Air Pollution

A physical, biological or chemical alteration to the air present

in the atmosphere is referred to as air pollution. Air pollution
occurs whenever any harmful gases, dust mites, smoke or
smog enters into our atmosphere and makes it difficult for
plants, animals, and humans to breathe as the air becomes
toxic and contaminated.
Primary and Secondary Air Pollutants: Air pollution can be
caused by primary sources or secondary sources.
Primary air pollutants are the ones that are a direct result of
the process causing air pollution. A popular example of a
primary pollutant is the sulphur dioxide emitted from factories
and industries.
Secondary pollutants are those which are caused indirectly by
the intermingling of primary pollutants. Smog resulting
from the interactions and reactions of multiple primary
pollutants is a classic example of a secondary pollutant.
Causes of Air Pollution:
1. The burning of fossil fuels Sulphur dioxide emitted from
the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and similar
factory combustibles is one of the major causes of air
pollution. Smoke emitted from vehicles like cars, trucks,
jeeps, trains, and airplanes give rise to air pollution. Carbon
Monoxide formation produced by vehicles due to improper
combustion is a primary pollutant. Nitrogen Oxides, which
results from natural as well as man-made processes, is another
cause of air pollution.
2. Emissions from factories and industries Manufacturing
factories and industries release a massive amount of carbon
monoxide, organic compounds, hydrocarbons, and chemicals
into the atmosphere, thereby deprecating the quality of air.
Petroleum refineries also emit hydrocarbons and several other
chemicals which cause air as well as land pollution.
3. Agriculture and allied activities Ammonia is one of the
most common by-products of agriculture and allied activities.
It is also one of the most toxic gases in the atmosphere.
Furthermore, the use of insecticides, pesticides, and fertilizers
has increased a lot in agro-based activities. These release
harmful chemicals into the air, and lead to both air and water
pollution.

4. Household air pollution Household cleaning products,

painting supplies release hazardous chemicals in the air and
give rise to air pollution. Suspended particulate matter, or
SPM, is another major cause of air pollution. SPM is
commonly caused by combustion, dust, etc.
5. Mining operations Mining is a process where minerals
below the earth are extracted with the help of large
equipment. During the mining process, dust and toxic
chemicals are released into the atmosphere, leading to air
pollution. Mining operations are largely responsible for the
deteriorating health conditions of mine workers as well as
nearby residents.
Adverse Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health:
It is difficult to ignore the immediate adverse effects of air
pollution on human health. The most common reactions to it
are watering of eyes, coughing, and difficulty in breathing.
Even at seemingly subtle levels, air pollution may increase an
individual’s risk of cardiovascular diseases and premature
death. In 2016, air pollution was linked to 6.1 million people’s
deaths, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and
Evaluation, University of Washington.
What is more alarming is that air pollution can harm you even
before you take your first breath.
Exposure to high levels of air pollution during pregnancy has
been linked to miscarriages as well as premature birth, autism
spectrum disorder and asthma in young children. Air pollution
has the potential to damage a child’s brain development, and
cause pneumonia, which kills almost a million children under
the age of 5 each year. Children who breathe in higher levels
of contaminants are at a greater risk of short term respiratory
infections and pulmonary diseases.

Besides the obvious - asthma, other illnesses and conditions

associated with increasing levels of air pollution include
chronic bronchitis, emphysema, as well as lung cancer.
 Pollutants can adversely affect cardiovascular health through
hardened arteries, thereby increasing the risk of heart attacks
and strokes. There is also emerging evidence that air pollution
may be linked to degenerative brain diseases such as
Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Schizophrenia.
The following precautionary actions may be taken to reduce
the level of air pollution.
1.Reduce the number of times that you travel via your car.
Carpool with more people in one car, or use bus and other
public transportation to travel, or walk instead, whenever
possible.
2.Avoid the use of fireplaces and / or wooden stoves. Use gas
logs in place of wood.
3. Avoid burning garbage, dry leaves, or other materials, and
lighting bonfires in the open. Instead, mulch or compost your
yard waste.
4. Eliminate the use of gas-powered lawn and gardening
equipment.
5.Use paints and cleaning products which are environmentally
friendly. Effective Ways to Protect Yourself from Air
Pollution:

