3. INTRODUCTION
Environmental pollution is any discharge of material
or energy into water, land, or air that causes or may
cause acute or chronic detriment to the Earth's
ecological balance or that lowers the quality of life.
Pollutants may cause primary damage, with direct
identifiable impact on the environment, or secondary
damage in the form of minor perturbations in the
delicate balance of the biological food web that are
detectable only over long time periods.
4. What is pollution?
Pollution is any discharge of material or energy into
water, land, or air that causes or may cause acute or
chronic detriment to the Earth's ecological balance or
that lowers the quality of life or in simple terms we can
say that pollution is the contamination of the waste
materials into the earth’s ecology.
Pollutants may cause primary damage, with direct
identifiable impact on the environment, or secondary
damage in the form of minor perturbations in the
delicate balance of the biological food web that are
detectable only over long time periods.
5. Types of pollution
Pollution is of following types:•Air pollution
•Light pollution
•Littering
•Noise pollution
•Soil contamination
•Thermal pollution
•Water pollution
6. Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulates, or biological
materials into the atmosphere that cause discomfort, disease, or death to
humans, damage other living organisms such as food crops, or damage the
natural environment or environment.
The sources of air pollution are classified into two groups:
Natural Sources
II. Man made sources
Natural Sources of Air Pollution:-They are dust storms, forest fires, ash from
smoking volcanoes, decay of organic matters and pollen grains floating in air.
Manmade Sources of Air Pollution:- They are population explosion,
deforestation, urbanization and industrialization, whose effects can be
explained as follows:
I.
7. Causes of air pollution
(1) greenhouse
effect,
contamination,
radiation,
rain,
(2) particulate
(3) increased UV
(4) acid
(5) increased ground level
ozone
concentration,
(6) increased levels of nitrogen oxides
Air pollution affects respiratory system causing breathing
difficulties and diseases such as bronchitis,asthma,lung
cancer, tuberculosis and pneumonia.
Air Pollution affects the central nervous system causing carbon
monoxide poisoning.CO has more affinity for hemoglobin than
oxygen and thus forms a stable compound carboxyl
hemoglobin(CO),which is poisonous and causes suffocation and
death.
8. Effect of air pollution
Air pollution affects respiratory system causing breathing difficulties
and diseases such as bronchitis, asthma, lung cancer, tuberculosis and
pneumonia.
Air pollution causes depletion of ozone layer due to which ultraviolet
radiations can reach the earth and cause skin cancer, damage to eyes
and immune system.
It causes acid rain which damages crop plants, trees, buildings,
monuments, statues and metal structures and also makes the soil
acidic.
It causes greenhouse effect or global warming which leads to excessive
heating of earth's atmosphere, further leading to weather variability
and rise in sea level. The increased temperature may cause melting of
ice caps and glaciers, resulting in floods.
Air pollution from certain metals, pesticides and fungicides causes
serious ailments.
Lead pollution causes anemia, brain damage, convulsions and death.
Certain metals cause problem in kidney, liver, circulatory system and
nervous system.
Fungicides cause nerve damage and death.
9. Prevention And Control of Air Pollution: Methods of controlling gaseous pollutants
Combustion
Absorption
Adsorption
Methods of controlling particulate
emissions
Mechanical Devices
Fabric Filters
Wet Scrubbers
10. Light pollution
Light pollution, also known as photo pollution or luminous
pollution, is excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial light.
Pollution is the adding-of/added light itself, in analogy to
added sound, carbon dioxide, etc. Adverse consequences are
multiple, some of them may not be known yet.
Light pollution is the alteration of light levels in the
outdoor environment (from those present naturally) due
to man-made sources of light. Indoor light pollution is
such alteration of light levels in the indoor environment
due to sources of light, which compromises human health.
Light pollution is the introduction by humans, directly or
indirectly, of artificial light into the environment.
Apart from emitting light, the sky also scatters incoming
light, primarily from distant stars and the Milky Way, but
also the zodiacal light, sunlight that is reflected and
backscattered from interplanetary dust particles.
