Lesson 3 - Environmental Pollution and Waste Management

Environmental Pollution and depletion from in adequate oxygen, as well

Control as higher rates of asthma.

With the progress of industrial revolution, Water Pollution

many developed as well as developing
Water pollution is the contamination of the
countries where environmental problem is
water on Earth. The contamination is
gradually growing day by day. Due to
caused by pollutants such as chemicals and
population explosion and urbanization
bacteria. Some of the cause also include
there has been an excess use of natural
increased sediment from soil erosion,
resources and natural wealth which resulted
improper waste disposal and littering,
to the depletion of natural resources. Man
leaching of soil pollution and organic
started cutting down trees for construction
material decay in water supplies. This type
of buildings. With this all the waste
of pollution is one of the most dangerous as
accumulated during the course of
it decreases the amount of drinkable water
construction of these buildings has caused
is available.
serious damages in pollution and in
depletion of natural resources. Soil Pollution
Environmental pollution is defined as Soil pollution or land pollution is the
any undesirable change in physical, contamination of soil or the land that
chemical and biological characteristics of prevents the growth of natural life. Soil or
air, land and water. Pollution can be natural land pollution takes place when there is an
as well as man-made. Pollution occurs when improper disposal of waste and garbage
the natural environment cannot destroy an which introduces toxins and chemical on
element without creating harm or damage the land. Aside from this other sources of
to itself. Pollution affects the entire soil or land pollution include hazardous
ecosystems where it disrupted marine life, waste and sewage spills, strip mining and
cause a lot of harm to human and animal deforestation and heavy use of organic
health, plants and trees and has a major pesticides. One of the majors effects of this
effect on the depletion of the natural flora type of pollution result in reduced growth of
and fauna. Furthermore, it has a negative agriculture. Furthermore, increased soil
effect on natural elements that are very contamination will primarily lead to
important to life, such as water and air. poisoning of the land and nearby water.
Pollution takes place when nature does not
know how to decompose an element that
has been brought to it an unnatural way.
Radioactive Pollution
Pollution on Earth can be identity
Radioactive pollution is considered as one of
in several types:
the most dangerous and extremely harmful
forms of pollution. In the 20th century, this
1. Air pollution,
type of pollution has risen since this has
2. water pollution, been used as a nuclear weapons. Some of
the sources of radioactive contamination
3. soil pollution, includes nuclear power plant accidents or
4. radioactive pollution,
leakage, improper nuclear waste disposal,
and Uranium mining operations. Harmful
5. thermal pollution, and effects results to pollution of air and land,
6. Industrial pollution. birth defects, cancer and even death.

Air Pollution Thermal Pollution

Air pollution is the contamination of natural Thermal Pollution refers to the excessive
air with the mixture of different pollutants. temperature increase. This excess heat
Some of the most excessive sources of air creates undesirable effects over long periods
pollution include gases emitted by vehicles of time. Thermal pollution maybe caused by
or manufacture exhaust, forest fires, dry soil power plants, urban sprawl, air pollution
erosion, and even building constructions particulates that trap the earth,
and demolition. Some of the effects include deforestation and loss of temperature
higher rain acidity, increase in smog, crop moderating water supplies.

Industrial Pollution

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 Lesson 3 - Environmental Pollution and Waste Management

