sick because the fish that live in
polluted water are unsafe to eat. They have too many pollutants in their flesh.

• There are some natural sources of water pollution. Oil and natural gas, for example, can leak
into oceans and lakes from natural underground sources. These sites are called petroleum
seeps. The world’s largest petroleum seep is the Coal Oil Point Seep, off the coast of the U.S.
state of California. The Coal Oil Point Seep releases so much oil that tar balls wash up on nearby
beaches. Tar balls are small, sticky pieces of pollution that eventually decompose in the ocean.
• Human activity also contributes to water pollution. Chemicals and oils from
factories are sometimes dumped or seep into waterways. These chemicals are
called runoff. Chemicals in runoff can create a toxic environment for aquatic life.
Runoff can also help create a fertile environment for cyanobacteria, also called
blue-green algae. Cyanobacteria reproduce rapidly, creating a harmful algal
bloom (HAB). Harmful algal blooms prevent organisms such as plants and fish
from living in the ocean. They are associated with “dead zones” in the world’s
lakes and rivers, places where little life exists below surface water.

• Mining and drilling can also contribute to water pollution. Acid mine drainage
(AMD) is a major contributor to pollution of rivers and streams near coal mines.
Acid helps miners remove coal from the surrounding rocks. The acid is washed
into streams and rivers, where it reacts with rocks and sand. It releases chemical
sulfur from the rocks and sand, creating a river rich in sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid
is toxic to plants, fish, and other aquatic organisms. Sulfuric acid is also toxic to
people, making rivers polluted by AMD dangerous sources of water for drinking
and hygiene.
• Oil spills are another source of water pollution. In April 2010, the
Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, causing oil
to gush from the ocean floor. In the following months, hundreds of
millions of gallons of oil spewed into the gulf waters. The spill
produced large plumes of oil under the sea and an oil slick on the
surface as large as 24,000 square kilometers (9,100 square miles). The
oil slick coated wetlands in the U.S. states of Louisiana and
Mississippi, killing marsh plants and aquatic organisms such as crabs
and fish. Birds, such as pelicans, became coated in oil and were
unable to fly or access food. More than 2 million animals died as a
result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
• Buried chemical waste can also pollute water supplies. For many
years, people disposed of chemical wastes carelessly, not realizing its
dangers. In the 1970s, people living in the Love Canal area in Niagara
Falls, New York, suffered from extremely high rates of cancer and
birth defects. It was discovered that a chemical waste dump had
poisoned the area’s water. In 1978, 800 families living in Love Canal
had to abandon their homes.

• If not disposed of properly, radioactive waste from nuclear power

plants can escape into the environment. Radioactive waste can harm
living things and pollute the water.
• Sewage that has not been properly treated is a common source of water
pollution. Many cities around the world have poor sewage systems and
sewage treatment plants. Delhi, the capital of India, is home to more
than 21 million people. More than half the sewage and other waste
produced in the city are dumped into the Yamuna River. This pollution
makes the river dangerous to use as a source of water for drinking or
hygiene. It also reduces the river’s fishery, resulting in less food for the
local community.

• A major source of water pollution is fertilizer used in agriculture.

Fertilizer is material added to soil to make plants grow larger and faster.
Fertilizers usually contain large amounts of the elements nitrogen and
phosphorus, which help plants grow. Rainwater washes fertilizer into
streams and lakes. There, the nitrogen and phosphorus cause
cyanobacteria to form harmful algal blooms.
• Rain washes other pollutants into streams and lakes. It picks up animal
waste from cattle ranches. Cars drip oil onto the street, and rain carries
it into storm drains, which lead to waterways such as rivers and seas.
Rain sometimes washes chemical pesticides off of plants and into
streams. Pesticides can also seep into groundwater, the water beneath
the surface of the Earth.

