Subject : Environmental Science Grade and Section of Learners: 07 – Magalang;

Matapat
Topic : The Pollution Problem Subject Teacher : John Rush Set S. Digma

DISCUSSION TOPICS:

The
Pollution
Problem

INTRODUCTION

Where in the Philippines do you live? in a

barrio, in a town, or in a city? in Metro Manila?
How do you go to school? Do you walk or take a
ride? If you take a ride, which one is it—a tricycle,
a car, a jeepney, or a bus? Taking a ride, you reach
the school faster. But you pay a price not only for
the cost of the ride but also for the noise and air
pollution, both are harmful to your health. So if the
distance is not too far, why do you not walk to
school? Walking is good for your health. The vegetables and fruits that you eat are sometimes
sprayed with pesticides to kill the insects pestering the plants. The farmers have higher yields,
they earn more, and there is more supply of these commodities. However, most pesticides
are harmful to human health, they may cause cancer and other kinds of diseases. They also
pollute the air, the water, and the land. Industries, in general, are good. They provide
employment for the people; they produce goods that people need. But some of the by-
products of factories pollute the water, the land and the air.
MEANING OF POLLUTION

 When there is a change in the

physical, chemical, or
biological conditions in the
environment which harmfully
affects the quality of life,
including effects on other
animals and plants, then we
say that there is pollution in
the environment.

 The change is generally brought about by the introduction of

hazardous substances into the environment. A hazardous substance
includes any substance that poses a threat to human health or to the
environment. Substances that are poisonous to human beings and
animals are called toxic. Those that harm the environment may be
corrosive, flammable, or explosive. Examples of toxic materials are
carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO), and the oxides of lead
and mercury.

 Examples of substances that harm the

environment include wastes disposed of
improperly by industries; nonbiodegradable
materials, like plastic, thrown just anywhere;
and excessive carbon dioxide (C02) introduced
into the atmosphere.
  Problems caused by hazardous
substances are twofold: first, they cause a
wide range of harmful effects on human
health such as cancer; second, these
substances can cause long-term or
permanent damages to the ecosystem.

 We classify pollution into four types; air pollution, water pollution, land and soil pollution,
and noise pollution.

A. AIR POLLUTION
Substances that pollute the
air are generally of two types.

I. The first type of air pollutants

are those that are directly
harmful to humans. These
include toxic materials emitted
by factories and motor vehicles.
Burning of trash also produces toxic pollutants. These pollutants are considered toxic
because the human body absorbs these gases together with fine particles into the
bloodstream, causing adverse health effects. The most obvious effects are:
1. breathing difficulties
2. increased susceptibility to respiratory infections
3. development of chronic lung diseases
4. worsening of existing heart and lung diseases
5. fetal defects
6. various kinds of cancer.
II. The second type of pollutants are those that damage the environment and possibly alter
the earth's climate.

Pollutants Harmful to the Environment

 Acid Rain

When oxides of sulfur and

nitrogen combine with the moisture in
the atmosphere, acid rain is produced.
Acid rain consists of sulfuric and nitric
acids. They do damage to buildings,
materials, plants, and animals. They kill
fish, destroy forest systems, and
corrode sculptures and buildings.
Harmful Effect of Acid Rain

 The Greenhouse Gases

When carbon dioxide (C02) and other gases like methane, chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), ozone, and nitrous oxide are released into the atmosphere, they accumulate
in the atmosphere. These gases allow sunlight to penetrate to the earth's surface.
They trap radiant heat and
prevent its escape into the
space. As a result, the of the
earth becomes higher. This
phenomenon is known as the
greenhouse effect. This effect
raises the average global
temperature.

Melting of Ice and Glaciers

B. WATER
POLLUTION

 The main sources of water

pollution are the water - using
industrial plants and solid wastes,
pesticides, and fertilizers dumped into
the seas and rivers. Four major
industries account for a very large
portion of waste – water discharge.
These are paper, petroleum, steel and

chemical industries.
 The dumping of garbage into
rivers, creeks, and streams which
is most especially rampant in the
Philippines is another major
source of pollution.

 Toxic pesticides and harmful fertilizers

are carried by rain into rivers and streams,
polluting them in the process.
 C. LAND AND SOIL

POLLUTION

There are two principal sources of wastes responsible for the land and soil
pollution.

I. The first one is the solid waste

which comes from mining
operations. It includes direct
waste from the mining of
minerals and fossil fuels and
those associated with the milling
and processing industries. Strip
mining not only produces
mineral waste that pollutes the
soil and streams but also leaves huge scars on the land.

II. Another type of solid waste is the

by-product of agriculture. It
includes animal manure and
wastes from slaughtered horses
and from all forms of crop
harvesting. These wastes are
generally less polluting because
they are spread over wide areas.
Also, they are biodegradable, meaning, they return to the soil as nutrients of plants. In
excessive amounts, they emit bad odor, which is almost intolerable to human beings.
Municipal Solid Waste
 Wastes that come directly from homes
like paper, metals, bottles, plastics,
wood, textiles, food wastes, rubber,
leather, and other forms are
collectively known as municipal solid
wastes.

 People around the world produce

different amounts of municipal wastes. In
general, people in the industrialized
nations produce larger amounts of waste
per person. For instance, an average
American citizen discards about 1.32
kilograms of wastes a day whereas a person
from lower income countries produces less
than one pound of wastes per day.
 The main concern here is waste
disposal. The ideal is a kind of
disposal that will not pollute the
environment and at the same
time will not be an eyesore to
the public. The most common
way of disposing of municipal
solid wastes is through landfills.
In this system, waste is buried
deep under the ground in a place far from population centers. In this way, the
resulting air pollution and the pollution of the underground water will not affect
the centers of population.
D. NOISE
POLLUTION

 Noise is simply defined as

unwanted sound. It may be soft yet unpleasant. Singing out of tune is irritating so
it is considered noise. A song may be good music, but if played loud, then it is also
a form of pollution. Of course, if a sound is unpleasant and is too loud, then it is
the worst kind of pollution.

 Noise pollution is among

the least publicized forms
of pollution: it is also one
to which least attention is
given. This is mainly
because its harmful
effects are generally
underestimated.

 Yet studies have shown

that noise pollution has
implications on health that may
be as serious as air or water
pollution.
 Sound is measured by its intensity, or
loudness, in decibels. Decibel is a unit of
power change. The range is generally from
sound that is barely audible to very loud
painful sound.
EVALUATION ACTIVITIES: THE POLLUTION PROBLEM
Provide what is being asked by the following: (5 points each)
1. When do we say that there is a pollution in the environment? Explain.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. How acid rain is produced?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. What are the two principal sources of wastes responsible for the land and soil
pollution? Explain each
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. Explain greenhouse effect.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
5. What are the sources of noise pollution in your neighborhood?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
6. As a student, what are the things you will do to help lessen the pollution in your community?
List 5.

a. ___________________________________________________________________
b. ___________________________________________________________________
c. ___________________________________________________________________
d. ___________________________________________________________________
e. ___________________________________________________________________