The following are some simple yet effective health tips to

combat air pollution are as follows.
1. Reduce private transportation The more cars there are in the
streets, greater will be the pollution generated in the air. If you
and your friends or colleagues travel to and from the same
locality, and have compatible timings, resort to carpooling
together to save energy as well as money. Otherwise, use
more and more of public transport such as buses, auto
rickshaws, etc. to reduce the use of private vehicles.
2. Conserve energy Maintain restricted use electronic
appliances. A large amount of fossil fuels are burned in order
to produce electricity. Air pollution can be reduced by
decreasing the number of fossil fuels to be burned.
3. Encourage clean energy resources Clean energy
technologies such as solar, wind and geothermal are
extremely beneficial for the environment. Installing more and
more solar panels will go a long way in eradicating air
pollution.
4. Use of effective air purifiers Prevention is indeed better
than cure. However, for people residing in cities that have a
long way to go before they are pollution free, the best solution
is air purifiers. Air purifiers installed in people’s homes have
long standing popularity as a solution from air pollution.
However, a more technologically advanced option is a
wearable air purifier. Wearable air purifiers are compact,
lightweight, energy-efficient and provide the user with clean,
safe air on the go.
Pollution
It is the introduction of substances (or energy) that cause
adverse changes in the environment and living entities
Pollution need not always be caused by chemical substances
such as particulates (like smoke and dust). Forms of energy
such as sound, heat or light can also cause pollution. These
substances that cause pollution are called pollutants.
Pollution, even in minuscule amounts, impacts the ecological
balance. Pollutants can make their way up the food chain and
eventually find their way inside the human body. Read on to
explore the types of pollution and their implications.
Different Types of Pollution

Air Pollution
Air pollution refers to the release of harmful contaminants
(chemicals, toxic gases, particulates, biological molecules,
etc.) into the earth’s atmosphere. These contaminants are quite
detrimental and in some cases, pose serious health issues.
Some causes that contribute to air pollution are:
 Burning fossil fuels
 Mining operations

 Exhaust gases from industries and factories

The effects of air pollution vary based on the kind of

pollutant. But generally, the impact of air pollution ranges
from:
 Increased risk of respiratory illness and cardiovascular
problems
 Increased risk of skin diseases
 May increase the risk of cancer
 Global warming
  Acid rain
 Ozone depletion

 Hazards to wildlife

Among the other types of pollution, air pollution is theorized

to have a planet-wide implication. Scientists have even
speculated an apocalypse-like scenario where air pollution if
left unchecked, can bring about an extreme form of global
warming called the runaway greenhouse effect. Though this is
purely speculative, it is a phenomenon that has already
occurred on Venus.
Water Pollution
Water pollution is said to occur when toxic pollutants and
particulate matter are introduced into water bodies such as
lakes, rivers and seas. These contaminants are generally
introduced by human activities like improper sewage
treatment and oil spills. However, even natural processes such
as eutrophication can cause water pollution.
Other significant causes of water pollution include:
 Dumping solid wastes in water bodies
 Disposing untreated industrial sewage into water bodies

 Human and animal wastes

 Agricultural runoff containing pesticides and fertilisers

The effects of water pollution are very pronounced in our

environment. Furthermore, toxic chemicals can
bioaccumulate in living beings, and these chemicals can travel
their way up the food chain, ultimately reaching humans.
Among the other types of pollution, water pollution has a
more disastrous consequences on humans. For instance, in
1932, a grave case of water pollution incapacitated the
inhabitants of an entire city in Japan with neurological
diseases and mental illness for many decades. However, the
immediate cause was not apparent but was eventually
attributed to acute mercury poisoning. Methylmercury was
dumped into the surrounding bay and had ultimately
bioaccumulated inside the fish. The local population then
consumed these fish, and this resulted in the manifestation of
ill-effects and neurological diseases.
Land Pollution
Land pollution is another one of the big three pollution types
affecting the human population. Land pollution happens when
the soil gets contaminated by fertilizers or chemicals being
dumped. The pollution in the land can seep into the ground
water or run into lakes and streams creating a vicious
pollution cycle. Soil pollution, also called soil contamination,
refers to the degradation of land due to the presence of
chemicals or other man-made substances in the soil. The
xenobiotic substances alter the natural composition of soil and
affect it negatively. These can drastically impact life directly
or indirectly. For instance, any toxic chemicals present in the
soil will get absorbed by the plants. Since plants are producers
in an environment, it gets passed up through the food chain.
Compared to the other types of pollution, the effects of soil
pollution are a little more obscured, but their implications are
very noticeable.
Some of the common causes of soil pollution are:
 Improper industrial waste disposal
 Oil Spills
 Acid rain which is caused by air pollution
 Mining activities
  Intensive farming and agrochemicals (like fertilisers and
pesticides)
 Industrial accidents