• Heat can pollute water. Power plants, for example, produce a huge
amount of heat. Power plants are often located on rivers so they can
use the water as a coolant. Cool water circulates through the plant,
absorbing heat. The heated water is then returned to the river. Aquatic
creatures are sensitive to changes in temperature. Some fish, for
example, can only live in cold water. Warmer river temperatures
prevent fish eggs from hatching. Warmer river water also contributes to
harmful algal blooms.
• Another type of water pollution is simple garbage. The Citarum River in Indonesia,
for example, has so much garbage floating in it that you cannot see the water.
Floating trash makes the river difficult to fish in. Aquatic animals such as fish and
turtles mistake trash, such as plastic bags, for food. Plastic bags and twine can kill
many ocean creatures. Chemical pollutants in trash can also pollute the water,
making it toxic for fish and people who use the river as a source of drinking water.
The fish that are caught in a polluted river often have high levels of chemical
toxins in their flesh. People absorb these toxins as they eat the fish.

• Garbage also fouls the ocean. Many plastic bottles and other pieces of trash are
thrown overboard from boats. The wind blows trash out to sea. Ocean currents
carry plastics and other floating trash to certain places on the globe, where it
cannot escape. The largest of these areas, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch,
is in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. According to some estimates, this
garbage patch is the size of Texas. The trash is a threat to fish and seabirds, which
mistake the plastic for food. Many of the plastics are covered with chemical
pollutants.
Land Pollution:
• Many of the same pollutants that foul the water also harm the land.
Mining sometimes leaves the soil contaminated with dangerous chemicals.
• Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural fields are blown by the wind.
They can harm plants, animals, and sometimes people. Some fruits and
vegetables absorb the pesticides that help them grow. When people
consume the fruits and vegetables, the pesticides enter their bodies. Some
pesticides can cause cancer and other diseases.
• A pesticide called DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was once
commonly used to kill insects, especially mosquitoes. In many parts of the
world, mosquitoes carry a disease called malaria, which kills a million
people every year. Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Muller was awarded the
Nobel Prize for his understanding of how DDT can control insects and
other pests. DDT is responsible for reducing malaria in places such as
Taiwan and Sri Lanka.
• In 1962, American biologist Rachel Carson wrote a book called Silent
Spring, which discussed the dangers of DDT. She argued that it could
contribute to cancer in humans. She also explained how it was
destroying bird eggs, which caused the number of bald eagles, brown
pelicans, and ospreys to drop. In 1972, the United States banned the
use of DDT. Many other countries also banned it. But DDT didn’t
disappear entirely. Today, many governments support the use of DDT
because it remains the most effective way to combat malaria.

• Trash is another form of land pollution. Around the world, paper,

cans, glass jars, plastic products, and junked cars and appliances mar
the landscape. Litter makes it difficult for plants and other producers
in the food web to create nutrients. Animals can die if they mistakenly
eat plastic.
• Garbage often contains dangerous pollutants such as oils, chemicals,
and ink. These pollutants can leech into the soil and harm plants,
animals, and people.

• Inefficient garbage collection systems contribute to land pollution.

Often, the garbage is picked up and brought to a dump, or landfill.
Garbage is buried in landfills. Sometimes, communities produce so
much garbage that their landfills are filling up. They are running out of
places to dump their trash.
• A massive landfill near Quezon City, Philippines, was the site of a land
pollution tragedy in 2000. Hundreds of people lived on the slopes of
the Quezon City landfill. These people made their living from recycling
and selling items found in the landfill. However, the landfill was not
secure. Heavy rains caused a trash landslide, killing 218 people.
• Sometimes, landfills are not completely sealed off from the land
around them. Pollutants from the landfill leak into the earth in which
they are buried. Plants that grow in the earth may be contaminated,
and the herbivores that eat the plants also become contaminated. So
do the predators that consume the herbivores. This process, where a
chemical builds up in each level of the food web, is called
bioaccumulation.

• Pollutants leaked from landfills also leak into local groundwater

supplies. There, the aquatic food web (from microscopic algae to fish
to predators such as sharks or eagles) can suffer from
bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals.
• Some communities do not have adequate garbage collection systems,
and trash lines the side of roads. In other places, garbage washes up
on beaches. Kamilo Beach, in the U.S. state of Hawaii, is littered with
plastic bags and bottles carried in by the tide. The trash is dangerous
to ocean life and reduces economic activity in the area. Tourism is
Hawaii’s largest industry. Polluted beaches discourage tourists from
investing in the area’s hotels, restaurants, and recreational activities.

