Environmental

Pollution and Waste

Management
 Environmenta
l Pollution and
Control

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 What is pollution?
» Environmental pollution is defined as any undesirable change in physical, chemical and biological
characteristics of air, land and water. Pollution can be natural as well as man-made. Pollution occurs when
the natural environment cannot destroy an element without creating harm or damage to itself. Pollution
affects the entire ecosystems where it disrupted marine life, cause a lot of harm to human and animal health,
plants and trees and has a major effect on the depletion of the natural flora and fauna. Furthermore, it has a
negative effect on natural elements that are very important to life, such as water and air. Pollution takes place
when nature does not know how to decompose an element that has been brought to it an unnatural way.
» Pollution on Earth can be identity in several types:
1. Air pollution,
2. water pollution,
3. soil pollution,
4. radioactive pollution,
5. thermal pollution, and
6. industrial pollution.

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 Types of Pollution

» Air Pollution » Water Pollution » Soil Pollution

» Air pollution is the » Water pollution is the » Soil pollution or land pollution is the
contamination of natural air contamination of the water on contamination of soil or the land that
with the mixture of different Earth. The contamination is caused prevents the growth of natural life.
pollutants. Some of the most by pollutants such as chemicals Soil or land pollution takes place when
excessive sources of air pollution and bacteria. Some of the cause there is an improper disposal of waste
includes gases emitted by also include increased sediment and garbage which introduces toxins
vehicles or manufacture exhaust, from soil erosion, improper waste and chemical on the land. Aside from
forest fires, dry soil erosion, and disposal and littering, leaching of this other sources of soil or land
even building constructions and soil pollution and organic material pollution include hazardous waste and
demolition. Some of the effects decay in water supplies. This type sewage spills, strip mining and
include higher rain acidity, of pollution is one of the most deforestation and heavy use of
increase in smog, crop depletion dangerous as it decreases the organic pesticides. One of the majors
from in adequate oxygen, as well amount of drinkable water is effects of this type of pollution result
as higher rates of asthma. available. in reduced growth of agriculture.
Furthermore, increased soil
contamination will primarily lead to
poisoning of the land and nearby
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 Types of Pollution

» Radioactive Pollution » Thermal Pollution » Industrial Pollution

» Radioactive pollution is » Thermal Pollution refers to the » Industrial pollution is the release of
considered as one of the most excessive temperature increase. wastes and pollutants generated by
dangerous and extremely This excess heat creates industrial activities. This pollutants
harmful forms of pollution. In undesirable effects over long generated by industries may cause
the 20th century, this type of periods of time. Thermal pollution contamination on air, water and land.
pollution has risen since this has maybe caused by power plants, Some of the leading industries that
been used as a nuclear weapons. urban sprawl, air pollution contributes to this type of pollution
Some of the sources of particulates that trap the earth, are the power plants, steel mill,
radioactive contamination deforestation and loss of sewage treatment plants, heating
includes nuclear power plant temperature moderating water plants, and processing and
accidents or leakage, improper supplies. manufacturing companies which
nuclear waste disposal, and releases smoke, material wastes,
Uranium mining operations. contaminated residues, and toxic by –
Harmful effects results to products. Industrial pollution can
pollution of air and land, birth cause ecosystem imbalance, adversely
defects, cancer and even death. damage plants, and even kill animals.

