Environmental Pollution

“When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned,
only then will we realize that one cannot eat money.”
Environmental pollution is as old as the civilization itself. It has become a major concern
in the last few decades. It is the byproduct of the development of civilization and in fact a
price for the progress. It is more prone in case of Bangladesh. The whole world is now
more afraid of pollution rather than nuclear blast. The protection of environment has
become a major issue around the global for the wellbeing of the people and economic
development. The present environmental condition of Bangladesh is not at all equilibrium.
Severe air, water and noise pollution are threatening human health, ecosystems and
economic growth of Bangladesh.
Environment Pollution:
Basically, 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. It is more than just a health issue; a wider
social issue in that pollution has the potential to destroy homes and communities. Pollution
problems are also closely tied to the mode of development in developing countries.
Kinds of Environment Pollution:
Environmental pollution may broadly be classified into: (1) Natural pollution; (2) Man-
made pollution.
1.Natural Pollution:
Environment is polluted often
by natural phenomenon, such as
earthquakes, floods, drought,
cyclones, etc.
2. Man-made Pollution: Human
activities.
Different Aspects of Environmental Pollution:
The environmental pollution can also be classified further as, Air pollution, water
pollution, land pollution, food pollution, noise pollution and radio-active pollution, etc.
Air pollution
It can be caused by natural events such as volcanic eruptions, forest fires, wind-blown dust,
stubble burning vehicular discharge etc. In the past, volcanic eruptions were the primary
cause of air pollution. During the twentieth century, air pollution was primarily caused by
man-made sources such as cars and industrial plants. In the 1970s, the burning of fossil
fuels, such as coal and oil, became the number one contributor to air pollution.
The Main Sources of Air Pollution are as Follows
• Automobile pollution

• Industrial air pollution

• Burning garbage
• Brick kilns
• Indoor air pollution
• Decomposed animals and
plants

• Radioactive elements
• Garbage decomposition
• Smokestacks of thermal powerplants, smelters etc.

Water pollution
Water pollution can be defined as the contamination of water by chemical, physical,
biological, or radioactive substances, which can limit the use of water.
The Main Sources of Water Pollution as Follows
✓ Oil spills that are an accidental release of oil by tankers in oceans may cause marine
water pollution.
✓ Industrial effluents joining seas and oceans.
✓ Inappropriate disposal of litter such as plastic bags, wrappers and bottles, lead to
Water Pollution.
✓ Dumping of radioactive substances into seawater.
✓ Sewage is disposed of into the sea by rivers.
✓ Recreational activities.
✓ Agricultural pollutants are disposed of into the water bodies.
“Water and air, the two essential fluids on which all life depends, have become
global garbage cans.”
― Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Soil or Land Pollution
Soil pollution or land pollution results from the deposition of solid waste, accumulation of
biodegradable material, deposition of chemicals with poisonous chemical compositions etc
on the open land. Waste materials such as plastics, polythene, and bottles, cause land
pollution and render the soil infertile. Moreover, the dumping of dead bodies of animals
adds to this issue. Soil pollution causes several diseases in man and animals like Cholera,
Dysentery, Typhoid, etc.
The Main Causes of Soil Pollution are as Follows
▪ Industrial waste
▪ Urban commercial and domestic waste
▪ Chemical fertilizers
▪ Biomedical waste
▪ Pesticides
Noise Pollution
With an increasing population, urbanization, and industrialization, noise pollution is
becoming a serious form of pollution affecting human life, health, and comfort in daily
life. Horns of vehicles, loudspeakers, music systems, and industrial activities contribute to
noise pollution.
The Main Sources of Noise Pollution as Follows
o The machines in the factories and industries produce whistling sounds, crushing
noise, and thundering sounds.
 o Loudspeakers, horns of vehicles.
o Blasting of rocks and earth, drilling tube wells, ventilation fans, and heavy earth-
moving machinery at construction sites.
Effects of Pollution:
Air Pollution Effects
❖ Air pollution can stimulate an increased risk of heart attack, coughing, breathing
problems, and inflammation of the eyes, nose, & throat. Air pollution might worsen
the existing heart-related issues, asthma, and other respiratory complications.
❖ Air pollution causes acid rains which contains high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids
that are created by oxides and sulfur oxides released into the air by the burning of
fossil fuels.
❖ There are numerous human-made pollutants as well like hydrochlorofluorocarbons,
chlorofluorocarbons, halons, foaming agents, pesticides, aerosol propellants, and
fire-extinguishers are depleting the ozone layer in the atmosphere, thus making us
more vulnerable to the life-threatening ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Water Pollution Effects
Water Pollution affects both animals and plants and leads to an adverse impact on the
aquatic ecosystem. The major effects of Water Pollution are as follows:
Water-borne diseases
Sewage gives the maximum opportunity for the pathogenic and non-pathogenic
microorganisms to grow. These pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms are
responsible for several water-borne diseases like diarrhea, typhoid, cholera,
dysentery, jaundice, hepatitis, etc.
Toxic waste material
Toxic waste material from the industries such as heavy metals, pesticides, cyanides,
and many organic and inorganic wastes are released directly into the river, lakes,
and ocean, affecting the species present in these aquatic ecosystems, and ultimately
affecting human health.