• Some cities incinerate, or burn, their garbage. Incinerating trash gets

rid of it, but it can release dangerous heavy metals and chemicals into
the air. So while trash incinerators can help with the problem of land
pollution, they sometimes add to the problem of air pollution.
Water Pollution:
Pollutants are dumped into the ocean. This waste affects the daily life of fish and
other marine creatures.
Marine Pollution:
• Marine pollution is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes
from land sources and is washed or blown into the ocean. This pollution results
in damage to the environment, to the health of all organisms, and to economic
structures worldwide.
• Marine pollution is a growing problem in today’s world. Our ocean is being
flooded with two main types of pollution: chemicals and trash.

• Chemical contamination, or nutrient pollution, is concerning for health,

environmental, and economic reasons. This type of pollution occurs when
human activities, notably the use of fertilizer on farms, lead to the runoff of
chemicals into waterways that ultimately flow into the ocean. The increased
concentration of chemicals, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, in the coastal
ocean promotes the growth of algal blooms, which can be toxic to wildlife and
harmful to humans. The negative effects on health and the environment caused
by algal blooms hurt local fishing and tourism industries.
• Marine trash encompasses all manufactured products—most of them plastic—that
end up in the ocean. Littering, storm winds, and poor waste management all
contribute to the accumulation of this debris, 80 percent of which comes from
sources on land. Common types of marine debris include various plastic items like
shopping bags and beverage bottles, along with cigarette butts, bottle caps, food
wrappers, and fishing gear. Plastic waste is particularly problematic as a pollutant
because it is so long-lasting. Plastic items can take hundreds of years to decompose.

• This trash poses dangers to both humans and animals. Fish become tangled and
injured in the debris, and some animals mistake items like plastic bags for food and
eat them. Small organisms feed on tiny bits of broken-down plastic, called
microplastic, and absorb the chemicals from the plastic into their tissues.
Microplastics are less than five millimeters (0.2 inches) in diameter and have been
detected in a range of marine species, including plankton and whales. When small
organisms that consume microplastics are eaten by larger animals, the toxic
chemicals then become part of their tissues. In this way, the microplastic pollution
migrates up the food chain, eventually becoming part of the food that humans eat.
• Solutions for marine pollution include prevention and cleanup. Disposable
and single-use plastic is abundantly used in today’s society, from shopping
bags to shipping packaging to plastic bottles. Changing society’s approach to
plastic use will be a long and economically challenging process. Cleanup, in
contrast, may be impossible for some items. Many types of debris (including
some plastics) do not float, so they are lost deep in the ocean. Plastics that do
float tend to collect in large “patches” in ocean gyres. The Pacific Garbage
Patch is one example of such a collection, with plastics and microplastics
floating on and below the surface of swirling ocean currents between
California and Hawaii in an area of about 1.6 million square kilometers
(617,763 square miles), although its size is not fixed. These patches are less
like islands of trash and, as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration says, more like flecks of microplastic pepper swirling around
an ocean soup. Even some promising solutions are inadequate for combating
marine pollution. So-called “biodegradable” plastics often break down only at
temperatures higher than will ever be reached in the ocean.
• Nonetheless, many countries are taking action. According to a 2018
report from the United Nations, more than sixty countries have
enacted regulations to limit or ban the use of disposable plastic items.
Construction Noise Pollution:
A man working with a jackhammer in a construction site. Noise pollution becomes and increasingly
larger issue in big cities.
Noise pollution:
• Noise pollution can cause health problems for people and wildlife, both on
land and in the sea. From traffic noise to rock concerts, loud or inescapable
sounds can cause hearing loss, stress, and high blood pressure. Noise from
ships and human activities in the ocean is harmful to whales and dolphins that
depend on echolocation to survive.
• Noise pollution is an invisible danger. It cannot be seen, but it is present
nonetheless, both on land and under the sea. Noise pollution is considered to
be any unwanted or disturbing sound that affects the health and well-being of
humans and other organisms.
• Sound is measured in decibels. There are many sounds in the environment,
from rustling leaves (20 to 30 decibels) to a thunderclap (120 decibels) to the
wail of a siren (120 to 140 decibels). Sounds that reach 85 decibels or higher
can harm a person’s ears. Sound sources that exceed this threshold include
familiar things, such as power lawn mowers (90 decibels), subway trains (90 to
115 decibels), and loud rock concerts (110 to 120 decibels).
• Noise pollution impacts millions of people on a daily basis. The most
common health problem it causes is Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL).
Exposure to loud noise can also cause high blood pressure, heart
disease, sleep disturbances, and stress. These health problems can
affect all age groups, especially children. Many children who live near
noisy airports or streets have been found to suffer from stress and other
problems, such as impairments in memory, attention level, and reading
skill.