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 Causes of Environmental Pollution
» Causes of Environmental Pollution
1. Industries
2. Transportation
3. Agricultural activities
4. Trading activities
5. Residences
» Effects of Environmental Pollution
» As we identified some of the main causes of environmental pollution, let us now evaluate the negative effects to the
following:
• Effects on Humans
• Respiratory infections such as allergies, asthma, irritation of the eye, and nasal passages;
• Major factor in the development of cancers;
• Diseases like hepatitis, typhoid affections, diarrhea, and hormonal disruptions.
• Effects on Animals
• It causes harm to the living environment thus,BEST
making I toxic
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• Acid rains can change the composition of rivers and seas, making them toxic for fishes;
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 • An essential quantity of ozone in the lower parts of the atmosphere can cause lung problems to
all animals;
• Nitrogen and phosphates in water will cause the overgrowth of toxic algae, preventing other
forms of life to follow their normal course;
• Soil pollution will cause harm and, sometimes, even the destruction of microorganisms, which
can have the dramatic effect of killing the first layers of the primary food chain.
•Effects on Plants
• Acid rains modifies the natural environment of the plants;
• Ozone in the lower atmosphere block the plant respiration, and harmful pollutants can be
absorbed from the water or soil.
•Effects on the Ecosystem
• Destroys crucial layers of it and causing an even more negative effect on the upper layers.

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Environmental
Pollution Control

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 Environmental Pollution Control
» Our environment is deteriorating day by day due to industrial pollution, toxic chemicals, automobile emission and natural
resource depletion. Pollution in its various forms is increasing tremendously which has caused severe damaged to the
ecosystems as well as enhances human diseases and death rates of various plants and animals.
» Pollution prevention is a major global concern because of its harmful effects on person’s health and on the environment.
People should understand the importance of the environment for our own survival and of other life forms. In order to do so,
we need to identify main steps that can be followed to prevent the different types of pollution.
» Here are some essential ways that will help prevent pollution:
1. Using smokeless sources of energy;
2. Plant trees;
3. Industries should be far from residential areas;
4. Strict monitoring of automobiles’ exhaust emission;
5. Adequate sewage and industrial waste treatment;
6. Re-use, Reduce and Recycle
7. Proper solid waste disposal;
8. Avoid using of fertilizers and pesticides;
9. Avoiding polythene bags;
10.Proper noise and smoke precipitators should be usedBEST
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protect the environment. O R G A N I C S C O M PA N Y
Health Hazards due
to Factors other than
Pollution
The previous topics dealt with the impacts of air, water, soil, photochemical, marine, noise, and radioactive
pollution. Besides these, certain other factors leading to serious health problems include occupation, stress,
global warming, and ozone layer depletion.
Humans share an interactive relationship with the environment. Biological, physical, chemical,
biomechanical, and psychosocial factors in the environment affect humans, who in turn exert an impact on
the environment. Potentially, this interactive relationship exposes humans to environmental health hazards.
These include any environmental situation or factor that can lead to disease, injury, or death
.
OCCUPATION AND HEALTH

There are many underprivileged people who engage in risky and hazardous jobs and live in unhealthy environments
such as slums. As a result, they suffer from severe health problems. Even the privileged people who work in
comfortable offices are not free from health problems as they have to deal with physical illness and psychological
stress. Health problems associated with work environment are called occupational hazards. The common health
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problems associated with different occupations have been discussed in the following subsections.
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 Mining and Factory Work

People working in factories and mines inhale chemical

particles and dust evolved during various operations. As
they are exposed to these particles for several years, they
become prone to pneumoconiosis, a disease caused
by dust inhalation. Workers inhaling silicon dust suffer
from silicosis, which is one of the oldest diseases in the
world responsible for the death of thousands of people
every year. It is an incurable disease, and its severity
depends on the extent of inhalation. The frequent causes
of death in the mining industry are lung
fibrosis, emphysema, and pulmonary tuberculosis. These
diseases are common in workers engaged in mining coal,
gold, silver, lead, zinc, manganese, and other metals;
pottery and ceramic industries; and iron, cement, and
steel industries. Table 1 lists various types of lung
diseases and their causes, and Table 2 gives health
hazards and industries associated with them.
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 Agriculture
Farmers use agrochemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides. The adverse effects of agrochemicals to living organisms and
environment. In addition, farmers are also exposed to the risk of infection carried by farm animals. Farms are also the
breeding ground for mosquitoes due to irrigation activities responsible for malaria, dengue, and filaria, and farmers are
exposed to these diseases.