Soil Pollution Effects

Soil Pollution can have several harmful effects on ecosystems and human, plant, and
animal health. The detrimental effects of soil pollution may come from direct contact with
polluted soil or contact with other resources, such as water or food, grown on or come in
direct contact with the contaminated soil. Some of the effects are:
Reduced soil fertility
Reduced nitrogen fixation
Release of pollutant gases
Release of radioactive rays causing health problems
 Pollution of drinking water sources
Foul smell and release of gases
Waste management problems.
Noise Pollution Effects
The unpleasant, discomfort-causing sound from any source is called noise. The sustained
presence of harmful, unwanted, or annoying noise in the environment is called noise
pollution. The noise pollution is also a major health hazard. According to World Health
Organization (WHO), 60 decibel (DB) sound can make a man deaf temporarily and 100
DB sound can cause complete deafness. Noise has a jarring effect on us. One should not
underestimate the impact of noise pollution on people. Here are some of the harmful effects
of noise pollution:
o Irritation and loss of concentration
o Sleep disturbance and stress (which can lead to high blood pressure)
o Ear damage and loss of hearing (which may result from exposure to a sudden loud
noise or from continuous exposure to noise over some time)
Main Causes of Environmental Pollution
The problem of environmental pollution, we face today, is a complex consequence of
forces connected with various interrelating factors. There are clearly a number of divergent
and conflicting views of what could be the basic factors underlying the environmental
crisis.
Sources and Causes
The sources and causes of environmental pollution include the following:
Industrial activities
The industries all over the world that brought prosperity and affluence, made inroads in
the biosphere and disturbed the ecological balances. The pall of smoke, the swirling gases,
industrial effluents and the fall-out of scientific experiments became constant health
hazards, polluting and contaminating both air and water. The improper disposal of
industrial wastes are the sources of soil and water pollution.
Vehicles
The smoke emitted by vehicles using petrol and diesel and the cooking coal also pollutes
the environment. The multiplication of vehicles, emitting black smoke that, being free and
unfettered. spreads out and mixes with the air we breathe. The harmful smoke of these
vehicles causes air pollution. Further. The sounds produced by these vehicles produces
causes noise-pollution.
Rapid urbanization and industrialization
The urbanization and the rapid growth of industrialization are causing through
environmental pollution the greatest harm to the plant life, which in turn causing harm to
the animal kingdom and the human lives.
Population overgrowth
Due to the increase in population, particularly in developing countries, there has been surge
in demand for basic food, occupation and shelter. The world has witnessed massive
deforestation to expand absorb the growing population and their demands.
Deforestation
Deforestation has many consequences for natural ecosystems and it poses serious
problems to the resilience of the planet. When we remove forests, we lose out on the vital
protection they provide against climate change, soil erosion, and natural disasters.

Effects of Environmental Pollution in Bangladesh:

• According to a recent international study, pollution caused to nearly 2.15 lakh

premature deaths in Bangladesh in 2019.
• According to the research, Pollution and Health, over 30,000 people died from water
pollution, while about 1.75 lakh people died from air pollution alone.
• According to the report, occupational dangers, lead poisoning in the air, water, and
soil, and at least 215,824 deaths occurred in 2019.
• Bangladesh ranked sixth among countries seeing premature deaths due to pollution
while India topped the list with 2,357,267 deaths. Niaz Ahmed Khan, professor at
Department of Development Studies of Dhaka University, said, "It has almost
become a philosophy that things like pollution should have to be accepted as
collateral damage for the greater benefit of development. The situation has
reached a level where the babies are paying the price even before they are born."
• Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD) showed
that pollution remained responsible for approximately nine million deaths a year
globally. "Pollution remains the world's largest environmental risk factor for
disease and premature death, especially affecting low- and middle-income
countries". Air pollution accounts for nearly 75 percent of the nine million deaths.
• The latest study found that over 90 percent of pollution related deaths occurred in
low- and middle-income countries. The US ranked seventh with 142,883 deaths in
2019 while China reported almost 2.2 million deaths. Globally, air pollution -- both
ambient and household -- was responsible for 6.7 million deaths in 2019. Water
pollution was responsible for 1.4 million deaths and lead pollution caused 900,000
premature deaths.
• According to WB, Bangladesh saw around 234,000 deaths, including 80,000 in
urban areas, due to environmental pollution and related health risks.
• Deaths due to various causes totalled 843,000 in the country that year. Of those,
nearly 28 percent were caused by environmental pollution -- the highest among
South Asian nations.

