assignment about pollution

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants.

Biology, Ecology, Health, Earth Science, Geography

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Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment . These harmful materials are called pollutants . Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash . They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land. Many things that are useful to people produce pollution. Cars spew pollutants from their exhaust pipes. Burning coal to create electricity pollutes the air. Industries and homes generate garbage and sewage that can pollute the land and water. Pesticides —chemical poisons used to kill weeds and insects— seep into waterways and harm wildlife . All living things—from one-celled microbes to blue whales—depend on Earth ’s supply of air and water. When these resources are polluted, all forms of life are threatened. Pollution is a global problem. Although urban areas are usually more polluted than the countryside, pollution can spread to remote places where no people live. For example, pesticides and other chemicals have been found in the Antarctic ice sheet . In the middle of the northern Pacific Ocean, a huge collection of microscopic plastic particles forms what is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch . Air and water currents carry pollution. Ocean currents and migrating fish carry marine pollutants far and wide. Winds can pick up radioactive material accidentally released from a nuclear reactor and scatter it around the world. Smoke from a factory in one country drifts into another country. In the past, visitors to Big Bend National Park in the U.S. state of Texas could see 290 kilometers (180 miles) across the vast landscape . Now, coal-burning power plants in Texas and the neighboring state of Chihuahua, Mexico have spewed so much pollution into the air that visitors to Big Bend can sometimes see only 50 kilometers (30 miles). The three major types of pollution are air pollution , water pollution , and land pollution . Air Pollution Sometimes, air pollution is visible . A person can see dark smoke pour from the exhaust pipes of large trucks or factories, for example. More often, however, air pollution is invisible . Polluted air can be dangerous, even if the pollutants are invisible. It can make people’s eyes burn and make them have difficulty breathing. It can also increase the risk of lung cancer . Sometimes, air pollution kills quickly. In 1984, an accident at a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, released a deadly gas into the air. At least 8,000 people died within days. Hundreds of thou sands more were permanently injured. Natural disasters can also cause air pollution to increase quickly. When volcanoes erupt , they eject volcanic ash and gases into the atmosphere . Volcanic ash can discolor the sky for months. After the eruption of the Indonesian volcano of Krakatoa in 1883, ash darkened the sky around the world. The dimmer sky caused fewer crops to be harvested as far away as Europe and North America. For years, meteorologists tracked what was known as the “equatorial smoke stream .” In fact, this smoke stream was a jet stream , a wind high in Earth’s atmosphere that Krakatoa’s air pollution made visible. Volcanic gases , such as sulfur dioxide , can kill nearby residents and make the soil infertile for years. Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy, famously erupted in 79, killing hundreds of residents of the nearby towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Most victims of Vesuvius were not killed by lava or landslides caused by the eruption. They were choked, or asphyxiated , by deadly volcanic gases. In 1986, a toxic cloud developed over Lake Nyos, Cameroon. Lake Nyos sits in the crater of a volcano. Though the volcano did not erupt, it did eject volcanic gases into the lake. The heated gases passed through the water of the lake and collected as a cloud that descended the slopes of the volcano and into nearby valleys . As the toxic cloud moved across the landscape, it killed birds and other organisms in their natural habitat . This air pollution also killed thousands of cattle and as many as 1,700 people. Most air pollution is not natural, however. It comes from burning fossil fuels —coal, oil , and natural gas . When gasoline is burned to power cars and trucks, it produces carbon monoxide , a colorless, odorless gas. The gas is harmful in high concentrations , or amounts. City traffic produces highly concentrated carbon monoxide. Cars and factories produce other common pollutants, including nitrogen oxide , sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons . These chemicals react with sunlight to produce smog , a thick fog or haze of air pollution. The smog is so thick in Linfen, China, that people can seldom see the sun. Smog can be brown or grayish blue, depending on which pollutants are in it. Smog makes breathing difficult, especially for children and older adults. Some cities that suffer from extreme smog issue air pollution warnings. The government of Hong Kong, for example, will warn people not to go outside or engage in strenuous physical activity (such as running or swimming) when smog is very thick.

When air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide mix with moisture, they change into acids . They then fall back to earth as acid rain . Wind often carries acid rain far from the pollution source. Pollutants produced by factories and power plants in Spain can fall as acid rain in Norway. Acid rain can kill all the trees in a forest . It can also devastate lakes, streams, and other waterways. When lakes become acidic, fish can’t survive . In Sweden, acid rain created thousands of “ dead lakes ,” where fish no longer live. Acid rain also wears away marble and other kinds of stone . It has erased the words on gravestones and damaged many historic buildings and monuments . The Taj Mahal , in Agra, India, was once gleaming white. Years of exposure to acid rain has left it pale. Governments have tried to prevent acid rain by limiting the amount of pollutants released into the air. In Europe and North America, they have had some success, but acid rain remains a major problem in the developing world , especially Asia. Greenhouse gases are another source of air pollution. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane occur naturally in the atmosphere. In fact, they are necessary for life on Earth. They absorb sunlight reflected from Earth, preventing it from escaping into space. By trapping heat in the atmosphere, they keep Earth warm enough for people to live. This is called the greenhouse effect . But human activities such as burning fossil fuels and destroying forests have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This has increased the greenhouse effect, and average temperatures across the globe are rising. The decade that began in the year 2000 was the warmest on record. This increase in worldwide average temperatures, caused in part by human activity, is called global warming . Global warming is causing ice sheets and glaciers to melt. The melting ice is causing sea levels to rise at a rate of two millimeters (0.09 inches) per year. The rising seas will eventually flood low-lying coastal regions . Entire nations, such as the islands of Maldives, are threatened by this climate change . Global warming also contributes to the phenomenon of ocean acidification . Ocean acidification is the process of ocean waters absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Fewer organisms can survive in warmer, less salty waters. The ocean food web is threatened as plants and animals such as coral fail to adapt to more acidic oceans. Scientists have predicted that global warming will cause an increase in severe storms . It will also cause more droughts in some regions and more flooding in others. The change in average temperatures is already shrinking some habitats, the regions where plants and animals naturally live. Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice in the Arctic. The melting ice is forcing polar bears to travel farther to find food , and their numbers are shrinking. People and governments can respond quickly and effectively to reduce air pollution. Chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are a dangerous form of air pollution that governments worked to reduce in the 1980s and 1990s. CFCs are found in gases that cool refrigerators, in foam products, and in aerosol cans . CFCs damage the ozone layer , a region in Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ozone layer protects Earth by absorbing much of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation . When people are exposed to more ultraviolet radiation, they are more likely to develop skin cancer, eye diseases, and other illnesses. In the 1980s, scientists noticed that the ozone layer over Antarctica was thinning. This is often called the “ ozone hole .” No one lives permanently in Antarctica. But Australia, the home of more than 22 million people, lies at the edge of the hole. In the 1990s, the Australian government began an effort to warn people of the dangers of too much sun. Many countries, including the United States, now severely limit the production of CFCs. Water Pollution Some polluted water looks muddy, smells bad, and has garbage floating in it. Some polluted water looks clean, but is filled with harmful chemicals you can’t see or smell. Polluted water is unsafe for drinking and swimming. Some people who drink polluted water are exposed to hazardous chemicals that may make them sick years later. Others consume bacteria and other tiny aquatic organisms that cause disease. The United Nations estimates that 4,000 children die every day from drinking dirty water. Sometimes, polluted water harms people indirectly. They get sick because the fish that live in polluted water are unsafe to eat. They have too many pollutants in their flesh. There are some natural sources of water pollution. Oil and natural gas, for example, can leak into oceans and lakes from natural underground sources. These sites are called petroleum seeps . The world’s largest petroleum seep is the Coal Oil Point Seep, off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The Coal Oil Point Seep releases so much oil that tar balls wash up on nearby beaches . Tar balls are small, sticky pieces of pollution that eventually decompose in the ocean.