The effects of soil pollution are numerous. Specific wastes,

such as radioactive waste become particularly hazardous
when they are not well-contained. A well-documented
example is a nuclear accident in Chernobyl, which has left an
area of 2,600 km2 uninhabitable for several thousand years.
Other effects of soil pollution include:
 Loss of soil nutrients, which renders the soil unfit for
agriculture
 Impacts the natural flora and fauna residing in the soil
 Degrades vegetation due to the increase of salinity of the
soil
 Toxic dust (such as silica dust) can cause respiratory
problems or even lung cancer
Radioactive Pollution
Nuclear power plants used fission of radioactive materials,
uranium and plutonium, to create electricity, and both failed.
Their failure led to toxic chemicals and radiation being leaked
out into the environment, which is radioactive pollution.
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution refers to the excessive amount of noise in the
surrounding that disrupts the natural balance. Usually, it is
man-made, though certain natural calamities like volcanoes
can contribute to noise pollution.
In general, any sound which is over 85 decibels is considered
to be detrimental. Also, the duration an individual is exposed
plays an impact on their health. For perspective, a normal
conversation is around 60 decibels, and a jet taking off is
around 15o decibels. Consequently, noise pollution is more
obvious than the other types of pollution.
Noise pollution has several contributors, which include:
 Industry-oriented noises such as heavy machines, mills,
factories, etc.
 Transportation noises from vehicles, aeroplanes, etc.

 Construction noises

 Noise from social events (loudspeakers, firecrackers,

etc.)
 Household noises (such as mixers, TV, washing
machines, etc.)
Noise pollution has now become very common due to dense
urbanisation and industrialisation. Noise pollution can bring
about adverse effects such as :
 Hearing loss
 Tinnitus
 Sleeping disorders
 Hypertension (high BP)
 Communication problems
Light Pollution
Have you ever noticed that in a big city with a lot of lights, it
is impossible to see the stars and galaxies? Light pollution,
using electric lights to light up the sky, is the cause. While
lights are great for helping us to see at night, too many lights
cause light pollution blocking out the night sky. Light
pollution can also be harmful to animals. For example, the
lights of big cities can confuse migrating birds.
Marine Pollution

Marine pollution is defined as the introduction of substances

to the marine environment directly or indirectly by man
resulting in adverse effects such as hazardous to human
health, obstruction of marine activities and lowering the
quality of sea water.
Sources of Marine Pollution:
a. Municipal waste and sewage from residences and hotels in
coastal towns are directly discharged into sea.

b. Pesticides and fertilizers from agriculture which are washed

off by rain enter water courses and finally to sea. India is
estimated to use 55,000 tons of pesticides annually and about
25 percent of it is carried to-ocean.

c. Petroleum and oil washed off from roads normally enter

sewage system and finally into seas.

d. Ship accidents and accidental spillage at sea can therefore

be very damaging to the marine environment.

e. Off shore oil exploration also pollute the sea water to a

large extent,

f. Dry docking: All ships periodic dry docking servicing;

cleaning the hulls etc. during this period when cargo
compartments are emptied, residual oil goes into sea.

g. Pollution due to organic wastes: When O2 concentration

falls 1.5 mg/L, the rate of aerobic oxidants reduced and
replaced by the anaerobic bacteria that can oxidize the organic
molecules without the use of oxygen.

h. Pollution due to oil: Crude oil is transported by sea after a

tanker has unloaded its cargo of oil; it has to take on sea water
ballast for return journey. This ballast water is stored in cargo
compartments that previously contained oil.

During unloading of cargo certain amount of oil remains

clinging to the walls of container and this may amount to 800t
in a 200,000t tankers. The ballast water thus contaminated
with oil. When fresh crag of oil is to be loaded these
compartments are clean with water which discharges the dirty
ballast along with oil into sea.

i. Tanker accidents: In the natural process, a large no. of oil

tanker accidents happens every year. Sometimes this can
results in major disasters.

j. Volcanic eruptions in the sea.

Effects of Marine Pollution:
a. Apart from causing Eutrophication, a large amount of
organic wastes can also result in the development of ‘red
tides’. These are phytoplankton blooms because of which the
whole area is discolored.

b. Commercially important marine species are also killed due

to clogging of gills and other structures.

c. When oil is spilled on the sea, it spreads over the surface of

the water to form a thin film called as oil slick. This damages
marine life to a large extent. Commercial damage to fish by
tainting which gives unpleasant flavor to fish and sea food
reduces market values of sea food and causes death of birds
through its effect on feathers. Birds often clean their plumage
by pruning and in the process consume oil which can lead to
intestinal, renal and liver failure.

d. For salt marshy plants oil slick can affect the flowering,
fruiting and germination.

e. Organic waste addition results in end products such as

hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and methane which are toxic to
many organisms. This process results in the formation of an
anoxic zone which is low in its oxygen content; from which
most life disappears except for anaerobic microorganisms and
renders the water foul smelling.

f. The coral reefs are the productive ecosystems offer many

benefits to people. These coral reefs are threatened by (a) the
sediments from deforestation carried by the runoffs, (b) the
agricultural and industrial chemicals reaching through river
discharges. To mention an example. River Ganga is estimated
to carry 1.5 billion tons of sediments due to deforestation and
intensive farming in India, Bangladesh and Nepal through
which it flows to Bay of Bengal.

g. Drill cuttings dumped on the seabed result in the production

of toxic sulphides in the bottom sediment thus eliminating the
benthic fauna.
Control Measures of Marine Pollution:
a. Introduction of sewage treatment plants to reduce BOD of
final product before discharging into sea.

b. Cleaning oil from surface waters and contaminated beaches

can be accelerated through the use of chemical dispersants
which can be sprayed on the oil.

c. Load on top system reduce oil pollution cleaned with high

pressures jets of water.

d. Crude oil washing: The clingage is removed by jets of

crude oil while the cargo is being unloaded.

e. Skimming off the oil surface with a section device.

f. Spreading a high density powder over the oil spill, so that

oil can I be sunk to the bottom.

