POLLUTION: RESEARCH INTO THE FORMS OF POLLUTIONS AND THEIR CAUSES AND EFFECTS
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Table of Contents
- Introduction………………………………………………………………..……………4
- Forms of Pollution, Causes, and Effects………………………………...………………4
2.1.Air Pollution…………………………………………………………..……………..5
2.2.Water Pollution……………………………………………….……….……………..7
2.3.Land Pollution………………………………………….…………………….……..10
2.4.Radioactive Pollution……………………………………………………….…...…12
2.5.Noise Pollution………………………………………………………………………14
- Controls, Regulations, and Sustainability Courses………………………………………15
- Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….17
Figures
Figure 1: Air pollution within Chinese factories of Guangdong…………………………..…………7
Figure 2: Water Pollution in Parts of Indonesia and India…..………………………………………9
Figure 3: Forest fires in Australia…………………………………………………………………..…...11
Figure: Sewage Release into the soil in Pakistan……………………..……………………………….11
Figure 5: Nuclear Power Plants in Russia……………………………………………………………..14
Figure 6: Supersonic Jets………………………………………………………………………………....16
Figure 7: United Nations Convention on Pollution at Doha……………………..………………….18
Abstract
The rate of pollution has been rising at an unprecedented rate. Man’s activities have been responsible for wrecking havoc on the environment with the consequences being high deaths and an imminent unsustainability. Diseases and environmental destruction that have emerged as a result have threatened to render the future of the world uninhabitable. In this paper, I look at the different forms of pollution, their causes, and effects. The primary forms include air contamination, water pollution, radioactive waste, noise pollution, and land pollution. Also, the paper goes forth to look at potential solutions to the challenges and threat posed by pollution. It creates a discussion on the aspect of environmental regulation through national and international bodies, sustainability, and control. The role of the United Nations is brought into context together with its affiliates. Finally, a conclusion is made on the discussion by reinforcing the most preferred changes that are critical.
POLLUTION: RESEARCH INTO THE FORMS OF POLLUTIONS AND THEIR CAUSES AND EFFECTS
- 1. Introduction
Rapid industrialization, urbanization, and motorization have exacerbated the issue of environmental contamination. In 2012, about 9 million people succumbed to ailments related to water, air, and land pollution, as per the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution reports. In the same year, World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed in one of its reports that 7 million people died of air pollution-related causes. Air pollution has been behind 24% of the global diseases and 13% of the preventable type of diseases every year. The World Bank Group has been helping the developing nations and other development partners to decrease pollution, put in place proper waste management, improve air and water quality, and support clean-development-expansion-programs for a good living and better economic opportunities. It is significant that too that the international community joins efforts to combat the issue. Nonetheless, it all begins with a better comprehension of what entails pollution and the five primary types of pollution. In this paper, a research report is prepared looking into the causes and effects of air pollution, water contamination, land pollution, noise pollution, and radioactive contamination. It will also look at the issue of control, regulation, and sustainability, and how they are viewed as some of the best strategies available in luring both the private and public sectors into supporting environmental conservation initiatives.
- 2. Forms of Pollution, Causes and Effects
The most common types of pollution are five and include air, water, land, radioactive and noise pollution. Even so, other types of pollution have become relevant in the recent times. A good example is a thermal pollution. This paper analyzes the five top forms of pollution pointing out the causes and effects.
2.1.Air pollution
It is the contamination of air both indoors and outdoors. It involves physical, chemical, biological alterations to the air around the atmosphere. Air pollutants have occasioned serious health effects like cardiovascular disorders, asthma, and the fatal lung cancers (UNEP, 2014). The discussion below shows its classification, causes, and impacts.
Classification, Causes and Effects
It takes place when harmful dust, gasses, or smoke enter the earth's atmosphere making it difficult for animals, plants, and animals to survive. That is, it makes the environment to become unsupportive of biological life. Naturally, sustainable living conditions involve an atmosphere that has a combination of gases in the right quantities in such a way that any imbalance regarding a decrement or increment becomes disastrous (Christidiou & Dimitrious, 2015). Environmental experts classify it into outdoor and indoor air pollution as discussed below.
It is defined as the release of substances that are severe or air pollutants into the earth's atmosphere. The release is done in amounts that risk the well-being of the biological organisms or interrupt the normal functioning of the environment as a self-sustaining system creating various instances of health damages (Christidiou & Dimitrious, 2015). Natural sources of air pollutants entail forest fires, volcanic activity, organic decay, and soil dispersion by the wind into the air. Even so, the primary anthropogenic sources of air pollutants dispersed into the atmosphere consist of human activities. These activities include transportation endeavors (aircrafts, motor vehicles), industrial processes, burning coal and other fossil fuels, and the usage of chemicals in agriculture, or plants like incinerators, power plants, and landfills for disposition of waste (Christidiou & Dimitrious, 2015).
The primary air pollutants released by human activities include Carbon dioxide (CO
2) and Carbon monoxide (CO) produced by the combustion of fossil material and transportation sector. Also, Nitrogen oxides (NO
x) emitted from high fossil fuel temperature and electricity creation. Industrial processes like smelting of ores bearing sulphur give out Sulphur Oxides (SO
x) (Christidiou & Dimitrious, 2015). Then, in the production of color paints, pesticides, cleaning products, pesticides, furniture and building materials, hydrocarbons and VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are released by the underlining manufacturing processes (Christidiou & Dimitrious, 2015). Lastly, toxic ...