Human activity also contributes to water pollution. Chemicals and oils from factories are sometimes dumped or seep into waterways. These chemicals are called runoff. Chemicals in runoff can create a toxic environment for aquatic life. Runoff can also help create a fertile environment for cyanobacteria , also called blue-green algae . Cyanobacteria reproduce rapidly, creating a harmful algal bloom (HAB) . Harmful algal blooms prevent organisms such as plants and fish from living in the ocean. They are associated with “ dead zones ” in the world’s lakes and rivers, places where little life exists below surface water. Mining and drilling can also contribute to water pollution. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major contributor to pollution of rivers and streams near coal mines . Acid helps miners remove coal from the surrounding rocks . The acid is washed into streams and rivers, where it reacts with rocks and sand. It releases chemical sulfur from the rocks and sand, creating a river rich in sulfuric acid . Sulfuric acid is toxic to plants, fish, and other aquatic organisms. Sulfuric acid is also toxic to people, making rivers polluted by AMD dangerous sources of water for drinking and hygiene . Oil spills are another source of water pollution. In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, causing oil to gush from the ocean floor. In the following months, hundreds of millions of gallons of oil spewed into the gulf waters. The spill produced large plumes of oil under the sea and an oil slick on the surface as large as 24,000 square kilometers (9,100 square miles). The oil slick coated wetlands in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Mississippi, killing marsh plants and aquatic organisms such as crabs and fish. Birds, such as pelicans , became coated in oil and were unable to fly or access food. More than two million animals died as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Buried chemical waste can also pollute water supplies. For many years, people disposed of chemical wastes carelessly, not realizing its dangers. In the 1970s, people living in the Love Canal area in Niagara Falls, New York, suffered from extremely high rates of cancer and birth defects . It was discovered that a chemical waste dump had poisoned the area’s water. In 1978, 800 families living in Love Canal had to a bandon their homes. If not disposed of properly, radioactive waste from nuclear power plants can escape into the environment. Radioactive waste can harm living things and pollute the water. Sewage that has not been properly treated is a common source of water pollution. Many cities around the world have poor sewage systems and sewage treatment plants. Delhi, the capital of India, is home to more than 21 million people. More than half the sewage and other waste produced in the city are dumped into the Yamuna River. This pollution makes the river dangerous to use as a source of water for drinking or hygiene. It also reduces the river’s fishery , resulting in less food for the local community. A major source of water pollution is fertilizer used in agriculture . Fertilizer is material added to soil to make plants grow larger and faster. Fertilizers usually contain large amounts of the elements nitrogen and phosphorus , which help plants grow. Rainwater washes fertilizer into streams and lakes. There, the nitrogen and phosphorus cause cyanobacteria to form harmful algal blooms. Rain washes other pollutants into streams and lakes. It picks up animal waste from cattle ranches. Cars drip oil onto the street, and rain carries it into storm drains , which lead to waterways such as rivers and seas. Rain sometimes washes chemical pesticides off of plants and into streams. Pesticides can also seep into groundwater , the water beneath the surface of the Earth. Heat can pollute water. Power plants, for example, produce a huge amount of heat. Power plants are often located on rivers so they can use the water as a coolant . Cool water circulates through the plant, absorbing heat. The heated water is then returned to the river. Aquatic creatures are sensitive to changes in temperature. Some fish, for example, can only live in cold water. Warmer river temperatures prevent fish eggs from hatching. Warmer river water also contributes to harmful algal blooms. Another type of water pollution is simple garbage. The Citarum River in Indonesia, for example, has so much garbage floating in it that you cannot see the water. Floating trash makes the river difficult to fish in. Aquatic animals such as fish and turtles mistake trash, such as plastic bags, for food. Plastic bags and twine can kill many ocean creatures. Chemical pollutants in trash can also pollute the water, making it toxic for fish and people who use the river as a source of drinking water. The fish that are caught in a polluted river often have high levels of chemical toxins in their flesh. People absorb these toxins as they eat the fish. Garbage also fouls the ocean. Many plastic bottles and other pieces of trash are thrown overboard from boats. The wind blows trash out to sea. Ocean currents carry plastics and other floating trash to certain places on the globe, where it cannot escape. The largest of these areas, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. According to some estimates, this garbage patch is the size of Texas. The trash is a threat to fish and seabirds, which mistake the plastic for food. Many of the plastics are covered with chemical pollutants. Land Pollution Many of the same pollutants that foul the water also harm the land. Mining sometimes leaves the soil contaminated with dangerous chemicals. Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural fields are blown by the wind. They can harm plants, animals, and sometimes people. Some fruits and vegetables absorb the pesticides that help them grow. When people consume the fruits and vegetables, the pesticides enter their bodies. Some pesticides can cause cancer and other diseases. A pesticide called DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was once commonly used to kill insects, especially mosquitoes. In many parts of the world, mosquitoes carry a disease called malaria , which kills a million people every year. Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize for his understanding of how DDT can control insects and other pests. DDT is responsible for reducing malaria in places such as Taiwan and Sri Lanka. In 1962, American biologist Rachel Carson wrote a book called Silent Spring , which discussed the dangers of DDT. She argued that it could contribute to cancer in humans. She also explained how it was destroying bird eggs, which caused the number of bald eagles, brown pelicans, and ospreys to drop. In 1972, the United States banned the use of DDT. Many other countries also banned it. But DDT didn’t disappear entirely. Today, many governments support the use of DDT because it remains the most effective way to combat malaria. Trash is another form of land pollution. Around the world, paper, cans, glass jars, plastic products, and junked cars and appliances mar the landscape. Litter makes it difficult for plants and other producers in the food web to create nutrients . Animals can die if they mistakenly eat plastic. Garbage often contains dangerous pollutants such as oils, chemicals, and ink. These pollutants can leech into the soil and harm plants, animals, and people. Inefficient garbage collection systems contribute to land pollution. Often, the garbage is picked up and brought to a dump, or landfill . Garbage is buried in landfills. Sometimes, communities produce so much garbage that their landfills are filling up. They are running out of places to dump their trash. A massive landfill near Quezon City, Philippines, was the site of a land pollution tragedy in 2000. Hundreds of people lived on the slopes of the Quezon City landfill. These people made their living from recycling and selling items found in the landfill. However, the landfill was not secure. Heavy rains caused a trash landslide, killing 218 people. Sometimes, landfills are not completely sealed off from the land around them. Pollutants from the landfill leak into the earth in which they are buried. Plants that grow in the earth may be contaminated, and the herbivores that eat the plants also become contaminated. So do the predators that consume the herbivores. This process, where a chemical builds up in each level of the food web, is called bioaccumulation . Pollutants leaked from landfills also leak into local groundwater supplies. There, the aquatic food web (from microscopic algae to fish to predators such as sharks or eagles) can suffer from bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals. Some communities do not have adequate garbage collection systems, and trash lines the side of roads. In other places, garbage washes up on beaches. Kamilo Beach, in the U.S. state of Hawai'i, is littered with plastic bags and bottles carried in by the tide . The trash is dangerous to ocean life and reduces economic activity in the area. Tourism is Hawai'i’s largest industry . Polluted beaches discourage tourists from investing in the area’s hotels, restaurants, and recreational activities. Some cities incinerate , or burn, their garbage. Incinerating trash gets rid of it, but it can release dangerous heavy metals and chemicals into the air. So while trash incinerators can help with the problem of land pollution, they sometimes add to the problem of air pollution. Reducing Pollution Around the world, people and governments are making efforts to combat pollution. Recycling, for instance, is becoming more common. In recycling, trash is processed so its useful materials can be used again. Glass, aluminum cans, and many types of plastic can be melted and reused . Paper can be broken down and turned into new paper. Recycling reduces the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills, incinerators, and waterways. Austria and Switzerland have the highest recycling rates. These nations recycle between 50 and 60 percent of their garbage. The United States recycles about 30 percent of its garbage. Governments can combat pollution by passing laws that limit the amount and types of chemicals factories and agribusinesses are allowed to use. The smoke from coal-burning power plants can be filtered. People and businesses that illegally dump pollutants into the land, water, and air can be fined for millions of dollars. Some government programs, such as the Superfund program in the United States, can force polluters to clean up the sites they polluted. International agreements can also reduce pollution. The Kyoto Protocol , a United Nations agreement to limit the emission of greenhouse gases, has been signed by 191 countries. The United States, the world’s second-largest producer of greenhouse gases, did not sign the agreement. Other countries, such as China, the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, have not met their goals. Still, many gains have been made. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River, in the U.S. state of Ohio, was so clogged with oil and trash that it caught on fire. The fire helped spur the Clean Water Act of 1972. This law limited what pollutants could be released into water and set standards for how clean water should be. Today, the Cuyahoga River is much cleaner. Fish have returned to regions of the river where they once could not survive. But even as some rivers are becoming cleaner, others are becoming more polluted. As countries around the world become wealthier, some forms of pollution increase. Countries with growing economies usually need more power plants, which produce more pollutants. Reducing pollution requires environmental, political, and economic leadership. Developed nations must work to reduce and recycle their materials, while developing nations must work to strengthen their economies without destroying the environment. Developed and developing countries must work together toward the common goal of protecting the environment for future use.