Thermal Pollution

Thermal pollution is the degradation of water quality by any

process that increases the ambient water temperature.

The increase in temperature

(a) decreases the dissolved oxygen/ oxygen supply, and

(b) affects ecosystem composition.

Sources of Thermal Pollution:
1. Industries:
A common cause of thermal pollution is the use of water as a
coolant by power plants and industrial manufacturers:
(i) Hydro-electric power plants

(ii) Coal fired power plants

(iii) Nuclear power plants

(iv) Industrial effluents from power, textiles, paper and pulp

industries

2. Urban runoff:
Storm water discharged to surface waters from roads and
parking lots can also be a source of elevated water
temperatures.

3. Domestic sewage:
Municipal sewage normally has a higher I temperature.
Effects of Thermal Pollution:
The warmer temperature decreases the solubility of oxygen
and increases the metabolism of fish. Tropical marine animals
are generally unable to withstand a temperature increase of 2
to 30°C and most sponges, mollusks and crustaceans are
eliminated at temperatures above 370°C. When a power plant
first opens or shuts down for repair or other causes, fish and
other organisms adapted to particular temperature range can
be killed by the abrupt rise in water temperature known as
‘thermal shock’.
a. Elevated temperature typically decreases the level of
dissolved oxygen (DO) in water. The decrease in levels of DO
can harm aquatic animals such as fish and amphibians.

b. Thermal pollution may also increase the metabolic rate of

aquatic animals, as enzyme activity, resulting in these
organisms consuming more food in a shorter time than if their
environment were not changed. In Australia, where many
rivers have warmer temperature regimes, native fish species
have been eliminated, and macro invertebrate fauna have been
drastically altered and impoverished.

c. An increased metabolic rate may result to fewer resources;

the more adapted organisms moving in may have an
advantage over organisms that are not used to the warmer
temperature. As a result one has the problem of compromising
food chains of the old and new environments. As a result
Biodiversity can be decreased.

d. Releases of unnaturally cold water from reservoirs can

dramatically change the fish and macro invertebrate fauna of
rivers, and reduce river productivity.

e. Increase in toxicity: The rising temperature changes the

physical and chemical properties of water. A 100°C rise in
temperature doubles the toxic effect of potassium cyanide.

f. Interference with reproduction: In fishes, several activities

like nest building, spawning, hatching, migration and
reproduction etc. depend on some optimum temperature. For
instance, the maximum temperature at which lake trout will
spawn successfully is 8.90°C the warm water not only
disturbs spawning, but also destroys the laid eggs.

g. Increased vulnerability to disease: Activities of several

pathogenic microorganisms are accelerated by higher
temperature. Hot water causes bacterial disease in salmon
fish.

h. Invasion of destructive organisms: Thermal pollutants may

permit the invasion of organisms that are tolerant to warm
water and highly destructive. Invasion of shipworms into New
Jersey’s Oyster Creek constitute the best example.

i. Many of the planktons, small fish and insect larvae that re

sucked into the condenser along with the cooling water are
killed by the thermal shock, increased pressure and water
viscosity.
Control Measures of Thermal Pollution:
a. Thermal pollution can be controlled by passing the heated
water through a cooling pond or a cooling tower after it leaves
the condenser. One method is to construct a large shallow
pond. Hot water is pumped into one end of pond and cooler
water is removed from the other end. Another method is using
a cooling tower.

b. During warm weather, urban runoff can have significant

thermal impacts on small streams, as storm water passes over
hot parking lots, roads and sidewalks. Storm water
management facilities that absorb runoff or direct it into
groundwater, such as bio-retention systems and infiltration
basins, can reduce these thermal effects. Retention basins tend
to be less effective at reducing temperature, as the water may
be heated by the sun before being discharged to a receiving
stream.