11. Causes of light pollution
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Light pollution is caused by uncontrolled emissions and
reflections. The design of most of the light emitting sources
allows a significant fraction of light to go up in the sky.
Excessive use of light emitting sources also causes significant loss
of light energy and increases the production of greenhouse gases.
Careless outdoor lighting is also responsible for light pollution.
Estimates point out that about one-third of the energy used for
outdoor lighting is sent to outer space where it doesn't serve any
useful purpose and causes light pollution.
The rate at which the urban areas are expanding is contributing
to the increase in the levels of light pollution.
Three decades ago, the outdoor lighting products that were
available to the public were limited to incandescent
lights, mercury vapor lamps, etc. but today more powerful
fixtures are available.
12. Effect on wildlife
Medical research on the effects of excessive light on the human body
suggests that a variety of adverse health effects may be caused by light
pollution or excessive light exposure, and some lighting design
textbook use human health as an explicit criterion for proper interior
lighting.
light affects organisms and ecosystems it is called ecological light
pollution. While light at night can be beneficial, neutral, or damaging
for individual species, lighting is responsible for one-fourth of all
electricity consumption worldwide and case studies have shown that
several forms of over-illumination constitute energy wastage, including
non-beneficial upward direction of night-time lighting.
In 2007, Terns, the company responsible for managing electricity flow
in Italy, reported a saving of 645.2 million kWh in electricity
consumption during the daylight saving period from April to October.
It attributes this saving to the delayed need for artificial lighting during
the evenings . public lighting is the single largest source of local
government's greenhouse gas emissions, typically accounting for 30 to
50% of their emissions . its presence invariably disturbs ecosystems.
13. Control of Light Pollution
The following steps can be taken to reduce the light pollution: Avoid causing light pollution
do not fit unnecessary lights
do not use excessively bright lights, a 150 watt tungsten halogen
lamp is quite adequate, 300 or 500 watt bulbs are too powerful
for domestic security lighting
Action against light pollution
If you are experiencing light pollution from your neighbors try
approaching the owner of the offending light, politely
requesting:
re-angling or partial shading of the light
fitting of a passive infra red sensor
using a lower power bulb
14. Littering
In order to define the littering we need to define the litter first.
The litter refers to different waste products such as
containers, papers, and wrappers that have been disposed onto
streets, countryside's and remote places, meaning that the
simplest littering definition would be pollution of our
environment by different litter waste.
Littering is much more serious problem than some think it is, not
just environmental but also an economic problem too because
countries spend huge sums of money to clean and remove litter
out of our environment.
Litter is also not a local problem as some think it is, because
littering is happening worldwide. In US 75% of Americans admit
to littering within the last 5 years, most of them being young
people between age 20-35. Among people that litter the most are
smokers, and cigarette butts are believed to be most commonly
littered items.
15. Causes of littering
In addition to intentional littering, almost half of litter on U.S. roadways is now a result
of accidental or unintentional litter, usually debris that falls off of improperly secured
trash, recycling collection vehicles and pickup trucks. Population levels, traffic density
and proximity to waste disposal sites are factors known to correlate with higher litter
rates . Government neglect, the inability of governments to remove litter in a timely
manner, is also a reason why humans are tempted to litter.
Illegally dumped hazardous waste may be affected by the costs associated with dropping
materials at designated sites; some facilities charge a fee for depositing hazardous
material. Access to nearby facilities that accept hazardous waste may deter use.
Additionally, ignorance of the laws that regulate the proper disposal of hazardous waste
may have an impact on proper disposal.
According to a study by the Dutch organization VROM, 80 percent of the people claim
that "everybody leaves a piece of paper, tin or something, on the street behind". Young
people from 12 to 24 years cause more litter than the average (Dutch or Belgian) person.
Eighteen percent of people who regularly cause litter were 50 years of age or older.
However, a 2010 survey of littering in Maine,
New Hampshire target groups within many campaigns conducted to keep countries free
of litter. In 1999, research by Keep America Beautiful found that 75% of Americans
admitted to littering the last five years, yet 99% of the same individuals admitted they
enjoyed a clean environment.