Industrial pollution is the release of wastes  Effects on Plants

and pollutants generated by industrial  Acid rains modifies the
activities. This pollutants generated by natural environment of the
industries may cause contamination on air, plants;
 Ozone in the lower
water and land. Some of the leading
atmosphere block the plant
industries that contributes to this type of respiration, and harmful
pollution are the power plants, steel mill, pollutants can be absorbed
sewage treatment plants, heating plants, from the water or soil.
and processing and manufacturing  Effects on the Ecosystem
companies which releases smoke, material  Destroys crucial layers of it and
wastes, contaminated residues, and toxic by causing an even more negative effect
–products. Industrial pollution can cause on the upper layers.
ecosystem imbalance, adversely damage
Environmental Pollution Control
plants, and even kill animals.
Our environment is deteriorating day by day
Causes of Environmental Pollution
due to industrial pollution, toxic chemicals,
1. Industries
automobile emission and natural resource
2. Transportation depletion. Pollution in its various forms is
3. Agricultural activities increasing tremendously which has caused
4. Trading activities severe damaged to the ecosystems as well as
5. Residences enhances human diseases and death rates of
various plants and animals.
Effects of Environmental Pollution prevention is a major global
Pollution concern because of its harmful effects on
As we identified some of the main causes of person’s health and on the environment.
environmental pollution, let us now People should understand the importance of
evaluate the negative effects to the the environment for our own survival and of
following: other life forms. In order to do so, we need
 Effects on Humans to identify main steps that can be followed
to prevent the different types of pollution.
 Respiratory infections such
as allergies, asthma, Here are some essential ways that will help
irritation of the eye, and prevent pollution:
nasal passages;
 Major factor in the 1. Using smokeless sources of energy;
development of cancers;
 Diseases like hepatitis, 2. Plant trees;
typhoid affections, diarrhea,
and hormonal disruptions. 3. Industries should be far from
 Effects on Animals residential areas;
 It causes harm to the living
environment thus, making I toxic 4. Strict monitoring of automobiles’
for them to live in. exhaust emission;
 Acid rains can change the
composition of rivers and seas, 5. Adequate sewage and industrial
making them toxic for fishes; waste treatment;
 An essential quantity of ozone in
the lower parts of the 6. Re-use, Reduce and Recycle
atmosphere can cause lung
problems to all animals; 7. Proper solid waste disposal;
 Nitrogen and phosphates in
water will cause the overgrowth 8. Avoid using of fertilizers and
of toxic algae, preventing other pesticides;
forms of life to follow their
normal course; 9. Avoiding polythene bags;
 Soil pollution will cause harm
and, sometimes, even the 10. Proper noise and smoke
destruction of microorganisms, precipitators should be used to bring down
which can have the dramatic
the amount of lethal smoke and noise
effect of killing the first layers of
the primary food chain. produced to help protect the environment.

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Lesson 3 - Environmental Pollution and Waste Management

HEALTH HAZARDS DUE TO

FACTORS OTHER THAN
POLLUTION

The previous topics dealt with the impacts

of air, water, soil, photochemical, marine,
noise, and radioactive pollution. Besides
these, certain other factors leading to
serious health problems include occupation,
stress, global warming, and ozone layer
depletion.

Humans share an interactive relationship

with the environment. Biological, physical,
chemical, biomechanical, and psychosocial AGRICULTURE
factors in the environment affect humans, Farmers use agrochemicals such as
who in turn exert an impact on the fertilizers and pesticides. The adverse effects
environment. Potentially, this interactive of agrochemicals to living organisms and
relationship exposes humans to environment. In addition, farmers are also
environmental health hazards. These exposed to the risk of infection carried by
include any environmental situation or farm animals. Farms are also the breeding
factor that can lead to disease, injury, or
ground for mosquitoes due to irrigation
death. activities responsible for malaria, dengue,
OCCUPATION AND HEALTH and filaria, and farmers are exposed to these
diseases.
There are many underprivileged people who
AGROCHEMICALS
engage in risky and hazardous jobs and live
in unhealthy environments such as slums. Agrochemicals such as fertilizers and
As a result, they suffer from severe health pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, and
problems. Even the privileged people who herbicides) are commonly used for
work in comfortable offices are not free agricultural crops. It has already been stated
from health problems as they have to deal that the use of excess fertilizers makes the
with physical illness and psychological soil acidic or alkaline (depending on the
stress. Health problems associated with nature of the fertilizer used); these
work environment are called occupational fertilizers are also responsible for
hazards. The common health problems eutrophication.
associated with different occupations have
been discussed in the following subsections. Pesticides are used to kill pests that
damage crops. According to the World
MINING AND FACTORY WORK Health Organization (WHO), about 750,000
people are poisoned by pesticides every year
People working in factories and mines resulting in about 14,000 deaths.
inhale chemical particles and dust evolved Agrochemicals find their way into the food
during various operations. As they are chain and are responsible for a variety of
exposed to these particles for several years, health hazards
they become prone to pneumoconiosis, a
disease caused by dust inhalation. Workers PROFESSION
inhaling silicon dust suffer from silicosis,
which is one of the oldest diseases in the People having white-collar jobs often suffer
world responsible for the death of from spondylosis and backache because of
thousands of people every year. It is an using uncomfortable furniture, improper
incurable disease, and its severity depends sitting posture, and lack of movement.
on the extent of inhalation. The frequent Besides these disorders, they also suffer
causes of death in the mining industry are from psychological stress, which is
lung fibrosis, emphysema, and pulmonary responsible for hypertension, ulcer, and
tuberculosis. These diseases are common in cardiovascular diseases. These problems can
workers engaged in mining coal, gold, silver, be reduced to a great extent by doing
lead, zinc, manganese, and other metals; regular exercises, walking, yoga, and
pottery and ceramic industries; and iron, meditation. Tobacco chewing is also
cement, and steel industries. Table 1 lists responsible for health hazards. People
various types of lung diseases and their working in offices generally consume tea
causes, and Table 2 gives health hazards and and coffee in excessive amounts resulting in
industries associated with them. acidity.