Solid waste Management

Any unwanted or discarded material from residential,
commercial, industrial, mining and agricultural activities that
causes environmental problems may be termed as solid waste.
Solid waste management comprises of systematic control of
the generation, storage, collection, separation, treatment,
processing, recycling, recovery and disposal of solid wastes.
Solid waste encompasses the highly heterogeneous mass
discarded materials or throwaway from the urban community
as well as the more homogenous accumulation of wastes
generated by agriculture and industrial activities.
Classification of Solid Wastes:
Solid wastes can be classified into the following categories:
i. Garbage or Food-Wastes :
These are meat, fruit or vegetable residues which decompose
rapidly (putrescible) especially in warm weather.
Examples:
Vegetable and fruit peels, leftovers, meat, bones, spoiled food
items.
ii. Rubbish:
These do not decompose rapidly.
These are further of two types:
(a) Combustible:
Examples:
Paper, Cardboard, Textiles, Wood items, Rubber, Leather,
Plastic container.
(b) Non-Combustible:
Examples:
Crockery, metals, aluminium cans, tin cans etc. empty glasses
and bottles.
iii. Agricultural Wastes:
These include crop residues from agricultural fields, farm
manure etc.
Examples:
Jute, cotton, rubber, tea, coffee, coconut, sugarcane wastes,
Rice straw, Cattle-shed wastes.
iv. Industrial Wastes:
These arise from industrial activities.
Examples:
Fly-ash, sewage, chemicals, sludge, paints, toxic metals etc.
v. Hazardous Wastes:
Those wastes which adversely affect human, plant or animal
life.
Examples:
Radioactive wastes, toxic chemicals. Flammable wastes,
explosives, hazardous biological wastes from hospitals or
research institutions.
vi. Pathological Wastes:
Examples:
Carcass of animals slaughter house wastes (blood, pieces of
meat, hair, fat, bone chippings, hides, skin excretions etc.
vii. Demolition and Construction Wastes:
Demolition, construction and repair of residential, commercial
and industrial buildings generate plenty of solid wastes.
Examples:
Stones, bricks, concrete, dust, plaster, electrical, plumbing and
sanitary parts.
viii. Aquatic Weeds:
These are a menace because of their prolific growth. They
increase water borne diseases, hinder traffic and fishing and
cause eutrophication.
ix. Miscellaneous Wastes:
Wastes not included in any of the above categories.
Examples:
Street sweepings, Roadside litter, dead stray animals,
abandoned vehicles etc.
x. Domestic wastes:
Municipal wastes.
xi. Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW):
MSW include garbage and rubbish from households, hotels,
offices, markets etc. Garbage denotes biodegradable food
wastes while rubbish is used for non-biodegradable wastes
which may be combustible (e.g., paper, plastic, tyres) or non-
combustible (e.g., glass, metals, used containers etc.)
xii. Industrial Solid Wastes: These wastes are:
(a) Process wastes which depend upon the type of the
products being manufactured such as tannery wastes, food
processing wastes, plastic and rubber waste etc.
(b) Non-process wastes like packing waste, cafeteria wastes
are common to all industries.
c) Biomedical Solid Wastes. BMW include pathological and
surgical wastes.
(d) Agricultural Wastes. These wastes result from farms, feed
lots and livestock yards. Horticulture wastes consist of
vegetable parts.
xiii. Other Wastes:
Construction/demolition wastes include debris, rubbles, wood,
concrete etc.
a. Radioactive hazardous wastes are from nuclear power
plants and laboratories etc.
b. Electronic wastes originate from discarded electronic
devices such as TV computers.
The annual solid waste production in India is: Domestic and
trade (8.5%), industries (15.2%), thermal power stations
(7.3%), mining (67%) and construction (2%).
Causes of Solid Waste Pollution:
The reasons for the rapid growth in the quantity of solid
wastes are over population, affluence and technology.
A. Over-population:
As the number of people producing a pollutant increases,
pollution will naturally increase. Same is true for solid waste
pollution also which increases with the increase in population.
B. Affluence:
(i.e. production or per capita consumption) With affluence
there is a tendency to declare items a being in or out of
fashion and promptly throw away the ones out of fashion.
This results in solid waste pollution.
C. Technology:
(i.e. amount of production produced per unit of economic
good.) Rapidly growing technologies for most economic
goods indicator a shift in technology from the returnable
packaging to non-returnable packaging. This has resulted in
the phenomenal growth of packaging industry which
encourages self-service merchandising by packages that help
top sell the product by themselves.
Returnable glass containers or bottles are being replaced by
non-returnable cans, bottles, paper boards and plastic
containers. Packaging is largely responsible for causing solid
waste pollution because packaging materials like plastic bags
and cans etc. are not biodegradable and persist unchanged in
disposal operations such as landfills. Plastic can be recycled to