How Long Does It Last? Different materials decompose at different rates. How long does it take for these common types of trash to break down?

• Paper: 2-4 weeks
• Orange peel: 6 months
• Milk carton: 5 years
• Plastic bag: 15 years
• Tin can: 100 years
• Plastic bottle: 450 years
• Glass bottle: 500 years
• Styrofoam: Never

Indoor Air Pollution The air inside your house can be polluted. Air and carpet cleaners, insect sprays, and cigarettes are all sources of indoor air pollution.

Light Pollution Light pollution is the excess amount of light in the night sky. Light pollution, also called photopollution, is almost always found in urban areas. Light pollution can disrupt ecosystems by confusing the distinction between night and day. Nocturnal animals, those that are active at night, may venture out during the day, while diurnal animals, which are active during daylight hours, may remain active well into the night. Feeding and sleep patterns may be confused. Light pollution also indicates an excess use of energy. The dark-sky movement is a campaign by people to reduce light pollution. This would reduce energy use, allow ecosystems to function more normally, and allow scientists and stargazers to observe the atmosphere.

Noise Pollution Noise pollution is the constant presence of loud, disruptive noises in an area. Usually, noise pollution is caused by construction or nearby transportation facilities, such as airports. Noise pollution is unpleasant, and can be dangerous. Some songbirds, such as robins, are unable to communicate or find food in the presence of heavy noise pollution. The sound waves produced by some noise pollutants can disrupt the sonar used by marine animals to communicate or locate food.

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Assignment on Pollution

Introduction

Environmental pollution is a multi-disciplinary science involving chemistry, physics, life science, agriculture, medical science, public health, sanitary engineering etc. In broader sense, it is the study of the sources, reactions, transport, effect and fate of chemical species in the air, water and soil and the effect of human activity upon these.

Pollutant : A substance present in nature, in greater than natural abundance due to human activity, which ultimately has a detrimental effect on the environment and therefrom on living organisms and mankind. Examples are- lead, mercury, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.

Contaminant : A material which does not occur in nature, but is introduced by human activity into the environment, affecting its composition. A contaminant is classified as a pollutant when it exerts a detrimental effect. Example- chlorine gas

Types of Pollution

Causes of air pollution:

• motor vehicle exhaust
• power stations
• car manufacturing
• fertilizer factories
• demolishing buildings
• solvent evaporation
• volcanic eruption
• building roads
• forest fires

Effect of air pollution:

Global warming, acid rain, smog, ozone depletion are some effects of air pollution

Causes of water pollution:

• man-made chemicals used in farming
• heavy metals
• waste from factories
• sediment from the river bed
• air pollution
• thermal (heat) pollution
• soil pollution from rubbish dumps

Effects of water pollution:

The water in the earth’s biosphere is used and reused again and again by all living things

Soil Causes of soil pollution:

• mining and quarrying
• household waste
• demolition and putting up buildings
• factory waste

Effects of soil pollution:

Experts say that lots of land each year becomes unusable for humans or animals.

Causes of noise pollution:

• noisy roads and traffic
• air traffic
• rail traffic
• household noise
• industrial noise

Effects of noise pollution:

We hear and make sounds nearly all the time but too much noise can make us feel angry or depressed. The time of day that noises are heard is very important.

Radiation Pollution from radiation can be caused by:

• nuclear power plants
• making nuclear weapons
• disposal of nuclear waste
• mining for uranium

What can happen?

Radiation occurs naturally at low levels and is a useful source of power when concentrated.

It can also be very harmful to all living things if they are exposed to too much of it.

Light pollution happens when outside lights, such as a streetlight or a security light, points light upwards into the night sky.

This light gets scattered in the sky and makes an orange foggy glow to appear above a town.

It is likely that we won’t be able to see the stars in the night sky if the amount of light pollution isn’t closely controlled.

CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT

It is imperative that we carefully utilise our renewable resources of soil, water, plant and animal life to sustain our economic development. Over exploitation of these is reflected in soil erosion, siltation, floods, and rapid destruction of our forest, floral and wildlife resources. The depletion of these resources often tends to be irreversible and since the bulk of our population depends on these natural resources to meet the basic needs, it has meant a deterioration in their quality of life.

Global petroleum deposits are likely to be exhausted within this century. Research is going on for alternatives to fossil fuel (petroleum) based on biomass (green energy). Controlled nuclear fusion holds the prospect of abundant energyif the relatively difficult deuterium-deuterium fusion reaction can be utilised for energy production. This energy source will become unlimited.

Solar energy is both renewable and non-polluting and provides ideal energy source. On a global scale, tapping of only a small fraction of solar energy the earth can supply the entire energy requirement.

In any new development project, due consideration must be given to the environmental, social and cultural impacts. For this purpose, environmental experts must be involved in project planning.

NATURAL AND MANMADE DISASTERS

Sometimes there are drastic changes in environment due to natural disasters, e.g. cyclone, typhoon, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, volcanic eruption etc. within a short time.

Bush fires , are another type of natural disasters, are of common occurrence in some regions of the world due to hot summer and lightning. During the hot summer months bush fires are common in Australia and in the Pacific coast arid areas in USA.

Man developed science and technology but over the years since the Industrial Revolution (1780- todate) he continued to plunder natural resources thereby polluting the environment. He degraded lands, destroyed forests, threw toxic wastes into rivers and seas and also harmful gases into the atmosphere. This continuous load of manmade pollutants into environment brought about adverse changes, which ultimately back-fired into series of disasters from time to time.

Some examples of manmade disasters are: London smog, Minamata disease, nuclear explosions, Bhopal disaster, Chernobyl disaster and Gulf War Hazards.

Nuclear Explosions . Two bombs were dropped by USA during World War II (Aug 6 and 9, 1945) on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. These instantly killed about 6 lakhs people, wiped out the two cities and unleashed radioactive fallout which has caused generations to suffer from various diseases including genetic disorder. Radiation continues to damage plants, soil and biosphere* in the region.

*the environment consists of four segments- atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and bioshphere.

Global Warming or Green House Effect

Among the constituents of the atmosphere, only carbon dioxide and water vapour strongly absorb infrared radiation (14000 to 25000 nm) and effectively block a large fraction of the earth’s emitted radiation. The radiation thus absorbed by carbon dioxide and water vapour is partly re-emitted to the earth’s surface. The net result is that the earth’s surface gets heated up by a phenomenon called the greenhouse effect .