Agrochemicals
Agrochemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides) are commonly used for agricultural
crops. It has already been stated that the use of excess fertilizers makes the soil acidic or alkaline (depending on the nature of
the fertilizer used); these fertilizers are also responsible for eutrophication.

Pesticides are used to kill pests that damage crops. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 750,000 people
are poisoned by pesticides every year resulting in about 14,000 deaths. Agrochemicals find their way into the food chain and are
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 Profession

People having white-collar jobs often suffer from spondylosis and backache because of using uncomfortable furniture,
improper sitting posture, and lack of movement. Besides these disorders, they also suffer from psychological stress,
which is responsible for hypertension, ulcer, and cardiovascular diseases. These problems can be reduced to a great
extent by doing regular exercises, walking, yoga, and meditation. Tobacco chewing is also responsible for
health hazards. People working in offices generally consume tea and coffee in excessive amounts resulting in acidity.
Continuous driving, as in the case of drivers of the public transport system and taxis, increases stress leading to high
blood pressure, indigestion, and hyperactivity. Most occupational hazards can be avoided by adopting appropriate
safety measures, some of which are as follows:
•Workers in factories should use gloves and masks and should wash their hands or take bath after work.
•People in white-collar jobs should do regular exercises.
•In agricultural practice, water should not be allowed to stagnate except where required.
•In industries producing noise, workers must use ear plugs.

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 STRESS AND HEALTH
Humans invariably look forward to achieving some goals in
their life. However, these goals vary from person to person.
Students want to get high marks in examinations and
subsequently pursue a career of their choice, followed by a high-
paid job and getting settled. In case any of these goals are not
achieved, the person gets stressed. Other factors that cause
stress include poverty, unemployment, death of a close relative,
and tensions resulting from competitions in life. In fact, all
people face stressful situations throughout their lives. Stress is
responsible for a number of physical and mental disorders,
including neurosis, coronary heart ailments, gastric ulcers, high
blood pressure, allergies, asthma, and so on. It also results in
heart attack, headache, insomnia, loss of sexual interest, and
weakness.
Most people deal with stress on a routine basis. However, unmanageable stress causes illnesses. For example, emotional
distress activates the immune and endocrine systems. This results in the release of more adrenalin, a hormone
responsible for increasing blood pressure. The immune system is affected by long-term activation of the nervous and
endocrine systems. Unable to cope with stress, the person suffers from anxiety, depression, fatigue, frustration,
irritability, bad temper, and low self-esteem leading to drug addiction, alcohol abuse, and smoking. In extreme cases,
people even think of committing suicide. BEST FOR You 16
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 GLOBAL WARMING AND HEALTH
An increase in the average temperature of the
earth’s atmosphere due to the greenhouse effect
can have far-reaching effects on the climate and
consequently on the key life-support systems of the
planet.
Global warming can lead to serious medical
problems. A rise in temperature will melt glaciers,
resulting in floods and subsequent scarcity of food
and drinking water.
These disasters promote infectious diseases such
as cholera and jaundice.
Flooding also increases breeding of mosquitoes
leading to the spread of malaria, dengue fever,
yellow fever, and encephalitis. Vector-borne
diseases which affect more than 700 million people
in a year, are the outcome of climate and
environment conditions.
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 OZONE LAYER DEPLETION AND HEALTH
It is now well known that depletion of the ozone layer in the stratosphere by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) is
responsible for the formation of the ozone hole. Due to the depletion of the ozone layer, ultraviolet
radiations from the sun reach the earth. These radiations are responsible for causing cataract and skin
cancer in humans. It also increases the risk of infectious diseases. Light-skinned people can also develop
non-melanoma skin cancer on exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

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Solid Waste
Management

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 Solid waste

refers to the range of garbage materials—arising from animal and human activities—that are discarded as
unwanted and useless. Solid waste is generated from industrial, residential, and commercial activities in a
given area, and may be handled in a variety of ways. As such, landfills are typically classified as sanitary,
municipal, construction and demolition, or industrial waste sites. We should ensure best environmental
practices regardless of the origin, hazard potential of theses solid waste.