make new packs but recycled plastic soon loses its strength,
becomes brittle and is easily broken up by wind and rain.
(i) Composition,
(ii) Density and
(iii) Energy content.
Collection of Solid Wastes:
Collection includes all the activities associated with the
gathering of solid wastes and hauling of the wastes collected
to the location from where the collection vehicle will ulti-
mately transport it to the side of disposal.
There are three basic methods of collection:
(a) Community Storage Point:
The municipal refuse is taken to fixed storage bins and stored
till the waste collection agency collects it daily for disposal in
a vehicle.
(b) Kerbside Collection:
In advance of the collection time, the refuse is brought in
containers and placed on the footway from where it is
collected by the waste collection agency.
(c) Block Collection:
Individuals bring the waste in containers and hand it over to
the collection staff who empties it into the waiting vehicle and
returns the container to the individuals.
Effects of Solid Wastes:
Municipal solid wastes heap up on the roads due to improper
disposal system. Open dumping allows biodegradable
materials to decompose under unhygienic conditions. This
produces foul odour and breeds disease vectors and infectious
pathogens besides spoiling the aesthetics of the site.
i. Industrial solid wastes are the source of toxic metals and
hazarduous wastes which may leach or percolate to
contaminate the ground water.
ii. The hazardous wastes are mixed with garbage and other
combustible waste. This makes segregation and disposal more
difficult and risky. Various types of wastes like cans,
pesticides, solvents, radio-isotopes, plastics, etc. are mixed
with paper, scraps and non-toxic materials which could be
recycled.
Burning of these wastes produces furans, dioxins, poly
chlorinated biphenyls which have the potential to cause
several ailments including cancer.
Management of Solid Wastes:
The aim of waste management is to collect, treat, utilize,
control and dispose solid wastes in an economic manner
consistent with the protection of public health. Its major
consideration apart from health is to adopt three R’s-reduce,
reuse and recycle strategy.
(i) Reduction in use of raw materials:
This will correspondingly decrease the production of waste.
Reduced demand of any metallic product will decrease the
mining of their metal and cause less production and less
waste.
(ii) Reuse of waste materials:
Reuse of paper, cardboard, glass, metal, plastic, discarded
cycle tubes, auto-parts of vehicles considerably reduces the
waste of generation.
(iii) Recycling of materials:
Recycling is the reprocessing of discarded materials into new
useful products. Examples include formation of new cans,
bottles from broken aluminium cans and glass, fuel pellets
from kitchen waste, cellulose from waste paper, ethanol from
bagasse etc. Coal ash, the residue left after coal combustion
for power generation, is an important source of ferrosilicon,
silicon and aluminium.
One tonne of solid waste processed by pyrolysis is believed to
yield an energy equivalent to one barrel of oil. One tonne of
combustible waste produces energy equal to 9 million BTU of
heat or 65 gallon of fuel oil or 9000 cubic feet of natural gas.
It involves following steps:
a. Collection of municipal wastes.
b. Applying scientific methods for the disposal of solid
wastes.
c. Sorting of waste materials.
d. Dumping of non-combustible and harmless substances into
dump sites.
e. Compositing organic substances which are biologically
degradable. According to an estimate a town with one lakh
population may generate 20,000 tonnes of garbage and 8000
tonnes of night soils which can be converted into 18,000
tonnes of compost manure.
f. Burning of combustible substances in specially designed
incinerators such as Multiple Hearth Furnaces (MHF) and
Furnaces (FBF). Pyrolysis is the best way to treat solid
wastes.
g. Now National Environmental Engineering Research
Institute (NEERI) Nagpur had under-taken comprehensive
surveys of metropolitan cities to make the best use of waste.
Municipal Solid Waste Treatment:
Composition of MSW:
The average composition of MSW is: 30 to 40% organic
matter, 30 to 40% fine materials, 5% paper, 1% glass, 1%
metals and 1% plastic. Actual composition of MSW varies
demographically.
For disposal of wastes, following treatment methods are
adopted.
i. Sanitary Landfill:
In sanitary landfill operation, garbage is spread in thin layers
compacted and covered with clay or plastic foam. In the
modern landfills, the bottom is covered with an impermeable
liner, usually several layers of clay, thick plastic and sand.
The liner protects the ground water from being contaminated
due to percolation of leachate.
Leachate from bottom is pumped and sent for treatment.
When landfill is full it is covered with clay, sand, gravel and
top soil to prevent seepage of water. Methane produced by
anaerobic decomposition is collected and burnt to produce
electricity or heat.
Other methods of landfil treatment are sewage farming, spray
irrigation, ridge and furrow and lagooning etc. In India, there
exist 200 sewage farms covering 25000 hectare of land and