16. Effect of Littering
Effect on humans: Litter can harm humans and the environment in different ways.
Hazardous materials contained within litter and illegally
dumped rubbish can leach into water sources, contaminate soil
and pollute the air.
When tires are burned they can smoulder for long periods of
time emitting hundreds of chemical and compounds that pollute
the air causing respiratory illnesses.
Effect on wildlife: Also Animals may get trapped or poisoned with litter in their
habitats. Cigarette butts and filters are a threat to wildlife and
have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds and whales, who
have mistaken them for food.
Animals can get trapped in the rubbish and be in serious
discomfort. For example, the plastic used to hold beverage cans
together can get wrapped around animals' necks and cause them
to suffocate as they grow.
17. Control of Littering
Litter control is essential in maintaining safe, clean
and sustainable neighborhoods.
Citizens and businesses play a critical role in stopping
litter.
The Litter Control Crew is responsible for helping
to clear litter from major roadways throughout the
County.
Please help keep the Litter Control Crew safe! If you
see the crew working on a roadway, and be attentive to
keep them out of harm's way.
18. Noise Pollution
Indoor noise is caused by machines, building activities, music
performances, and especially in some workplaces. There is no great
differ Noise pollution is the disturbing or excessive noise that may
harm the activity or balance of human or animal life. The source of
most outdoor noise worldwide is mainly caused by machines and
transportation systems, motor vehicles, aircraft, and trains. Outdoor
noise is summarized by the word environmental noise. Poor urban
planning may give rise to noise pollution, since side-by-side
industrial and residential buildings can result in noise pollution in
the residential areas.
Hence whether noise-induced hearing loss is brought about by
outside (e.g. trains) or inside (e.g. music) noise.
High noise levels can contribute to cardiovascular effects in
humans, a rise in blood pressure, and an increase in stress and
vasoconstriction, and an increased incidence of coronary artery
disease. In animals, noise can increase the risk of death by altering
predator or prey detection and avoidance, interfere with reproduction
and navigation, and contribute to permanent hearing loss.
19. Causes of noise pollution
.Industrialization: Most of the industries use big machines which are
capable of producing large amount of noise. Apart from that, various
equipments like compressors, generators, exhaust fans, grinding mills
also participate in producing big noise.
Social Events: Noise is at its peak in most of the social events.
Whether it is marriage, parties, pub, disc or place of worship, people
normally flout rules set by the local administration and create nuisance
in the area. People play songs on full volume and dance till midnight
which makes the condition of people living nearby pretty worse.
attention of people.
Transportation: Large number of vehicles on roads, aero planes flying
over houses, underground trains produce heavy noise and people get it
difficult to get accustomed to that. The high noise leads to a situation
wherein a normal person lose the ability to hear properly.
Construction Activities: Under construction activities like
mining, construction of
bridges, dams, buildings, stations, roads, flyovers take place in almost
every part of the world.
20. Effect of Noise Pollution
Noise can have a detrimental effect on wild animals, increasing the risk of death by
changing the delicate balance in predator or prey detection and avoidance, and
interfering the use of the sounds in communication, especially in relation to
reproduction and in navigation. Acoustic overexposure can lead to temporary or
permanent loss of hearing.
An impact of noise on wild animal life is the reduction of usable habitat that noisy
areas may cause, which in the case of endangered species may be part of the path to
extinction. Noise pollution has caused the death of certain species of whales that
beached themselves after being exposed to the loud sound of military sonar.
Noise also makes species communicate more loudly, which is called Lombard vocal
response. Scientists and researchers have conducted experiments that show whales'
song length is longer when submarine-detectors are on. If creatures do not "speak"
loudly enough, their voice will be masked by anthropogenic sounds. These unheard
voices might be warnings, finding of prey, or preparations of net-bubbling.
European Robins living in urban environments are more likely to sing at night in
places with high levels of noise pollution during the day, suggesting that they sing at
night because it is quieter, and their message can propagate through the environment
more clearly. The same study showed that daytime noise was a stronger predictor of
nocturnal singing than night-time light pollution, to which the phenomenon often is
attributed.