• Noise pollution also impacts the health and well-being of wildlife.

Studies have shown that loud noises can cause caterpillars' dorsal
vessels (the insect equivalent of a heart) to beat faster, and cause
bluebirds to have fewer chicks. Animals use sound for a variety of
reasons, including to navigate, find food, attract mates, and avoid
predators. Noise pollution makes it difficult for them to accomplish
these tasks, which affects their ability survive.
• Increasing noise is not only affecting animals on land, it is also a growing
problem for those that live in the ocean. Ships, oil drills, sonar devices, and
seismic tests have made the once tranquil marine environment loud and chaotic.
Whales and dolphins are particularly impacted by noise pollution. These marine
mammals rely on echolocation to communicate, navigate, feed, and find mates,
and excess noise interferes with their ability to effectively echolocate.

• Some of the loudest underwater noise comes from naval sonar devices. Sonar,
like echolocation, works by sending pulses of sound down into the depths of the
ocean to bounce off an object and return an echo to the ship, which indicates a
location for object. Sonar sounds can be as loud as 235 decibels and travel
hundreds of miles under water, interfering with whales’ ability to use
echolocation. Research has shown that sonar can cause mass strandings of
whales on beaches and alter the feeding behavior of endangered blue whales
(Balaenoptera musculus). Environmental groups are urging the U.S. Navy to stop
or reduce using sonar for military training.
• Seismic surveys also produce loud blasts of sound within the ocean. Ships
looking for deep-sea oil or gas deposits tow devices called air guns and
shoot pulses of sound down to the ocean floor. The sound blasts can
damage the ears of marine animals and cause serious injury. Scientists
believe this noise may also be contributing to the altered behavior of
whales.