using 650 million gallons of sewage per day.
With increase in urbanisation, planned sanitary landfill,
backed by modern solid waste management, can provide the
community with better environmental management.
ii. Composting and Municipal Waste Composting Projects:
Composting is the aerobic and thermophilic decomposition of
organic waste to humus by micro-organisms like bacteria,
fungi and worms. The process is conducted by a complete
automatic system, (i) The crude refuse is dumped into a
container or to a belt conveyor, (ii) Iron or metallic particles
are removed by a magnetic separator.
The wet material is then transferred to a rotatory cylinder
which rotates on large tyres. Here aerobic microbes rapidly
decompose pulverized wastes under aerobic conditions. The
Government encourages feeding of compost plants by
municipal wastes. Compost has been used by Indian
Agricultural Research Institute to produce blue-green algae
coated granulated compost.
iii. Vermi Composting:
In vermiculture, earthworms feed on and degrade a variety of
organic waste, eliminate noxious elements and convert the
waste into high grade nutrient rich vermi-compost. It is very
useful biofertilizer and soil conditioner.
iv. Incineration:
Incineration involves burning of solid wastes at high
temperature either on batch or continuous type incinerators.
The modern municipal incinerators are of continuously
burning type. These are equipped with large storage bins,
automatic feed hoppers, moving grates, ash discharging
systems, pollution control devices like scrubbers and
electrostatic precipitators. The unit yields stable residue free
from offensive odours. The waste heat of combustion can be
utilized for supplementing electricity generation for domestic
heating etc. However, the technique involves expensive
equipment.
Industrial Solid Waste Treatment:
i. High Temperature Incineration of Industrial Solid Waste:
It is a recent innovation where high temperature (–1650°C) is
attained using supplementary fuels. The non-combustible
fractions of the refuse (metals, glass) can be melted and
reused.
Flash type incinerator, multiple hearth, rotary and fluidized
bed type incinerators are finding wide applications in
industrial waste disposal. If incineration becomes an
economical method for solid waste disposal, useful material
and energy shall be recovered by the process.
Heat can be recovered by putting a waste heat to boiler or
some other recovery device on an existing solid waste
incinerator. The heat so recovered can be utilized for
generating electricity or for space heating purposes. The solid
waste has about one-third the heating value of coal, but unlike
coal it has a very low sulphur content.
Advantages of Incineration:
a. Volume of the waste is reduced to more manageable levels
thereby reducing the transportation costs upto the ultimate
disposal site.
b. Incineration reduces the land requirement to one third of
that required if the refuse is to be land filled.
c. The residue after incineration is free from any degradable
materials. Moreover, the stabilised residue eliminates the need
to transport the recovered material to the land fill site.
Disadvantages of Incineration:
a. Incineration leads to air pollution unless the plant is
designed, equipped and operated to comply with air pollution
standards.
b. Typical air pollutants from incineration are SO 2, flyash,
HCl and organic acids.
c. Operation cost is high. Ordinary incinerators cannot be used
for radioactive wastes.
ii. Pyrolysis:
The chemical energy of some organic wastes can be recovered
by destructive distillation or pyrolysis of the solid waste. The
combustible constituents of the solid wastes are heated in a
special retort, i.e., pyrolysis reactor at about 1000°C in a low-
oxygen or an oxygen free environment. This is an
endothermic process and it differs from the conventional
incineration.
Pyrolysis of the solid waste yields the following components:
(i) Tar or oil phase containing acetone, acetic acid and
methanol etc.
(ii) Gaseous phase containing H2, CH4, CO, CO2 etc.
(iii) Solid phase containing pure carbon, char and inert
materials like glass, rocks, metals.
Advantages of pyrolysis include:
(i) Volume reduction by about 90%.
(ii) Possibility of handling potentially hazardous plastics, e. g.,
PVC in a safer way.
iii. Vitrification:
The recent technique insitu vitrification aims at converting the
solid wastes into a sort of glass. To accomplish this method
electrodes are inserted into the waste heap and a very
powerful electric current is passed through it. The strong heat
so produced melts glass, plastic, muck, mud and other wastes
into glass like solid. It can be dumped anywhere as it leaches
very little. However, in this method care is taken to prevent
mingling of radio wastes with other organic compounds.
Role of Every Individual in Prevention of Pollution!
The role of every individual in preventing pollution is of
paramount importance because if every individual contributes
substantially the effect will be visible not only at the
community, city, state or national level but also at the global
level as environment has no boundaries.