Continuous driving, as in the case of drivers

of the public transport system and taxis,
increases stress leading to high blood
pressure, indigestion, and hyperactivity.

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Lesson 3 - Environmental Pollution and Waste Management

Most occupational hazards can be avoided diseases which affect more than 700 million
by adopting appropriate safety measures, people in a year, are the outcome of climate
some of which are as follows: and environment conditions.

 Workers in factories should use OZONE LAYER DEPLETION AND

gloves and masks and should wash HEALTH
their hands or take bath after work.
 People in white-collar jobs should do It is now well known that depletion of the
regular exercises. ozone layer in the stratosphere by
 In agricultural practice, water should chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is responsible
not be allowed to stagnate except for the formation of the ozone hole. Due to
where required. the depletion of the ozone layer, ultraviolet
radiations from the sun reach the earth.
 In industries producing noise,
These radiations are responsible for causing
workers must use ear plugs.
cataract and skin cancer in humans. It also
STRESS AND HEALTH increases the risk of infectious diseases.
Light-skinned people can also develop non-
Humans invariably look forward to melanoma skin cancer on exposure to
achieving some goals in their life. However, ultraviolet radiation.
these goals vary from person to person.
Students want to get high marks in
examinations and subsequently pursue a
career of their choice, followed by a high-
paid job and getting settled. In case any of
these goals are not achieved, the person gets
stressed. Other factors that cause stress
include poverty, unemployment, death of a
close relative, and tensions resulting from
competitions in life. In fact, all people face
stressful situations throughout their lives.
Stress is responsible for a number of
physical and mental disorders, including
neurosis, coronary heart ailments, gastric
ulcers, high blood pressure, allergies,
asthma, and so on. It also results in heart
attack, headache, insomnia, loss of sexual
interest, and weakness.

Most people deal with stress on a routine

basis. However, unmanageable stress causes
illnesses. For example, emotional distress
activates the immune and endocrine
systems. This results in the release of more
adrenalin, a hormone responsible for
increasing blood pressure. The immune
system is affected by long-term activation of
the nervous and endocrine systems. Unable
to cope with stress, the person suffers from
anxiety, depression, fatigue, frustration,
irritability, bad temper, and low self-esteem
leading to drug addiction, alcohol abuse,
and smoking. In extreme cases, people even
think of committing suicide.

GLOBAL WARMING AND HEALTH

An increase in the average temperature of

the earth’s atmosphere due to the
greenhouse effect can have far-reaching
effects on the climate and consequently on
the key life-support systems of the planet.
Global warming can lead to serious medical
problems. A rise in temperature will melt
glaciers, resulting in floods and subsequent
scarcity of food and drinking water. These
disasters promote infectious diseases such
as cholera and jaundice. Flooding also
increases breeding of mosquitoes leading to
the spread of malaria, dengue fever, yellow
fever, and encephalitis. Vector-borne

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 Lesson 3 - Environmental Pollution and Waste Management