• Among those researching the effects of noise pollution is Michel Andre, a

bioacoustics researcher in Spain who is recording ocean sounds using
instruments called hydrophones. His project, LIDO (Listening to the Deep
Ocean Environment), collects data at 22 different locations. Back in the
lab, computers identify the sounds of human activities as well as 26
species of whales and dolphins. The analysis aims to determine the effects
that underwater noise is having on these animals. Andre hopes his project
will find ways to protect marine animals from the dangers of ocean noise.
Thermal Pollution: Definition & Causes Of Thermal Pollution
• What is thermal pollution?
Thermal pollution may also be referred to as thermal enrichment.
When the temperature of a natural body of water suddenly increases
or decreases, thermal pollution occurs. Industrial machinery and power
plants are big contributors to thermal pollution. An example of thermal
pollution is when industrial sites and power plants often take water
from a natural source. When the water is returned, the temperature
has been altered. In our modern society, thermal pollution is a genuine
problem. One of the significant effects of thermal pollution is a change
in oxygen levels, destroying ecosystems and communities.
• What is the primary cause of thermal pollution?
In addition to human and natural factors, there are some natural causes
of thermal pollution. Experts suggest that the biggest cause of thermal
pollution is most likely industrial machinery and power plants. Cool
water from natural bodies of water is often pulled to cool machinery.
While our natural bodies of water are helping industrial sites and power
plants, the favor is not being returned. Sites and plants are pumping
relatively warm water back into natural bodies of water, causing
thermal pollution. An example of thermal pollution from a natural
source is water sitting on hot paved surfaces that run off into nearby
water bodies. Hot water can cause an increase in water temperature.
What are five causes of thermal pollution?
Thermal pollution is caused by human behavior and natural causes. While there may be a variety
of reasons, they all have similar effects. We will cover the impact of thermal pollution in the next
section. For now, let’s take a look at five causes of thermal pollution:
#1. Use of water as a cooling agent in industrial plants As we mentioned earlier, cool water is often
used to cool machinery. While the water cools the machinery, the machinery heats the water and
sends it back to where it came from. As a result, thermal pollution occurs.
#2. Soil erosion As soil erosion occurs, water bodies can rise. As a result, the water bodies become
more exposed to sunlight, and water temperatures are altered.
#3. Runoff from paved surfaces Runoff from roads, parking lots, and other surfaces can affect
water temperature. During summer seasons, temperatures can peak, resulting in warm water
runoff. If the runoff enters sewer systems and water bodies, thermal pollution can occur.
#4. Natural causes Humans are not the only cause of thermal pollution. Natural causes such as
volcanoes, geothermal vents, and hot springs can cause excess heat in bodies of water. In addition,
lightning can inflict heat into water bodies. Natural causes such as these can leave lasting impacts
on the environment.
#5. Deforestation Trees and plants can provide shade for humans as well as water bodies.
However, when deforestation occurs, the shade disappears, and we are left with sunlight beaming
directly on water bodies. As a result, water temperatures can increase.
• What are the effects of thermal pollution?
• When it comes to viewing the effects of thermal pollution, some may
see it as positive, while others may see it as negative. Realistically, it’s
probably a mix of the two. While there are many negatives that impact
marine ecosystems, fundamental parts of human life would not occur
if industries did not operate the way they do. Industries causing
thermal pollution produce many goods that we need. However, the
effects of thermal pollution on ecosystems may be important. Here are
some effects of thermal pollution:
#1. Decrease in dissolved oxygen (DO) levels Thermal pollution increases
water temperature. Since warm water holds less oxygen than cold
water, DO is decreased. As a result, suffocation can occur for plants and
animals. Warmer water temperatures can also cause algae to flourish on
the surface of the water. This can also decrease oxygen levels in water.
#2. Increase in toxins Water that is regurgitated back into water bodies
from industrial sites often contains toxins. Toxins can impact local
ecology and make them more prone to various diseases.
#3. Ecological impact Small temperature changes can affect some
aquatic species. Thermal pollution can cause mass killings of plants,
insects, or amphibians. However some species, such as algae, tend to
benefit from the heat.
How does thermal pollution occur?
Thermal pollution can occur from water being pulled and released from
natural water bodies. In most cases, the water temperature is
increased. However, a distinctive form of thermal pollution involves
cold water being released into natural water bodies from storage
reservoirs.