It is the responsibility of the human race which has occupied

the commanding positions on this earth to protect the earth
and provide conducive, environment for itself an innumerable
other species which evolved on this earth. A small effort made
by each individual at his own place will have pronounced
effect at the global level. It is appropriately said “Think
globally act locally”.

Each individual should change his or her lifestyle in such a

way as to reduce environmental pollution.

It can be done through following suggestions:

1. Help more in pollution prevention than pollution control.

2. Use eco-friendly products.

3. Cut down the use of CFCs as they destroy the ozone layer.
Do not use polystyrene cups that have CFC molecules in them
which destroy ozone layer.

4. Use the chemicals derived from peaches and plums to clean

computer chips and circuit boards instead of CFCs.

5. Use CFC free Refrigerators.

The manufacture and operation of such devices should be
encouraged that don’t pollute. -If they cost more than their
higher prices may be offset by including environmental and
the social costs of pollution in the price of such products
which pollute environment.

Air pollution can be prevented by using really clean fuel i.e.,

hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen for that matter should not be
produced by passing current in water as for generation of this
current; again the environment will be polluted, so solar
hydrogen fuel is the need of the hour.

Disaster Management
The word “disaster” means a catastrophe, mishap, calamity or
grave occurrence in any area, arising from natural or
manmade causes, or by accident or negligence which results
in substantial loss of life or human suffering or damage to,
and destruction of, property, or damage to, or degradation of,
environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to be
beyond the coping capacity of the community of the affected
area. In other words we can understand disaster as a natural or
man-made hazard resulting in an event of substantial extent
causing significant physical damage or destruction, loss of
life, or drastic change to the environment. It is a phenomenon
that can cause damage to life and property and destroy the
economic, social and cultural life of people.

Disaster is of two types:-

i) Natural disaster
A natural disaster is a consequence when a natural hazard
affects humans and/or the built environment. Human
vulnerability, and lack of appropriate emergency
management, leads to financial, environmental, or human
impact. The resulting loss depends on the capacity of the
population to support or resist the disaster: their resilience.

Various phenomena like landslides, volcanic eruptions,

earthquakes, floods and cyclones are all natural hazards that
kill thousands of people and destroy billions of dollars of
habitat and property each year.

ii.) Man Made disasters

Man-made disasters are the consequence of technological or
human hazards. The examples of manmade disasters include
stampedes, fires, transport accidents, industrial accidents, oil
spills and nuclear explosions/radiation. War and deliberate
attacks may also be put in this category.

According to the world bank disaster management report

developing countries suffer the greatest costs when a disaster
hits any such developing country. More than 95% of all
deaths caused by disasters occur in developing countries, and
losses due to natural disasters are 20 times greater (as a
percentage of GDP) in developing countries than in developed
countries.

“Disaster management” means a continuous and integrated

process of planning, organizing, coordinating and
implementing measures which are necessary or expedient for-

i. prevention of danger or threat of any disaster;

ii. mitigation or reduction of risk of any disaster or its

severity or consequences;
iii. capacity-building;

iv. preparedness to deal with any disaster;

v. prompt response to any threatening disaster situation or

disaster;

vi. assessing the severity or magnitude of effects of any

disaster;

vii. evacuation, rescue and relief;

viii. Rehabilitation and reconstruction.

According to the international federation of Red Cross and red
crescent society Disaster management can be defined as the
organization and management of resources and
responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of
emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and
recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters

Disaster, Disaster Management And India

Natural disasters in India cause massive loss to life and
property. Flash floods, cyclones, avalanches, droughts,
landslides brought on by torrential rains, and snowstorms pose
the greatest threats. Other dangers include frequent summer
dust storms, which usually track from north to south; they
cause extensive property damage in North India and deposit
large amounts of dust from arid regions. Hail is also common
in parts of India, causing severe damage to standing crops
such as rice and wheat. But floods are the most common
natural disaster in India.

The heavy southwest monsoon rains cause the Brahmaputra

and other rivers to distend their banks, often flooding
surrounding areas. Though they provide rice paddy farmers
with a largely dependable source of natural irrigation and
fertilization, but the floods can kill thousands and displace
millions. Almost all of India is flood-prone, and extreme
precipitation events, such as flash floods and torrential rains,
have become increasingly common in central India over the
past several decades, coinciding with rising temperatures.

As the apex Body or as an authoritative body for Disaster

Management in India, mandated by the Disaster Management
Act, 2005, is the National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA). Prime Minister of India is the chairman of NDMA,
and the Vice Chairman is Shashidhar Reddy. Under the Vice
chairman are eight members, all superannuated officials, who
have the status, pay, and entitlements of ministers of state.
Also there is a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) of
12 battalions, under the NDMA. It is organized on
paramilitary lines, and is manned by persons on deputation
from the para-military forces of India. As on 6 October, 13, it
was headed by Mr. Krishna Chaudhary.

The responsibility for Disaster Management in India’s federal

system is that of the State Government with the supporting
role of the national government. The ‘nodal Ministry’ in the
central government for management of natural disasters, is the
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). In the MHA this function
is discharged by the Disaster Management Division (DMD).
When ‘calamities of severe nature’ such as the natural disaster
in Uttarakhand occur, the Central Government is responsible
for providing aid and assistance to the affected state, as may
be needed, including the deploying, at the State’s request, of
Armed Forces, Central Paramilitary Forces, National Disaster
Response Force (NDRF), and such communication, air and
other assets, as are available and needed. The response of the
central government is based on ‘gravity of a natural calamity’
and the ‘scale of the relief operation’.