GOVERNMENTAL STEPS FOR POLLUTION CONTROL IN BANGLADESH:

1.The ‘Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF)’
The ‘Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF)’of Bangladesh is primarily
responsible for environmental protection. It was created in 1989. The MOEF has taken
some steps to control the environmental pollution of Bangladesh.
2. National Environmental Management Action Plan (NEMAP).
The government has taken a project named NEMAP to integrate environment with the
development in a policy framework.
3. Environmental Acts, Rules and Laws.
The government of Bangladesh has modified environmental acts, rules and laws to
improve environmental condition Environment court has already been established to
take prompt legal action against environmental pollution. The DOE has been
empowered to punish the offenders of environmental rules.
4. Control of Air Pollution.
Recently the DOE has taken some measures to carry out surveys on identification and
control of polluting industries, protecting habitats, examining the use of compressed
natural gas in industries, setting environmental standards and controlling river and
automobile pollution on environmental management. It also conducts vehicular
emission measurements at Dhaka city.
5. Banning of Polyethylene Bags.
The government has banned the production, marketing and use of polyethylene bags up
to 20 microns thick or less from 01 March 2002.
6.. Urban Transport Project.
A Urban Transport Project has been launched by the Government to improve traffic
system, envisage good bus services, improve road networks by constructing over-
bridges, fly-overs, underpasses and envisages a positive role for non-motorized
transport.
7.. Embargo on Import of Items.
The government has banned the import of leaded petrol, high sulfur diesel and high
sulfur coal. The government has also encouraged to use Compressed Natural Gas
(CNG) to the automobiles. Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has
restricted the registration on two stroke three wheelers.
8. Control of Arsenic Pollution.
The Government has taken four Strategies to mitigate the arsenic problem. These are
as follows: (1). Immediate detection of the arsenic effected patients and ensure their
proper treatment. (2). Identify the arsenic contaminated tube wells, labeled them with
red colour for danger ones and green with safe ones. (3). Detect the reasons for arsenic
contamination in soil water and find out the sources of safe drinking water. (4).
Conduct health education campaigns and grow awareness among the people.
9. Knowledge Enrichment Programme.
 Environmental education program has been incorporated in primary and higher
education. Many universities have introduced various curriculum and projects on
environmental issue. Government organizations as well as NGOs present meetings and
seminars to raise public awareness on the environmental issue.
10. Rural Sanitation Programme.
The Bangladesh Government has taken a rural sanitation programme from October
2003 to implement the facilitation, construction and installation of twin pit latrine. It
improves rural sanitation coverage and reduces infectious diseases in rural areas.
Suggested Steps for Pollution Control:
Sooner or later, we will have to recognize that the Earth has rights, too, to live
without pollution. What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live
without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans.
-Evo Morales
The government has taken some steps to improve the pollution control of Bangladesh. But
the steps are not adequate. As such, few more steps may also be taken to improve the
environmental degradation:
1.Use of Environmental Technologies and Methods.
Environmental technologies and methods such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS),
remote sensing and environmental impact assessment might be used for integrated policy
formulation, decision-making, evaluation and monitoring of environment.
2. Development of Environmental Database.
A comprehensive environmental database may be made and the environmental planners
might have the access for environmental up-gradation, planning and management The
database is to be updated regularly.
3. Environmental Education and Awareness.
Formal and informal methods of education might be adopted through local media,
seminars, celebrations, workshops, walks and student competitions to aware the people
regarding the process of environmental degradation.
4. Industrial and Solid Waste Management.
5. Enforcement of Rules and Regulation.
Environmental Conservation Rules of 1997, traffic rules and other relevant environmental
laws migh enforced further to punish the violation of the emission limits.
6. Urban Transport Management
7. Reduce Sulfur in Diesel.

Conclusion:
Environmental issues have become a major concern due to impact on public health and
development of Bangladesh. Air and water pollution, groundwater contamination,
nuisance from solid wastes and noise pollution are the main environmental pollutions of
Bangladesh. Government as well as other organizations must take adequate steps to reduce
the environmental pollution of Bangladesh.