The current global trend in deforestation along with increased combustion of fossil fuels have a cumulative effect on the net increase in carbon dioxide content (present 356 ppm, 50%). Carbon dioxide has the potential to rival nuclear wars in terms of massive irreversible damage to the environment. It is the major greenhouse gas but there are other greenhouse gases- methane (CH 4 , 19%), chlorofluorocarbons (CFC, 17%), nitrous oxide (N 2 O, 4%) and water vapour (2%).

In september, 1980 scientists reported a large hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. CFC was the prime suspect for causing ozone depletion. It was established that one molecule of CFC is capable of destroying one lakh O 3 molecule in the stratosphere. The extreme chemical stability and nontoxicity of CFCs enable them to persist for years in the atmosphere and to enter the stratosphere. Depletion of ozone layer above the earth surface helps to penetrate harmful rays from the sun to the earth .

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What is air pollution?

What causes air pollution, effects of air pollution, air pollution in the united states, air pollution and environmental justice, controlling air pollution, how to help reduce air pollution, how to protect your health.

Air pollution  refers to the release of pollutants into the air—pollutants that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole. According to the  World Health Organization (WHO) , each year, indoor and outdoor air pollution is responsible for nearly seven million deaths around the globe. Ninety-nine percent of human beings currently breathe air that exceeds the WHO’s guideline limits for pollutants, with those living in low- and middle-income countries suffering the most. In the United States, the  Clean Air Act , established in 1970, authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to safeguard public health by regulating the emissions of these harmful air pollutants.

“Most air pollution comes from energy use and production,” says  John Walke , director of the Clean Air team at NRDC. Driving a car on gasoline, heating a home with oil, running a power plant on  fracked gas : In each case, a fossil fuel is burned and harmful chemicals and gases are released into the air.

“We’ve made progress over the last 50 years in improving air quality in the United States, thanks to the Clean Air Act. But climate change will make it harder in the future to meet pollution standards, which are designed to  protect health ,” says Walke.

Air pollution is now the world’s fourth-largest risk factor for early death. According to the 2020  State of Global Air  report —which summarizes the latest scientific understanding of air pollution around the world—4.5 million deaths were linked to outdoor air pollution exposures in 2019, and another 2.2 million deaths were caused by indoor air pollution. The world’s most populous countries, China and India, continue to bear the highest burdens of disease.

“Despite improvements in reducing global average mortality rates from air pollution, this report also serves as a sobering reminder that the climate crisis threatens to worsen air pollution problems significantly,” explains  Vijay Limaye , senior scientist in NRDC’s Science Office. Smog, for instance, is intensified by increased heat, forming when the weather is warmer and there’s more ultraviolet radiation. In addition, climate change increases the production of allergenic air pollutants, including mold (thanks to damp conditions caused by extreme weather and increased flooding) and pollen (due to a longer pollen season). “Climate change–fueled droughts and dry conditions are also setting the stage for dangerous wildfires,” adds Limaye. “ Wildfire smoke can linger for days and pollute the air with particulate matter hundreds of miles downwind.”

The effects of air pollution on the human body vary, depending on the type of pollutant, the length and level of exposure, and other factors, including a person’s individual health risks and the cumulative impacts of multiple pollutants or stressors.

Smog and soot

These are the two most prevalent types of air pollution. Smog (sometimes referred to as ground-level ozone) occurs when emissions from combusting fossil fuels react with sunlight. Soot—a type of  particulate matter —is made up of tiny particles of chemicals, soil, smoke, dust, or allergens that are carried in the air. The sources of smog and soot are similar. “Both come from cars and trucks, factories, power plants, incinerators, engines, generally anything that combusts fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline, or natural gas,” Walke says.

Smog can irritate the eyes and throat and also damage the lungs, especially those of children, senior citizens, and people who work or exercise outdoors. It’s even worse for people who have asthma or allergies; these extra pollutants can intensify their symptoms and trigger asthma attacks. The tiniest airborne particles in soot are especially dangerous because they can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and worsen bronchitis, lead to heart attacks, and even hasten death. In  2020, a report from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health showed that COVID-19 mortality rates were higher in areas with more particulate matter pollution than in areas with even slightly less, showing a correlation between the virus’s deadliness and long-term exposure to air pollution. 

These findings also illuminate an important  environmental justice issue . Because highways and polluting facilities have historically been sited in or next to low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, the negative effects of this pollution have been  disproportionately experienced by the people who live in these communities.

Hazardous air pollutants

A number of air pollutants pose severe health risks and can sometimes be fatal, even in small amounts. Almost 200 of them are regulated by law; some of the most common are mercury,  lead , dioxins, and benzene. “These are also most often emitted during gas or coal combustion, incineration, or—in the case of benzene—found in gasoline,” Walke says. Benzene, classified as a carcinogen by the EPA, can cause eye, skin, and lung irritation in the short term and blood disorders in the long term. Dioxins, more typically found in food but also present in small amounts in the air, is another carcinogen that can affect the liver in the short term and harm the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, as well as reproductive functions.  Mercury  attacks the central nervous system. In large amounts, lead can damage children’s brains and kidneys, and even minimal exposure can affect children’s IQ and ability to learn.

Another category of toxic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are by-products of traffic exhaust and wildfire smoke. In large amounts, they have been linked to eye and lung irritation, blood and liver issues, and even cancer.  In one study , the children of mothers exposed to PAHs during pregnancy showed slower brain-processing speeds and more pronounced symptoms of ADHD.

Greenhouse gases

While these climate pollutants don’t have the direct or immediate impacts on the human body associated with other air pollutants, like smog or hazardous chemicals, they are still harmful to our health. By trapping the earth’s heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases lead to warmer temperatures, which in turn lead to the hallmarks of climate change: rising sea levels, more extreme weather, heat-related deaths, and the increased transmission of infectious diseases. In 2021, carbon dioxide accounted for roughly 79 percent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and methane made up more than 11 percent. “Carbon dioxide comes from combusting fossil fuels, and methane comes from natural and industrial sources, including large amounts that are released during oil and gas drilling,” Walke says. “We emit far larger amounts of carbon dioxide, but methane is significantly more potent, so it’s also very destructive.” 

Another class of greenhouse gases,  hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) , are thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide in their ability to trap heat. In October 2016, more than 140 countries signed the Kigali Agreement to reduce the use of these chemicals—which are found in air conditioners and refrigerators—and develop greener alternatives over time. (The United States officially signed onto the  Kigali Agreement in 2022.)

Pollen and mold

Mold and allergens from trees, weeds, and grass are also carried in the air, are exacerbated by climate change, and can be hazardous to health. Though they aren’t regulated, they can be considered a form of air pollution. “When homes, schools, or businesses get water damage, mold can grow and produce allergenic airborne pollutants,” says Kim Knowlton, professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University and a former NRDC scientist. “ Mold exposure can precipitate asthma attacks  or an allergic response, and some molds can even produce toxins that would be dangerous for anyone to inhale.”

Pollen allergies are worsening  because of climate change . “Lab and field studies are showing that pollen-producing plants—especially ragweed—grow larger and produce more pollen when you increase the amount of carbon dioxide that they grow in,” Knowlton says. “Climate change also extends the pollen production season, and some studies are beginning to suggest that ragweed pollen itself might be becoming a more potent allergen.” If so, more people will suffer runny noses, fevers, itchy eyes, and other symptoms. “And for people with allergies and asthma, pollen peaks can precipitate asthma attacks, which are far more serious and can be life-threatening.”

More than one in three U.S. residents—120 million people—live in counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the  2023  State of the Air  report by the American Lung Association (ALA). Since the annual report was first published, in 2000, its findings have shown how the Clean Air Act has been able to reduce harmful emissions from transportation, power plants, and manufacturing.

Recent findings, however, reflect how climate change–fueled wildfires and extreme heat are adding to the challenges of protecting public health. The latest report—which focuses on ozone, year-round particle pollution, and short-term particle pollution—also finds that people of color are 61 percent more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade in at least one of those categories, and three times more likely to live in a county that fails in all three.

