Environmental Pollution | Types

Introduction:

Pollution can be defined as “the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.” Wiki explains pollution as “the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse change.” Simply put, pollution is something that brings harm to our environment and in turn to the people who exist based on the environment.

Environmental Pollution occurs when pollutants contaminate the surroundings; which brings about changes that affect our normal lifestyles adversely. Pollutants are the key elements or components of pollution which are generally waste materials of different forms. Pollution disturbs our ecosystem and the balance in the environment. With modernization and development in our lives, pollution has reached its peak; giving rise to global warming and human illness.

Sources and Causes of Environmental Pollution

The sources and causes of environmental pollution include the following:

1. 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 disposals of industrial wastes are sources of soil and water pollution. Chemical waste resulting from industry can pollute lakes, rivers and seas and soil too as well as releasing fumes.

2. Dumping solid waste: Household and commercial waste pollute the environment when not disposed of properly.

3. 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 sound produced by these vehicles produces causes noise pollution.

4. Rapid urbanization and industrialization: The urbanization and the rapid growth of industrialization are causing environmental pollution the greatest harm to the plant life, which in turn causing harm to the animal kingdom and human lives.

5. Population overgrowth: Due to the increase in population, particularly in developing countries, there has been a surge in demand for basic food, occupation and shelter. The world has witnessed massive deforestation to expand absorb the growing population and their demands.

6. Combustion of fossil fuels: The combustion of fossil fuels pollutes the air, the soil and the water with noxious gases such as CO2 and CO.

7. Agricultural waste: Fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture are key causes of environmental pollution.

Types & Causes of Pollution:

1. Air Pollution

It is the most prevalent and dangerous form of pollution especially considered to go hand in hand with urbanization. There are many reasons for it. Primary among these is excessive fuel combustion which has become a basic necessity for cooking, transport and other industrial activities. This releases umpteen no. of chemicals to the air which is far from being removed from it. These are directly affecting our existence. Smoke releases SO into the air making it toxic. It is caused mainly due to chimneys, factory stacks, vehicles or something as common as ‘burning of wood’. The release of SO and other greenhouse gases into the air causes global warming and has the capacity to cause acid rain. Global warming or emission of these gases has increased temperatures, erratic rains and droughts worldwide. This has heavily increased the cases of Asthma, Bronchitis and the more dangerous lung cancer, mainly in the metro cities.

2. Water Pollution

Every living being depends, directly, on the water so this has taken a heavy toll on the entire living population. Other than direct dependencies, more than 60% of the species live in some form of water. Thus water pollution is another major type of pollution that needs to be curbed. It can be attributed to many factors -industrial effluent dumped into the rivers and sea causes a huge imbalance in the water properties which renders the water bodies unfit for aquatic lives.

3. Soil pollution

Also known as Land Pollution, this occurs due to the incorporation of unwanted chemicals in the soil due to human activities. The use of insecticides and pesticides absorbs the nitrogen compounds from the soil making it unfit for plants to derive nutrition from. The release of industrial waste, mining and deforestation also exploit the soil. Since plants cannot grow properly, they cannot hold the soil and this leads to soil erosion. Food is a big contributor to landfill waste.

4. Noise pollution

It is caused when a noise that is of higher intensity than 85 db reaches our bare ears. It may lead to psychological problems like stress & hypertension. It can also lead to permanent hearing impairment, which is worse. It is mainly caused by loud pumps and compressors in the chemical industries. Even marriage functions and rock music concerts are often ignored contributors to this type of pollution.

5. Radioactive pollution

This is considered one of the most dangerous pollution because of its permanent effects. An un-arrested upset in a nuclear plant and careless nuclear waste disposal etc are some of the causes. It can cause cancer – skin, blood, infertility due to exposure, birth defects and blindness. It has the ability to permanently change the soil, air and water – the major sources of life. It can even cause mutation in species which can propagate for ages.

6. Thermal/heat pollution: This is caused a result of excessive heat release in the environment. This leads to irreversible and undesirable changes of an almost permanent nature. Industries and Vehicles are direct contributors to this. Deforestation is an indirect contributor.

Effects of Environmental Pollution

1. Environmental pollution has negatively affected the life of both human beings and animals. Almost all of our gains in the fields of industrial progress, science and technology had so far been realized at the cost of our health. Even our flora and fauna were found to be threatened with extinction.

2. Environmental pollution is not caused by the fall-out from nuclear tests or industries alone. The smoke left behind the automobiles and other vehicular traffic, the increasing use of synthetic detergents, nitrogen fertilizers and insecticides contaminate both air and water. The water we drink the vegetables are all contaminated today. As a result of this contamination, our world is afflicted with quite a number of incurable diseases.

3. Environmental pollution affects water sources which mean that there is less fresh water available for drinking, washing, cooking and irrigating crops. Nothing in this world is immune, no life is safe and the future of this world is bleak.

4. Air pollution may cause severe lungs-diseases, asthma, brain disorder diseases, etc.

5. Soil pollution may have a negative effect on farm output ratio. It can also contaminate the groundwater.

6. Noise pollution has negative effects on hearing or auditory sense organs. It can also cause deafness, tiredness, and mental losses.