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT Every day, tons of solid waste are disposed
of at various landfill sites. This waste comes
Solid waste refers to the range of garbage from homes, offices, industries and various
materials—arising from animal and human other agricultural related activities. These
activities—that are discarded as unwanted landfill sites produce foul smell if waste is
and useless. Solid waste is generated from not stored and treated properly. It can
industrial, residential, and commercial pollute the surrounding air and can
activities in a given area, and may be seriously affect the health of humans,
handled in a variety of ways. As such, wildlife and our environment.
landfills are typically classified as sanitary,
municipal, construction and demolition, or Here some effects of Poor Solid Waste
industrial waste sites. We should ensure Management:
best environmental practices regardless of
the origin, hazard potential of theses solid  Litter Surroundings. Though
waste. people clean their surroundings, we
cannot deny the fact that they litter
Waste can be categorized based on material, their surroundings due to improper
such as plastic, paper, glass, metal, and waste disposal system.
organic waste. Categorization may also be  Impact on Human Health.
based on hazard potential, including Exposure to waste can cause several
radioactive, flammable, infectious, toxic, or illnesses or diseases which includes
non-toxic wastes. Categories may also respiratory problems, blood
pertain to the origin of the waste, whether infections, growth problems,
industrial, domestic, commercial, reproductive issues and even skin
institutional, or construction and irritations.
demolition.  Impact on the environment.
Hazardous waste and chemical that
CATEGORIES OF WASTE:
has been released to the
 Organic waste: Kitchen waste, waste environment can cause biological
from food preparation, vegetables, and physicochemical impact to the
flowers, leaves, fruits, and market environment.
places.  Disease-causing Pest. Due to
 Combustibles: Paper, wood, dried improper waste disposal
leaves, packaging for relief items etc. decomposition of biodegradable
that are highly organic and having waste produces foul smell and
low moisture content. become a breeding ground for
disease-causing insects.
 Non-combustibles: Metal, Tins,
Cans, bottles, stones, etc.  Soil and groundwater
Pollution. The improper disposal of
 Toxic waste: Old medicines, paints,
toxic materials and chemicals may
chemicals, bulbs, spray cans,
be the source of pollution of
fertilizer and pesticide containers,
groundwater.
batteries, shoe polish.
 Emission of Toxic Gases.
 Recyclables: Paper, glass, metals,
Improper disposal of hazardous
plastics.
waste may cause the emission of
 Ashes or Dust: Residue from fires
toxic gases which may cause various
that are used for cooking.
diseases including cancer.
 Construction waste: Rubble, roofing,
 Impact on Land and Aquatic
broken concrete etc.
Animals. Improper disposal of
 Hazardous waste: Oil, battery acid,
garbage also affects land and aquatic
medical waste, industrial waste,
animals which would lead to
hospital waste.
poisoning.
 Dead animals: Carcasses of dead
livestock or other animals. Solid Waste Management
 Bulky waste: Tree branches, tires etc.
 Soiled waste: Hospital waste such as Solid-waste management refers to the
cloth soiled with blood and other collecting, treating, and disposing of
body fluids. solid material that is discarded.
Improper disposal of municipal solid
waste can create unsanitary conditions,

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Lesson 3 - Environmental Pollution and Waste Management

and these conditions in turn can lead to 5. A method where solid wastes are
pollution of the environment and to chemically decomposed by heat
outbreaks of vector-borne disease—that without the presence of oxygen.
is, diseases spread by rodents and
insects.

The tasks of solid-waste management

present complex technical challenges.
They also pose a wide variety of
administrative, economic, and social
problems that must be managed and
solved. Furthermore, solid-waste
management reduces and eliminates
impacts on human health and
environment.

The sources of solid waste include

residential, commercial, institutional,
and industrial activities. Certain types of
wastes that cause immediate danger to
exposed individuals or environments are
classified as hazardous; these are
discussed in the article hazardous-waste
management. Garbage is mostly
decomposable food waste; rubbish is
mostly dry material such as glass, paper,
cloth, or wood. Garbage is highly
putrescible or decomposable, whereas
rubbish is not. Trash is rubbish that
includes bulky items such as old
refrigerators, couches, or large tree
stumps. Trash requires special collection
and handling.

Methods of Solid Waste

Management

Proper solid waste management is an

integral part of environmental
conservation that should be observed by
both individuals and companies
globally.

In order to minimize the harmful effect

of improper waste disposal, here are
some of the following methods of solid
waste management:

1. Efficient management of sanitary

landfills.
2. A process which involves
burning of solid waste at high
temperatures until turned into
ashes.
3. Don’t forget the 3R’s: Re-use,
Reduce, and Recycle.
4. A biological process in which
micro-organisms convert
degradable organic waste into
humus.