In rankings for each of the three pollution categories covered by the ALA report, California cities occupy the top three slots (i.e., were highest in pollution), despite progress that the Golden State has made in reducing air pollution emissions in the past half century. At the other end of the spectrum, these cities consistently rank among the country’s best for air quality: Burlington, Vermont; Honolulu; and Wilmington, North Carolina. 

No one wants to live next door to an incinerator, oil refinery, port, toxic waste dump, or other polluting site. Yet millions of people around the world do, and this puts them at a much higher risk for respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage, cancer, and death. In the United States, people of color are 1.5 times more likely than whites to live in areas with poor air quality, according to the ALA.

Historically, racist zoning policies and discriminatory lending practices known as  redlining  have combined to keep polluting industries and car-choked highways away from white neighborhoods and have turned communities of color—especially low-income and working-class communities of color—into sacrifice zones, where residents are forced to breathe dirty air and suffer the many health problems associated with it. In addition to the increased health risks that come from living in such places, the polluted air can economically harm residents in the form of missed workdays and higher medical costs.

Environmental racism isn't limited to cities and industrial areas. Outdoor laborers, including the estimated three million migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the United States, are among the most vulnerable to air pollution—and they’re also among the least equipped, politically, to pressure employers and lawmakers to affirm their right to breathe clean air.

Recently,  cumulative impact mapping , which uses data on environmental conditions and demographics, has been able to show how some communities are overburdened with layers of issues, like high levels of poverty, unemployment, and pollution. Tools like the  Environmental Justice Screening Method  and the EPA’s  EJScreen  provide evidence of what many environmental justice communities have been explaining for decades: that we need land use and public health reforms to ensure that vulnerable areas are not overburdened and that the people who need resources the most are receiving them.

In the United States, the  Clean Air Act  has been a crucial tool for reducing air pollution since its passage in 1970, although fossil fuel interests aided by industry-friendly lawmakers have frequently attempted to  weaken its many protections. Ensuring that this bedrock environmental law remains intact and properly enforced will always be key to maintaining and improving our air quality.

But the best, most effective way to control air pollution is to speed up our transition to cleaner fuels and industrial processes. By switching over to renewable energy sources (such as wind and solar power), maximizing fuel efficiency in our vehicles, and replacing more and more of our gasoline-powered cars and trucks with electric versions, we'll be limiting air pollution at its source while also curbing the global warming that heightens so many of its worst health impacts.

And what about the economic costs of controlling air pollution? According to a report on the Clean Air Act commissioned by NRDC, the annual  benefits of cleaner air  are up to 32 times greater than the cost of clean air regulations. Those benefits include up to 370,000 avoided premature deaths, 189,000 fewer hospital admissions for cardiac and respiratory illnesses, and net economic benefits of up to $3.8 trillion for the U.S. economy every year.

“The less gasoline we burn, the better we’re doing to reduce air pollution and the harmful effects of climate change,” Walke explains. “Make good choices about transportation. When you can, ride a bike, walk, or take public transportation. For driving, choose a car that gets better miles per gallon of gas or  buy an electric car .” You can also investigate your power provider options—you may be able to request that your electricity be supplied by wind or solar. Buying your food locally cuts down on the fossil fuels burned in trucking or flying food in from across the world. And most important: “Support leaders who push for clean air and water and responsible steps on climate change,” Walke says.

• “When you see in the news or hear on the weather report that pollution levels are high, it may be useful to limit the time when children go outside or you go for a jog,” Walke says. Generally, ozone levels tend to be lower in the morning.
• If you exercise outside, stay as far as you can from heavily trafficked roads. Then shower and wash your clothes to remove fine particles.
• The air may look clear, but that doesn’t mean it’s pollution free. Utilize tools like the EPA’s air pollution monitor,  AirNow , to get the latest conditions. If the air quality is bad, stay inside with the windows closed.
• If you live or work in an area that’s prone to wildfires,  stay away from the harmful smoke  as much as you’re able. Consider keeping a small stock of masks to wear when conditions are poor. The most ideal masks for smoke particles will be labelled “NIOSH” (which stands for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and have either “N95” or “P100” printed on it.
• If you’re using an air conditioner while outdoor pollution conditions are bad, use the recirculating setting to limit the amount of polluted air that gets inside. 

This story was originally published on November 1, 2016, and has been updated with new information and links.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can’t resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can’t republish our material wholesale or automatically—you need to select stories individually; you can’t republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when you’ve used one of our stories.

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261 Pollution Essay Topics & Essay Examples

The problem of environmental pollution is one of the main subjects for discussion worldwide. Manufacturing, carbon emissions, plastic, etc., have an adverse impact on air, water, and soil entire the world. That is why it is crucial to understand the problem and develop solutions to mitigate our negative effects on Earth.

In this article, you will find interesting research questions about pollution, ideas for your argumentative and persuasive papers, and essay examples to inspire.

Keep reading!

💡 8 Tips for Writing Essays on Pollution

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There is a rising interest in ecological awareness and an overall building desire to move towards sustainable living within society. Thus, a pollution essay requires much more than merely outlining cause and effect occurrences.

Tackling a topic that should be both conscientious and demanding may be a difficult task, but with these few tips below, you can quickly address all pollution essay topics. Here are some ideas on how to make your assigned essay more comfortable to write:

Do your research beforehand. This action will help you start your bibliography, which you should begin by writing down every book and article you hope to use.

Additionally, doing so will help you better understand your subject and be more comfortable writing about it. Readers can always feel when writers are too vague because they want to avoid some aspects of a problem.

Introduce your issue from a historical viewpoint. You should explain the origin of your problem, outlining what changes began affecting the environment and why.

Doing so not only allows engaging your readers but also prevents needlessly confusing them by being evasive about your subject.

If some key terms and processes are not common knowledge, then you should explain them. Topics on pollution have tricky terminology, and you should allow your readers to read your essay while on the same level of knowledge as you.

For example, if you are writing about air pollution, then the terms you use may range from “particulate matter” to “hygroscopicity,” depending on the complexity of your essay’s subject.

The pollution essay thesis statement is a guiding line throughout your writing process. Every sentence you write should relate to your central argument and help advance it forward.

From when you start outlining until you write your conclusion and even when revising your draft, you should always ask yourself whether your writing helps you uphold your thesis.

Use credible sources to support your writing. Book and journal titles, research papers, and even interviews with respected scientists are good examples of what you should include in a bibliography.

You may also use pollution essay quotations to demonstrate scientists’ opinions or statistical numbers. When you reference your facts, your readers trust your writing and accept it as credible and truthful, as well as show a good understanding of the subject.

Give your essay an appropriate heading. Your pollution essay titles should clue your readers in on your argument. Using a “talking” title, which explains your subject at a glance, is a useful way of making your essay stand out among others.

If your subject ties together different issues, then you should think about using subheadings to make your essay more readable.

For example, when writing about nonpoint source pollution, you may need to mention its effects on both ocean and forest environments.

Doing so in different sections of your essay may help you structure your thoughts and bring together your arguments for a well-written conclusion.

Read sample essays written by others to help you understand your subject and essay structure better. Doing so will help you be consistent with your chosen citation style and immerse yourself in your research.

However, do not commit an academic offense by plagiarizing from the work of others.

Need more tips? Want to read an essay example? Visit IvyPanda!