21. Control of Noise Pollution
There are many methods which help to control the noise
pollution.
The source of noise must be reduced.
The path of transmission of sound must be stopped and the
receiver of noise must be safe guarded.
The amount of traffic must be reduced near the residential
homes, educational institutes and hospitals.
The machinery must be redesigned and the vehicles must be
properly maintained.
The acoustical furnishing must be done so that the sound can
be absorbed.
The industries must be built away from the residential areas
and the legal laws must be established and observed to protect
the humans from noise pollution.
A general awareness program to educate the people must be
done
22. Soil contamination
Soil contamination or soil pollution is caused by the presence of xenobiotic
(human-made) chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. It
is typically caused by industrial activity, agricultural chemicals, or improper
disposal of waste. The most common chemicals involved are petroleum
hydrocarbons, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (such as naphthalene and
benzoic solvents, pesticides, lead, and other heavy metals. Contamination is
correlated with the degree of industrialization and intensity of chemical usage.
Types of soil pollution
Soil pollution is of following types:
Agricultural Soil Pollution
A. pollution of surface soil
B. pollution of underground soil
Soil pollution by industrial effluents and solid wastes
A. pollution of surface soil
B. disturbances in soil profile
Pollution due to urban activities
A. pollution of surface soil
B. pollution of underground soil
23. Causes of Soil Contamination
Soil pollution is a result of many activities and experiments done by
mankind which end up contaminating the soil. Here are some of the
leading soil pollution causes:
1. Industrial wastes such as harmful gases and chemicals, agricultural
pesticides, fertilizers and insecticides are the most common causes of
soil pollution.
2. Ignorance towards soil management and related systems.
3. Unfavorable and harmful irrigation practices.
4. Improper septic system and management and maintenance of the
same.
5. Leakages from sanitary sewage.
6. Acid rains, when fumes released from industries get mixed with
rains.
7. Fuel leakages from automobiles, that get washed away due to rain
and seep into the nearby soil.
8. Unhealthy waste management techniques, which are characterized
by release of sewage into the large dumping grounds and nearby
streams or rivers.
24. Effect of Soil Contamination
The effects of pollution on soil are quite alarming and can cause
huge disturbances in the ecological balance and health of living
creatures on earth. Some of the most serious soil pollution effects
are:
Loss of soil and natural nutrients present in it. Plants also would not
thrive in such soil, which would further result in soil erosion.
Disturbance in the balance of flora and fauna residing in the soil.
Increase in salinity of the soil, which therefore makes it unfit for
vegetation, thus making it useless and barren.
Generally crops cannot grow and flourish in polluted soil. Yet, if
some crops manage to grow, they would be poisonous enough to
cause serious health problems in people consuming them.
Creation of toxic dust is another potential effect of soil pollution..
Soil pollutants would bring in alteration in the soil structure, which
would lead to death of many essential organisms in it. This would
also affect the larger predators and compel them to move to other
places, once they lose their food supply.
25. Control of soil contamination
The following steps can be taken to control the soil
pollution:1. Use of pesticides should be minimized.
2. Use of fertilisers should be judicious
3. Cropping techniques should be improved to prevent
growth of weeds.
4. Special pits should be selected for dumping wastes.
5. Controlled grazing and forest management.
6. Wind breaks and wind shield should be built in the
areas exposed to wind erosion
7. Planning of soil binding grasses along banks and slopes
which are prone to rapid erosion.
8. Forestation or reforestation should be done.
26. Thermal Pollution
Thermal pollution is the act of altering the temperature of a natural
water body, which may be a river, lake or ocean environment.
This condition chiefly arises from the waste heat generated by an
industrial process such as certain power generation plants.
The concept is most frequently discussed in the context of elevating
natural water temperature, but may also be caused by the release of
cooler water from the base of reservoirs into warmer rivers.
Elevated river temperatures can also arise from deforestation or
urbanization that can reduce stream shading. Thermal pollution is
one parameter of the broader subject of water pollution.
There can be significant environmental consequences of thermal
pollution with respect to surface receiving waters such as rivers and
lakes; in particular, decrease in biodiversity and creation of an
environment hospitable to alien aquatic species may occur.