How is thermal pollution controlled?
While it may be costly to control thermal pollution, there are ways it can be done.
Industrial sites and plants should treat water before regurgitating it back into natural
water bodies. This could significantly reduce thermal pollution . Another idea is to
install cooling ponds and or cooling towers to treat water. Artificial lakes can also
help control thermal pollution.
What are some examples of thermal pollution?
An example of thermal pollution is a factory that uses water for cooling then
releases warm water back into a natural body of water without treating it first.
Another example of thermal pollution is soil erosion. Soil erosion causes bodies of
water to be more exposed to sunlight, thus increasing the temperature.
How does thermal pollution affect the environment?
The effects of thermal pollution may start with a decrease in dissolved oxygen that
affects aquatic life, but it’s likely that the damage won’t stop there. In addition to
killing fish and other animals, thermal pollution can cause organisms to consume
more food than they usually consume. As a result, the food chain may be disrupted.
The food chain may also be disrupted by species migrating to environments that can
sustain their survival.
How does thermal pollution affect the quality of water?
Quality of water can be decreased by thermal pollution. Thermal pollution can cause water to be
warmer and hold less oxygen. Without a consistent level of oxygen, the quality of water may suffer
and affect surrounding habitats. In addition, thermal pollution can feed algae growth, causing
waters to be overwhelmed and oxygen-deprived. While algae are essential to the food chain, too
many algae can suffocate plants and animals.
How does thermal pollution affect marine life?
Thermal pollution causes rapidly changing water temperatures that can be devastating for marine
life. Most marine animals are unable to survive sudden temperature changes. In some cases,
thermal pollution may only slightly change water temperature. However, even a slight thermal
shock can cause reproduction challenges and lower disease resistance. As a result of thermal
pollution, oxygen depletion can occur and affect marine life. Oxygen depletion can kill coral and
other marine life. Changes in water temperature may also force marine life to migrate. This can
affect the food chain. Thermal pollution can also cause an overabundance of organic nutrients as a
result of organic matter decomposition being faster in warmer water. As aquatic plants grow faster
in nutrient-rich warm water, fish gills can be choked and water can be clouded. While warm water
discharge causes most thermal pollution, cool water discharges may also disrupt marine life.
Plankton often cannot survive, and fish, their eggs, and their fry may die in colder temperatures..
The organisms that die may be replaced by other organisms reproducing, which can change the
local ecosystem.
How does thermal pollution affect dead zones?
We mentioned earlier that thermal pollution could cause nutrient-rich waters.
While this may sound like a good thing, it can create dead zones, which are areas
in water with little or no oxygen. Without oxygen, aquatic life cannot survive.
What happens is that algae can grow faster in warmer waters. As algae take over
the water’s surface , the amount of dissolved oxygen the water can hold is
reduced, thus causing suffocation. Around the world, there are over 400 current
dead zones in oceans and lakes. Currently, studies are being done to find ways to
reduce nutrient-rich waters and improve dead zone conditions. Large-scale dead
zones may be resistant to change.
What can we do to prevent thermal pollution?
On an individual level, there is not much you can do to prevent thermal pollution.
We need the local government and big industries to step up and do their part to
prevent thermal pollution. Converting facilities to closed-loop systems could
potentially decrease thermal pollution. Earlier, we mentioned a few ways that
thermal pollution can be reduced.
In conclusion, thermal pollution has devastating effects on marine life.
Keeping marine life healthy is important for the air we breathe and the
world we live in. With water covering 70% of the Earth's surface and
being one of our most important natural resources, we must do
everything we can to protect it. When it comes to thermal pollution,
there are few ways one individual can really reduce their contribution.
As for power plants and big industrial sites, they can do much to reduce
thermal pollution. As a contributing member of society, we should all
find ways to reduce our carbon footprint. One easy way we can reduce
our carbon footprint is by using clean, renewable energy in our homes.
Nuclear hazards:
• Nuclear energy is the energy in the nucleus, or core, of an atom. Atoms are
tiny units that make up all matter in the universe, and energy is what holds the
nucleus together. There is a huge amount of energy in an atom's dense
nucleus. In fact, the power that holds the nucleus together is officially called
the "strong force.“
• Nuclear energy can be used to create electricity, but it must first be released
from the atom. In the process of nuclear fission, atoms are split to release that
energy.