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• Carbon Offsets: Combatting Environmental Pollution I think that using other organizations or projects to offset an entity’s carbon footprint avoids the main goal of any present environmental protection efforts sustainability.
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• Air Pollution and Impact of Transportation Emissions of greenhouse gases, air pollution, the release of ballast water, aquatic invasive species, and oil and chemical leaks are only some of the environmental problems that marine transportation continues to cause.
• Pollution and Respiratory Disease in Louisiana The United States of America is an industrial powerhouse, a powerful nation that devoted much of its time to the growth and development of the petrochemical industry.
• Air Pollution and Lung Disease To design a study in order to explore the link between lung disease and air pollution, it would be possible to follow a four-step process started by identifying the level or unit of analysis.
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• Air Pollution in China: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics One of the most acute environmental problems in China is air pollution, which the authorities are trying to solve, but still, many people, factories, and active processes of globalization do not allow environmental programs to […]
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• Algae Explosion and Nitrogen Pollution in Lakes One of the most problematic aspects of nitrogen pollution as a form of nutrient pollution in lakes is the algae explosion.
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• Air Pollution and Child Health Conducting research, leading scholars, and summarizing the results of their efforts allowed the organization to investigate the numerous ways air pollution damages the human body.
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• Issue of Pollution of Everest A policy that can be put in place by Nepal to address the current state of pollution on Everest is limiting the number of climbers to the mountain. The increase in the number of people […]
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• Air Pollution and Vulnerability to Covid-19 In other words, the findings will be used as one of the key arguments for showing that air pollution is detrimental to both individual and societal health.
• Poor Waste Disposal and Pollution in California For instance, the rapid increase in the number of factories and industries in California has led to more waste products in the state.
• Technical Report Pollution in Cities of Trinidad Many people who live in the environment close to the dumping sites are exposed to the daily combustion of the refuse, coupled with the inhalation of the emissions from the combusted material.
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• Fundamentals of Air Pollution The components of secondary air pollution include ozone and nitrogen oxides. Smog occurs when “car exhausts are exposed to direct sunlight”.
• The Reduction of Agricultural Nutrient Pollution: Possible Solutions The nutrients that are contained in fertilizer or manure may reach water basins and cause a dramatic increase in the populations of phytoplankton and algae.
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• Atmospheric Pollution and Global Warming Green forests help in soaking the suspended particles in the air and thus clean the air for all of us to breathe.
• Recurrent Pollution of the Tisza River of Hungary The Tisza basin is located almost precisely in the geographical center of Europe and crosses the near-future boundary of the European Union.
• Marine Pollution: Management and International Legislation Marine environment refers to: the physical, chemical, geological and biological components, conditions and factors which interact and determine the productivity of, state, condition and quality of the marine ecosystem, the waters of the seas and […]
• Marine Pollution: Sources, Types, Pathways, and Status By examining sources, types, pathways, and status of water contamination in the context of the World Ocean, it is clear that most marine pollution caused by human actions, especially the mismanagement of plastic debris.
• The Public Perceptions of Air Pollution and Related Policies in London The primary questions for consideration are the public perceptions of air pollution and related policies in London and other cities of the United Kingdom, previous surveys regarding existing policies related to the environment or air […]
• Concerns of Ocean Ecosystem Pollution The range of adverse outcomes for ocean ecosystems can be discussed in volumes; however, the current discussion will focus on trash in the ocean waters, acidification, and the disruption of the marine life cycles.
• Food Distribution and Water Pollution Therefore, food distribution is one of the central reasons for water pollution. According to Greenpeace, one of the ways to improve the ecology of the planet is by creating healthy food markets.
• How China Cuts Its Air Pollution 5, which is the smallest and one of the most harmful polluting particles, were 54 percent lower in the last quarter of 2017 as compared to the same period in 2016, specifically in Beijing.
• Haze Pollution in China One of the outstanding aspects of pollution in the country is that the Chinese are highly desensitized and aware of issues surrounding this matter.
• Pollution and Federal Environmental Policy Pollution continues to influence the flora and the fauna of the United States, as well as people in urban and even rural areas.
• Plastic Pollution and Social Institutions The purpose of this paper is to investigate the political and economic barriers that hamper the efforts to reduce plastic pollution and discuss the ways in how they could be overcome.
• Social Activism Against Plastic Pollution Of the 30 million tons of plastic waste in the United States in 2009, only 7% were sent for recycling, which primarily damages marine life.
• Climate Change: Reducing Industrial Air Pollution One of the most effective measures of air quality in the USA is the Air Quality Index, which estimates air conditions by concentrations of such pollutants as particle solution, nitrogen and sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, […]
• Pollution as a Social Issue and Mass Media’s Role The reason why plastic pollution gained traction only during the 21st century is directly connected to the invention of the Internet and the technological advances in electronics.
• Environmental Ethics. Optimal Pollution: Reality or Myth? The effects of globalization and environmental change have caused the resurgence of environmentalism, yet the necessity to sustain industries and the global economy invalidates the idea of a pollution-free environment.
• Environmental Pollution and Contamination The rains are known to corrode marble and metals, cause respiratory diseases in human beings and increase the acidity of the soil.
• Low Pollution Car Engine The following is a discussion on the introduction of the low pollution car engine and its benefits to the UAE. In addition, pollution and climate change will be a thing of the past.
• Chemistry: Environmental Pollution in Hungary The acidification of water bodies leads to the death of numerous species that are susceptible to the presence of acid. Part of the problem is caused by the fact that Hungary is currently forced to […]
• Environmental Pollution Analysis The author explains that the damaging alterations have become possible due to the use of a large number of pesticides in the area.
• Coal Pollution in China as an Environmental Problem Thesis: Coal pollution in China has been a significant cause of environmental pollution-China being one of the largest coal producers in the world- therefore, necessitating the development of appropriate measures to reduce its severity.
• Air Pollution, Its Constituents and Health Effects The National Ambient Air Quality Standards are the regulations or policies that are adopted by states to ensure the safety of the environment.
• The Deepwater Horizon Oil Platform Pollution The oil spillage in the sea can result to the death of sea animals as well as plants that thrive in the water because of the dangerous chemicals that are contained in the oil.
• Air Pollution in the United Arab Emirates’ Cities In the article called Evaluating the Potential Impact of Global Warming on the UAE Residential Buildings, the author focuses on the negative consequences of global warming on the situation in the United Arab Emirates.
• Advanced Pollution Prevention in the United States In the United States, the overview of the previous legislation shows that the government used to enforce measures that would deal with pollution control which occurred at the final stage of production processes. The Pollution […]
• Climate Change, Air Pollution, Soil Degradation Then followed by outdoor air pollution, soil degradation which can also be called as soil contamination, global overpopulation, drinking water pollution, nuclear waste build-up, disappearing of the water supplies, indoor air pollution, depletion of the […]
• China Shenhua Energy Company: Pollution Reducing Although the Chinese government recognized the issue of pollution and announced a course for liberalization of the economy and a greater emphasis on ecology during the 12th 5-year plan, the transformation from a coal-based energy […]
• Air Pollution in Washington State and Healthy Living of People The problem of air pollution is closely related to the issue of the energy supply of the US. Due to the high level of air pollution in Washington state, there is a growing threat to […]
• Environmental Pollution in the Petroleum Industry At the same time, it threatens nature and creates many long-term issues related to pollution of air, soil, water, the weakening of the ozone layer, and the facilitation of the greenhouse gas effect.
• Air Pollution as a Factor for Renal Cancer Therefore, to prevent renal cancer, it is crucial to examine the primary causes and look for better strategies to curb the issue.
• Podocnemis Lewyana: Habitat Loss, Overfishing and Pollution The second factor is overhunting, which in the case of Magdalena River Turtle leads to the inability of these animals to locate food.
• Pollution in the San Francisco Bay The rivers provide fresh water for domestic use to many civilians, and it is apparent that the authorities have given the power plant the freedom to test the quantity of chemicals in the waste water.
• Indoor Air Pollution: The Silent Killer in Rural India The video “Indoor air pollution: The silent killer” discusses the detrimental impact of indoor air pollution in rural Indian households on people’s health. The problem of indoor air pollution is rather significant, and people should […]