Waste can be categorized based on material, such as plastic, paper, glass, metal, and organic waste.
Categorization may also be based on hazard potential, including radioactive, flammable, infectious, toxic, or
non-toxic wastes. Categories may also pertain to the origin of the waste, whether industrial, domestic,
commercial, institutional, or construction and demolition.

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 Categories of Waste
•Organic waste: Kitchen waste, waste from food preparation,
vegetables, flowers, leaves, fruits, and marketplaces.
•Combustibles: Paper, wood, dried leaves, packaging for relief
items etc. that are highly organic and having low moisture content.
•Non-combustibles: Metal, Tins, Cans, bottles, stones, etc.
•Toxic waste: Old medicines, paints, chemicals, bulbs, spray cans,
fertilizer and pesticide containers, batteries, shoe polish.
•Recyclables: Paper, glass, metals, plastics.
•Ashes or Dust: Residue from fires that are used for cooking.
•Construction waste: Rubble, roofing, broken concrete etc.
•Hazardous waste: Oil, battery acid, medical waste, industrial
waste, hospital waste.
•Dead animals: Carcasses of dead livestock or other animals.
•Bulky waste: Tree branches, tires etc.
•Soiled waste: Hospital waste such as cloth soiled with blood and
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 Here some effects of Poor Solid Waste Management
•Litter Surroundings. Though people clean their surroundings, we cannot deny the fact that they litter their
surroundings due to improper waste disposal system.
•Impact on Human Health. Exposure to waste can cause several illnesses or diseases which includes
respiratory problems, blood infections, growth problems, reproductive issues and even skin irritations.
•Impact on the environment. Hazardous waste and chemical that has been released to the environment can
cause biological and physicochemical impact to the environment.
•Disease-causing Pest. Due to improper waste disposal decomposition of biodegradable waste produces foul
smell and become a breeding ground for disease-causing insects.
•Soil and groundwater Pollution. The improper disposal of toxic materials and chemicals may be the source of
pollution of groundwater.
•Emission of Toxic Gases. Improper disposal of hazardous waste may cause the emission of toxic gases which
may cause various diseases including cancer.
•Impact on Land and Aquatic Animals. Improper disposal of garbage also affects land and aquatic animals
which would lead to poisoning.
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 Solid Waste Management

Solid-waste management refers to the collecting, treating, and disposing of solid material that is discarded.
Improper disposal of municipal solid waste can create unsanitary conditions, and these conditions in turn can
lead to pollution of the environment and to outbreaks of vector-borne disease—that is, diseases spread by
rodents and insects.

The tasks of solid-waste management present complex technical challenges. They also pose a wide variety of
administrative, economic, and social problems that must be managed and solved. Furthermore, solid-waste
management reduces and eliminates impacts on human health and environment.

The sources of solid waste include residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial activities. Certain types
of wastes that cause immediate danger to exposed individuals or environments are classified as hazardous;
these are discussed in the article hazardous-waste management. Garbage is mostly decomposable food waste;
rubbish is mostly dry material such as glass, paper, cloth, or wood. Garbage is highly putrescible or
decomposable, whereas rubbish is not. Trash is rubbish that includes bulky items such as old refrigerators,
couches, or large tree stumps. Trash requires special collection and handling.

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 Methods of Solid Waste Management

Proper solid waste management is an integral part of environmental conservation that should be observed by
both individuals and companies globally.
In order to minimize the harmful effect of improper waste disposal, here are some of the following methods of
solid waste management:

1.Efficient management of sanitary landfills.

2.A process which involves burning of solid waste at high temperatures until turned into ashes.
3.Don’t forget the 3R’s: Re-use, Reduce, and Recycle.
4.A biological process in which micro-organisms convert degradable organic waste into humus.
5.A method where solid wastes are chemically decomposed by heat without the presence of oxygen.

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Thank
You
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