• A nuclear reactor, or power plant, is a series of machines that can control

nuclear fission to produce electricity. The fuel that nuclear reactors use to
produce nuclear fission is pellets of the element uranium. In a nuclear reactor,
atoms of uranium are forced to break apart. As they split, the atoms release
tiny particles called fission products. Fission products cause other uranium
atoms to split, starting a chain reaction. The energy released from this chain
reaction creates heat.
• The heat created by nuclear fission warms the reactor's cooling agent. A cooling
agent is usually water, but some nuclear reactors use liquid metal or molten salt. The
cooling agent, heated by nuclear fission, produces steam. The steam turns turbines,
or wheels turned by a flowing current. The turbines drive generators, or engines that
create electricity.

• Rods of material called nuclear poison can adjust how much electricity is produced.
Nuclear poisons are materials, such as a type of the element xenon, that absorb
some of the fission products created by nuclear fission. The more rods of nuclear
poison that are present during the chain reaction, the slower and more controlled
the reaction will be. Removing the rods will allow a stronger chain reaction and
create more electricity.

• As of 2011, about 15 percent of the world's electricity is generated by nuclear power

plants. The United States has more than 100 reactors, although it creates most of its
electricity from fossil fuels and hydroelectric energy. Nations such as Lithuania,
France, and Slovakia create almost all of their electricity from nuclear power plants.
Nuclear Food: Uranium
• Uranium is the fuel most widely used to produce nuclear energy. That's because
uranium atoms split apart relatively easily. Uranium is also a very common element,
found in rocks all over the world. However, the specific type of uranium used to
produce nuclear energy, called U-235, is rare. U-235 makes up less than one percent
of the uranium in the world.

• Although some of the uranium the United States uses is mined in this country, most
is imported. The U.S. gets uranium from Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia, and
Uzbekistan. Once uranium is mined, it must be extracted from other minerals. It
must also be processed before it can be used.

• Because nuclear fuel can be used to create nuclear weapons as well as nuclear
reactors, only nations that are part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are
allowed to import uranium or plutonium, another nuclear fuel. The treaty promotes
the peaceful use of nuclear fuel, as well as limiting the spread of nuclear weapons.
• A typical nuclear reactor uses about 200 tons of uranium every year.
Complex processes allow some uranium and plutonium to be re-enriched or
recycled. This reduces the amount of mining, extracting, and processing
that needs to be done.
Nuclear Energy and People:
• Nuclear energy produces electricity that can be used to power homes,
schools, businesses, and hospitals. The first nuclear reactor to produce
electricity was located near Arco, Idaho. The Experimental Breeder Reactor
began powering itself in 1951. The first nuclear power plant designed to
provide energy to a community was established in Obninsk, Russia, in 1954.

• Building nuclear reactors requires a high level of technology, and only the
countries that have signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty can get the
uranium or plutonium that is required. For these reasons, most nuclear
power plants are located in the developed world.
• Nuclear power plants produce renewable, clean energy. They do not pollute
the air or release greenhouse gases. They can be built in urban or rural areas,
and do not radically alter the environment around them.

• The steam powering the turbines and generators is ultimately recycled. It is

cooled down in a separate structure called a cooling tower. The steam turns
back into water and can be used again to produce more electricity. Excess
steam is simply recycled into the atmosphere, where it does little harm as
clean water vapor.

• However, the byproduct of nuclear energy is radioactive material. Radioactive

material is a collection of unstable atomic nuclei. These nuclei lose their
energy and can affect many materials around them, including organisms and
the environment. Radioactive material can be extremely toxic, causing burns
and increasing the risk for cancers, blood diseases, and bone decay.
• Radioactive waste is what is left over from the operation of a nuclear reactor. Radioactive
waste is mostly protective clothing worn by workers, tools, and any other material that
have been in contact with radioactive dust. Radioactive waste is long-lasting. Materials
like clothes and tools can stay radioactive for thousands of years. The government
regulates how these materials are disposed of so they don't contaminate anything else.
• Used fuel and rods of nuclear poison are extremely radioactive. The used uranium pellets
must be stored in special containers that look like large swimming pools. Water cools the
fuel and insulates the outside from contact with the radioactivity. Some nuclear plants
store their used fuel in dry storage tanks above ground.

• The storage sites for radioactive waste have become very controversial in the United
States. For years, the government planned to construct an enormous nuclear waste
facility near Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for instance. Environmental groups and local
citizens protested the plan. They worried about radioactive waste leaking into the water
supply and the Yucca Mountain environment, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) from the
large urban area of Las Vegas, Nevada. Although the government began investigating the
site in 1978, it stopped planning for a nuclear waste facility in Yucca Mountain in 2009.
Chernobyl:
• Critics of nuclear energy worry that the storage facilities for radioactive
waste will leak, crack, or erode. Radioactive material could then
contaminate the soil and groundwater near the facility. This could lead to
serious health problems for the people and organisms in the area. All
communities would have to be evacuated.