• Water Pollution and Associated Health Risks The results of plenty of studies indicate the existence of the relation between the contamination of water by hazardous chemicals and the development of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, asthma, allergies, as well as reproductive […]
• Air Pollution and China’s Governmental Measures The consequences of air pollution in China are already becoming evident, and not only they are the reason for environmental problems, but also they have a significant influence on the health of Chinese people living […]
• Lake Erie Water Pollution There are worries among the members of the community that the lake could be facing another episode of high toxicity, and they have called for the authorities to investigate the main causes of the pollution […]
• Environmental Pollution and Green Policies Although various scholars are of the view that green technology reduces the level of pollution, adequate research on the use of this form of technology needs to be conducted so as to fully contain environmental […]
• Air Pollution in Beijing and the Decision-Making Bias Severe air pollution in Beijing did not become a subject of worldwide concern and discussion until the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which brought the issue to the attention of the global public due to the immense […]
• “Fort McMurray Fires Cause Air Pollution” by McDiarmid As a rule, the air in Canada is clean and rich in oxygen; however, when the wildfire burst, it affected the ozone layer to a significant degree.
• Air Pollution as the Trigger of the Ecological Catastrophe The key data collection tool is a survey that is targeted at determining the main factors of air pollution, finding out the social opinion regarding the quality of air in different cities, and estimating the […]
• Agricultural Nutrient Pollution and Its Reduction The solutions that have been proposed for the issue are varied: there is the possibility of upgrading farms with the help of better technologies, controlling the use of fertilizers and waste discharge with the help […]
• Air Pollution in Beijing and Its Effects on Society It is worth noting that different regions/countries/cities in the world have different levels of air pollution depending on the intensity/presence of causing agents and the techniques applied in dealing with air pollution.
• Water & Air Pollution and Health Issues in Brazil The main environmental effects of pollution include the destruction of marine habitats, water scarcity, and anoxia. The conclusion is informative because the writer includes strategies to alleviate the problem of air and water pollution in […]
• Air Pollution and Respiratory Illnesses in Nigeria The purpose of the article presented was to test the relationship of the respiratory system illness and air pollution in developing countries, especially in Africa.
• Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Health Effects It emphasizes the fact that air contamination has a negative influence on the health of the representatives of the general public.
• Nebraska Pollution Prevention Project The article is about Nebraska’s Partners in Pollution Prevention program and the benefits it has brought to the state in the reduction of pollution caused by small businesses.
• Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan All players need to be trained in significant areas of business so as they can handle them with care and beware of the potential they have in causing damage.
• Water Pollution in the US: Causes and Control Although water pollution can hardly be ceased entirely, the current rates of water pollution can be reduced by resorting to the sustainable principle of water use in both the industrial area and the realm of […]
• Economic View on Water and Pollution Some of the water is found in the continents’ rivers, lakes and in the subsurface. This research tries to explain the importance of water especially in an economist’s perspective by explaining the uses of water […]
• Air Pollution in Los Angeles The escalation of congestion in the city has worsened the problem of air pollution because of the volume of unhealthy air emitted in the atmosphere.
• Noise Pollution: Urban Traffic Noise Besides these two, noise also has an effect on the learning of an individual so that it distracts the individual in a way that s/he is not able to learn, as would be the case […]
• Environmental Revolution: Air Pollution in China For instance, a case study of the current pollution levels in China reveals that the country is struggling with the management of hazy weather.
• Pollution & Climate Change as Environmental Risks
• The Knoxville City’s Environmental Pollution
• Aviation’s Environmental Impact and Pollution
• Environmental Behavior and Air Pollution in Ohio
• Water Pollution and Management in the UAE
• Pollution of the Ganges and Its Main Factors
• Pollution Externalities Role in Management Economics
• Marine Pollution and the Anthropogenic Effects Upon It
• The New York City Air Pollution
• Air Pollution Effects on the Health and Environment
• Dealing With Air Pollution
• Acid Rain and Ozone Pollution
• Environmental Justice and Air Pollution in Canada
• Environment Destruction: Pollution
• Big Coal and the Natural Environment Pollution
• Principles of Air Pollution Control and Analysis
• New York City Air Pollution Problem
• China’s Air Pollution Problem
• Hudson River Pollution Concerns
• Pollution and Human Health
• Business and Pollution Inequality in Poor States
• China’s Air Pollution Is Not Unique
• Water Pollution and Its Challenges
• An Investigation of Green Roofs to Mitigate Air Pollution With Special Reference to Tehran, Iran
• Air Pollution: Human Influence on Environment
• Kuwait’s Desert Pollution
• Water Pollution Sources, Effects and Control
• Issues in Non-Point Source Pollution
• Air Pollution Sources in Houston
• Pollution Prevention in the Industrial Production
• Pollution Caused by Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Means to Prevent It
• Air Pollution: Public Health Impact
• Solutions to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Watershed Pollution Problem
• Economic Impact of Industrial Pollution in China
• Environmental Impacts of Air Pollution
• Pollution in Beijing, China
• Automobile Pollution in the US
• Chloramine in Drinking Water: When the Threat of Pollution Emerges
• How Mechanical Engineering Used to Prevent and Fix Oil Pollution
• Technologies for Reduction of Automobile Pollution
• “Water and Pollution” Class Game
• How Bad Pollution Is in the Arab World
• Water in Crisis: Public Health Concerns in Africa
• Does Air Pollution in Schools Influence Student Performance?
• Regulation and Management of Haze Pollution in Canada
• Air Pollution Characteristics and Effect
• Impact of Blowing Drums on Air Pollution
• The System for Pollution Offsets
• The Nature of Nonpoint Pollution Control Problem
• Air and Water Pollution
• Health Hazard of Noise Pollution
• Fossil Fuels Subsidies and the Impact of Pollution on Health and Lifetime Earnings
• Causes of Water Pollution and the Present Environmental Solution
• Water Pollution & Diseases (Undeveloped Nations)
• Environmental Pollution in Canada
• The Impact of Industrial Pollution on the Environment
• Water and Water Pollution in Point of Economics’ View
• Environmental Justice Issues Affecting African Americans: Water Pollution
• Plastic Ocean Pollution on Ocean Life in U.S.
• Air Pollution Effects on the Health in China
• Air Pollution and Health Policy in China
• The Pollution Within: Foreign Substances in the Human Body
• Air Pollution and Its Consequences
• The Problem of Atmospheric Pollution in Modern World
• Four Marketing Practices That Cause Noise Pollution
• Water Pollution and Wind Energy
• Air Pollution by Automobiles
• Air and Water Pollution in Los Angeles
• Tehran Chokes and Blames Severe Pollution on US Sanctions
• Water Pollution Causes and Climate Impacts
• The Case of PBC Pollution in Hudson River
• Preposition 23: Suspension of Air Pollution Control Act
• Climate and Air Pollution
• Urban Pollution – Many Long Years Ago
• Water Pollution Origins and Ways of Resolving
• Can Pollution Rights Trading Effectively Control Environmental Problems?
• Mud Lick Creek Project – Fresh Water Pollution
• A Discussion of Air Pollution & Related Health Implications on the Community
• Car Pollution in Moscow
• What Causes Air Pollution and What Effect Does It Have on People?
• Why Air Pollution Can Harm the Environment Dramatically?
• What Are the Sources of Air Pollution?
• Does Air Pollution Affect Health and Medical Insurance Cost in the Elderly?
• What Are the Causes and Effects of Water Pollution in Lake Huron?
• What Causes Water Pollution and Its Effects?
• What Can the Public Do to Curb Pollution?
• Will COVID-19 Containment and Treatment Measures Drive Shifts in Marine Litter Pollution?
• Does Inequality Matter Air Pollution and Health Relationship?
• Why Environmental Management May Yield No-Regret Pollution Abatement Options?
• How Can Be Organised Curbing Environmental Pollution Through Recycling?
• What Will the Effects Be if We Don’t Stop Plastic Pollution in Our Oceans?
• Does Air Pollution Crowd Out Foreign Direct Investment Inflows?
• Does Off-Farm Employment Contribute to Agriculture-Based Environmental Pollution?
• Does Environmental Pollution Affect Metropolitan Housing Prices?
• Does Financial Instability Increase Environmental Pollution in Pakistan?
• What Are the Leading Factors of Water Pollution Around the World?
• What King of Cost-Effective Control Strategies for Energy-Related Transboundary Air Pollution in Western Europe?
• Which Firms Are More Sensitive to Public Disclosure Schemes for Pollution Control?
• What Are the Kinds of Water Pollution?
• Does Air Pollution Affect Consumption Behavior?
• What Are the Causes and Effects of Water Pollution?
• Does Animal Feeding Operation Pollution Hurt Public Health?
• Does Industry Self-Regulation Reduce Pollution?
• Will Pollution Free Cars Become a Reality of the Near Future?
• Who Pays for Industrial Pollution Abatement?
• Does Trade Promote Environmental Coordination of Pollution in International Rivers?
• Who Suffers From Indoor Air Pollution?
• What Are the Main Ways to Reduce Pollution?
• What Causes Haze Pollution?
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• Noise Pollution Essay Titles
• Air Pollution Research Ideas
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• Global Issues Essay Topics
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• Greenhouse Gases Research Ideas
• Environment Research Topics
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• Water Issues Research Ideas
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• Report Highlights
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• About the publications