27. Causes of thermal pollution
Industrial Effluents- Industries require cooling water for
heat removal and cooling purposes. This heated water when
discharged into the water system increases the temperature
of water body.
Nuclear Power plants-Nuclear power plants emit large
quantity of heat and traces of radioactive substances which
increases the temperature of water bodies.
Coal- fired power plants- It is one of the major source of
thermal pollution.
Domestic sewage-When the domestic sewage is disposed
off into water bodies like river, lakes etc it increases the
temperature of receiving water.
Radioactive waste- Dumping of radioactive waste in marine
system increases the temperature when these substances
radiate energy.
28. Effect of thermal pollution
There are two types of effects of thermal pollution
Thermal shock: Due to decrease in DO levels there is
suffocation of plants and animal species which creates
anaerobic conditions .The sudden change in the
temperature causes harm to the aquatic organisms.
Thermal enrichment: The heated water is used for
irrigation purposes to extend plant growing seasons. The
warmer water also increases the metabolic rate of aquatic
organisms (which in turn decreases the life expectancy of
these organisms). The speedy growth is beneficial for
commercial purposes
29. Control of thermal pollution
Some countries and even individual states and provinces require
limits on discharges that lead to thermal pollution of receiving
waters.
although this aspect of water pollution has proven to be more
elusive than conventional chemical discharge.
In many cases regulation has come about through judicial
application of the United States Clean Water Act and other
statutes. For example, in a state statute challenge the court found
that anticipated thermal pollution impacts were sufficient
grounds to reverse approval of construction of two nuclear power
plants.
Regulation may take very different approaches; in some laws, a
best practice is required, such as the use of cooling ponds or
cooling towers for waste heat discharge. In other cases, a
numerical limit on acceptable temperature increase in the
receiving waters is applied
30. Water Pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies
Water pollution occurs when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged
into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful
compounds.
Water pollution affects plants and organisms living in these bodies of water.
In almost all cases the effect is damaging not only to individual species and
populations, but also to the natural biological communities.
1.
Types of water pollution
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Chemical Water Pollution
Oil Spillage
Suspended Matter
Microbiological
Surface water pollution
Nutrients Pollution
Ground water pollution
31. Causes of water pollution
Some wastewater, fertilizers and sewage contain high levels of
nutrients.
Surface water includes natural water found on the earth's
surface, like rivers, lakes, lagoons and oceans.
Water bodies have micro-organisms. These include aerobic and
anaerobic organisms.
when humans apply pesticides and chemicals to soils, they are
washed deep into the ground by rain water.
In many communities in the world, people drink untreated
water .
Some pollutants do not easily dissolve in water.
Many industries and farmers work with chemicals that end up
in water.
32. Effect of Water Pollution
The effects of water pollution are varied and depend on
what chemicals are dumped and in which locations.
Many water bodies near urban areas are highly polluted.
This is the result of both garbage dumped by individuals
and dangerous chemicals legally or illegally dumped by
manufacturing industries, health centres, schools and
market places.
1. Death of aquatic animals
2. Disruption of food-chains
3. Diseases
4. Destruction of ecosystems
33.
Control ofcontrolled by adopting a range of stringent
water pollution
At JSPL, water pollution is
regulatory measures and monitoring processes.
Some of the measures, which have been implemented for effective
control of water pollution, are as follows:
Coke Oven Quenching: The waste water generated during quenching
is taken to settling tanks. After settling, the water is reused for
quenching the hot coke.
Sinter plant: Blow-down water is used in sinter nebulising.
Rolling mill: Process waste water is skimmed for oil and scale and then
recycled back to the plant. No wastewater is discharged.
DRI: Cooling close-circuit effluent-recycling system has been installed.
Waste water from the cooling section is taken to a hot water well and
then to the cooling tower and the cold water well, from where it is
recycled back into the process.
Power Plant: DM plant wastewater is treated in the neutralization pit.
After treatment, the water is reused for wet ash handling system.
Submerged Arc Furnace: Waste water is reused for slag cooling and
dust suppression.