What is Environmental Pollution? Causes of Environmental Pollution
Introduction
The term “environmental pollution” refers to the contamination of the natural environment, which can be caused by a number of factors including industrial activity and sewage overflow. There are several types of pollution that affect the environment; this article shared by LL84 experts will explore each one in detail and discuss some ways they can be prevented or reduced.
What is Environmental Pollution?
Environmental pollution is the degradation of the environment by natural or anthropogenic activities. It is a type of pollution that affects the environment. It can be caused by natural processes or human activities, but what all forms of environmental pollution have in common is that they cause some form of harm to living organisms, damage ecosystems and contribute to global warming.
Environmental pollution may be classified as point source or nonpoint source (NPS). Point sources are discrete emission sources, such as industrial outfalls, sewerage treatment works and stormwater drains. Nonpoint sources include agriculture (with livestock farming being a major contributor), urban runoff, construction activity and atmospheric emissions.
Causes of Environmental Pollution
There are many causes of environmental pollution. Some of these include:
- Industrialization and urbanization
- Population growth and increased consumption
- Increased use of resources, technology, energy and chemicals
Many people blame industry for causing environmental pollution. This isn’t entirely true. For example, China has experienced rapid growth in its industrial sector in recent years but still manages to be one of the world’s biggest polluters because its citizens consume 7 billion kilowatt hours per year (KWH) through electrical appliances alone—more than the entire electricity consumption of Canada! Although Chinese industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions on average worldwide (it’s responsible for around one third), it only contributes about 8 percent globally when measured by individual country levels—a far cry from being responsible for all our problems.
Water Pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies with harmful chemicals, sediments and other waste products. It can occur naturally or as a result of human activity.
Water pollution is caused by industrial and domestic waste. The most common forms of industrial waste include:
- pesticides used in farming;
- fertilizers such as nitrates from agricultural runoff;
- heavy metals like mercury and lead from mining sites;
- radioactive waste from nuclear power plants; and
- sewage sludge (biosolids) from wastewater treatment facilities.[1] Domestic sources of water pollution include: untreated or poorly treated human wastes that enter waterways through septic systems or failing sewer lines, leaching into groundwater supplies;[2] runoff from pesticides sprayed on lawns, which may contain herbicides such as glyphosate,[3][4] insecticides such as malathion,[5][6] fungicides such as zinc phosphide,[7][8] rodenticides such as Warfarin/rat poison,[9][10], antifouling paints used on boats to prevent barnacles growing on them (which contain tributyltin compounds),[11][12] cleaning chemicals containing toxic substances like sodium hypochlorite (bleach), ammonia cleaners etc.;[13][14],[15]; heavy metals found in electronics components like circuit boards discarded during recycling processes;[16].
Soil Pollution
Soil pollution is caused by the release of toxic chemicals into the soil. This can lead to contamination of water, air and food.
Soil pollution can be caused by the release of chemicals into the soil. The main causes of this are:
- Industrial waste disposal sites
- Agricultural run-off from fertilisers, pesticides and animal waste
- Leaking underground storage tanks containing oil or other toxic chemicals
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution is another form of air pollution. Noise is a type of sound that may be unwanted, loud and disturbing. It can be caused by various sources such as traffic, construction or factories. Noise pollution has been linked to stress, hearing loss, sleep problems, cardiovascular disease and other conditions affecting human health.
Air Pollution
Air pollution is a serious problem that affects everyone, but it can be difficult to understand. Simply put, air pollution refers to the release of chemicals into our environment. These chemicals come from a variety of sources: human activity and natural processes like biomass burning produce them; once in the atmosphere, they are transported around the globe and deposited in various places on earth — including your backyard!
Air pollution occurs when man-made or natural substances enter the atmosphere by means other than direct contact with Earth’s surface. The substances may be emitted directly into air as gases or vapors or indirectly through liquid water droplets (e.g., rain). Some of these substances remain suspended in air for long periods after being emitted; others settle onto land or water surfaces within hours after being emitted.
Different types of pollution are caused by different things.
Environmental pollution has many different types, each caused by a different source. Water pollution is caused by agricultural runoff, sewage and industrial waste. Soil pollution is caused by industrial waste and agricultural runoff as well. Noise pollution can be created from traffic, construction and aircrafts flying overhead. Air pollution is the most widespread form of environmental degradation because it affects everyone on earth! It comes from many sources including:
- Industrial waste
- Vehicle emissions
- Smoke from factories
Conclusion
The way to stop environmental pollution is by being aware of the different types of pollution, where they come from, and what effects they have on us. Once we understand these things, we can make better choices about how we live our lives so that we don’t contribute to more harmful effects on the planet’s environment. This Article is written by nycbuildingbenchmarking.