• This is what happened in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986. A steam explosion

at one of the power plants four nuclear reactors caused a fire, called a
plume. This plume was highly radioactive, creating a cloud of radioactive
particles that fell to the ground, called fallout. The fallout spread over the
Chernobyl facility, as well as the surrounding area. The fallout drifted with
the wind, and the particles entered the water cycle as rain. Radioactivity
traced to Chernobyl fell as rain over Scotland and Ireland. Most of the
radioactive fallout fell in Belarus.
• The environmental impact of the Chernobyl disaster was immediate.
For kilometers around the facility, the pine forest dried up and died.
The red color of the dead pines earned this area the nickname the
Red Forest. Fish from the nearby Pripyat River had so much
radioactivity that people could no longer eat them. Cattle and horses
in the area died.

• More than 100,000 people were relocated after the disaster, but the
number of human victims of Chernobyl is difficult to determine. The
effects of radiation poisoning only appear after many years. Cancers
and other diseases can be very difficult to trace to a single source.
Future of Nuclear Energy
• Nuclear reactors use fission, or the splitting of atoms, to produce energy. Nuclear energy can
also be produced through fusion, or joining (fusing) atoms together. The sun, for instance, is
constantly undergoing nuclear fusion as hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium. Because all life
on our planet depends on the sun, you could say that nuclear fusion makes life on Earth
possible.
• Nuclear power plants do not have the capability to safely and reliably produce energy from
nuclear fusion. It's not clear whether the process will ever be an option for producing
electricity. Nuclear engineers are researching nuclear fusion, however, because the process
will likely be safe and cost-effective.
Nuclear Tectonics
• The decay of uranium deep inside the Earth is responsible for most of the planet's
geothermal energy, causing plate tectonics and continental drift.
Three Mile Island
• The worst nuclear accident in the United States happened at the Three Mile Island facility
near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1979. The cooling system in one of the two reactors
malfunctioned, leading to an emission of radioactive fallout. No deaths or injuries were
directly linked to the accident.
Reducing Pollution:
• Around the world, people and governments are making efforts to combat
pollution. Recycling, for instance, is becoming more common. In recycling,
trash is processed so its useful materials can be used again. Glass, aluminum
cans, and many types of plastic can be melted and reused. Paper can be
broken down and turned into new paper.
• Recycling reduces the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills, incinerators,
and waterways. Austria and Switzerland have the highest recycling rates. These
nations recycle between 50 and 60 percent of their garbage. The United States
recycles about 30 percent of its garbage.
• Governments can combat pollution by passing laws that limit the amount and
types of chemicals factories and agribusinesses are allowed to use. The smoke
from coal-burning power plants can be filtered. People and businesses that
illegally dump pollutants into the land, water, and air can be fined for millions
of dollars. Some government programs, such as the Superfund program in the
United States, can force polluters to clean up the sites they polluted.
• International agreements can also reduce pollution. The Kyoto Protocol, a United
Nations agreement to limit the emission of greenhouse gases, has been signed by
191 countries. The United States, the world’s second-largest producer of
greenhouse gases, did not sign the agreement. Other countries, such as China, the
world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, have not met their goals.

• Still, many gains have been made. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River, in the U.S. state of
Ohio, was so clogged with oil and trash that it caught on fire. The fire helped spur
the Clean Water Act of 1972. This law limited what pollutants could be released
into water and set standards for how clean water should be. Today, the Cuyahoga
River is much cleaner. Fish have returned to regions of the river where they once
could not survive.

• But even as some rivers are becoming cleaner, others are becoming more polluted.
As countries around the world become wealthier, some forms of pollution increase.
Countries with growing economies usually need more power plants, which produce
more pollutants.
Reducing pollution requires environmental, political, and economic
leadership. Developed nations must work to reduce and recycle their
materials, while developing nations must work to strengthen their
economies without destroying the environment. Developed and
developing countries must work together toward the common goal of
protecting the environment for future use.