Towards a pollution-free planet

• Level 1: Highlights
• Level 2: Long Summary

Introduction

Pollution has significant impacts on human health , the environment, and even on how some of the Earth’s systems, such as the climate, are functioning. Pollution touches all parts of the planet. It is affecting our health through the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Approximately 19 million premature deaths are estimated to occur annually as a result of the way we use natural resources to support global production and consumption and which impact the environment.

Pollution touches all parts of the planet. It is affecting our health through the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Approximately 19 million premature deaths are estimated to occur annually as a result of the way we use natural resources and impact the environment to support global production and consumption.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations in 2015 commits to “ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature”. How does pollution fit in that picture?

What are the sources of pollution?

Pollution can take many forms, ranging from organic compounds and other chemical substances to different types of energy. Some types of pollution are easily noticed, such as certain forms of contaminated water, poor air quality, industrial waste, litter , light, heat and noise. Others are less visible, for example pesticides in food, mercury in fish, excess nutrients in the sea and lakes, endocrine-disrupting chemicals in drinking water, and other micro- pollutants in fresh and marine water. Some, such as those coming from abandoned industrial sites, armed conflict zones, nuclear power stations, pesticide stockpiles and waste landfills , form part of a longer-term legacy.

The sources and types of pollution are highly diverse, as are the solutions to deal with them. For example, hazardous chemicals in paints, cleaning compounds, dyes, electronic products, and many other household substances can become pollutants if not managed correctly. Ecosystem functions are put at risk as well. There are also many emerging and novel products, such as some therapeutic drugs and nanomaterials , for which data on potential pollution effects are sparse.

On the other hand, food waste globally has been estimated to be as high as one third of all food produced for human consumption – nearly 1.3 billion tons.

Figure 3: Major sources of today's pollution

Market demand on one side of the planet is often satisfied by labour, production and natural resources originating from halfway across the globe. Fossil fuels now account for 50 per cent of the global trade volume. Research finds that trade leads to a redistribution of environmental burden towards countries that extract and produce resources. As such, the environmental impacts and pollution generated by global consumption habits are disassociated from those most impacted locally. Trade patterns, policies and agreements can play a crucial role in internalizing some of the environmental and social costs of production in order to minimize pollution at a global scale .

Air pollution

One important source of air pollution is indoor air pollution produced by the use of solid fuels for cooking in the house. The other major source of air pollution is outdoor pollution resulting from the burning of fossil fuels . Wildfires, the burning of waste, and tobacco smoke, all also contribute to air pollution. It is estimated that nine out of ten people in the world are breathing air that is polluted beyond the World Health Organisation (WHO) acceptable standards.

Land and soil pollution

Land and soil pollution is largely due to agricultural practices, to improper irrigation, to solid waste management problems such as landfills , and to a range of industrial, military and extractive activities. Globally, estimates indicate that at least 1 million people are unintentionally poisoned every year by excessive exposure and inappropriate use of pesticides , with health effects on all.

The waste products of industrial processes or mining activities are another source of pollution as they may contain heavy metals , pharmaceuticals and microorganisms , which can be difficult to remove once they find their way into the environment. Former industrial or military sites that are no longer in use can also be the sources of pollutants if they are not decontaminated properly. While some high-income countries have programs and regulations to deal with soil pollution, many poorer nations lack such programs, and are at risk to form ‘pollution hotspots’.

Freshwater pollution

Rivers and lakes are heavily affected by pollution, especially by the excess nutrients that come from the use of fertilisers in agriculture, one of the most pervasive water quality issues on a global scale , interfering with many human water uses and causing major shifts of species in ecosystems and loss of biodiversity .

Over 80 per cent of the world's wastewater is released to the environment without treatment creating a pollution from pathogens as well as from chemicals such as heavy metals from mining and industrial waste. These lead to a loss of biodiversity and to water that is improper for human consumption.

Marine and coastal pollution

Oceans receive most of their pollutants from land through rivers in the form of nutrients , waste, heavy metals and plastic debris which fragment into pieces of less than 5 mm but do not biodegrade in the marine environment. The rest comes from the fishing, shipping, and energy industries. The impacts of ocean acidification, which are for a large part associated with the dissolution of carbon dioxide emissions, are most visible on marine species with calcareous skeletons, such as corals and plankton which form the base of many marine food webs.

What are the impacts of pollution?

The severity of a pollutant for human health and ecosystems is dependent on its chemical nature and intrinsic toxicity, quantities emitted, exposure concentrations and persistence. Highly hazardous chemicals, such as mercury , ammonium, ozone, and some organic compounds used in a range of industries have the potential to cause cancer , birth defects , induce genetic damage, cause miscarriage, injury or death from relatively small exposures , if released into the environment. The specific harm caused by different pollutants depends not only on the environment where it is emitted (air, water or soil) but also possibly on the mix of pollutants that are present and the actual level of exposure. For example, about 125 million people in the world are exposed to asbestos at the workplace with over 100,000 still dying annually from such exposure.

Pollution poses a direct threat to respecting, protecting and promoting human rights and gender equality, international human rights obligations related to health, life, food and water. Due to their general health status, potential higher exposures and reduced resilience to social, environmental and economic risks, pollution can have a particularly disproportionate and negative effect on the poor, the disadvantaged, the marginalized, indigenous peoples, the disabled and the vulnerable . For instance, children poisoned by mercury and lead develop problems
in their nervous and digestive systems and kidney damage. In addition, many toxic dumpsites are located in poor areas, leading to environmental injustice.

Figure 1: Examples of impacts on human health and ecosystem

Safeguarding a healthy and sustainable environment for present and future generations and achieving the 2030 Agenda’s pledge to “leave no one behind”.

Pollution has also significant economic costs from the point of view of health, productivity losses, health-care costs and ecosystem damages. If consumption and production patterns continue as they are, the linear economic model of “take-make-dispose” will seriously burden an already polluted planet, affecting current and future generations.

For instance, in 2013 it was estimated that the cost of air pollution was more than 5 000 billion USD, which is more than the annual budget of the United States. These substantial costs, are expected to rise over time, not only because of the direct effect of pollution on health, but also because of the impact of weakened livelihoods, as well as the longer-term impact on ecosystem services , that in turn affect local communities , societies and economies. With a better understanding of the economic costs of pollution, the human costs of pollution are critical information for decision-making and to support more effective policies.

If consumption and production patterns continue as they are, the linear economic model of “take-make-dispose” will seriously burden an already- polluted planet, affecting current and future generations.

What is currently being done to address pollution?

Pollution is not a new phenomenon; it is largely controllable and often avoidable, but still considerably neglected. Thanks to better knowledge, alternative consumption and production models, as well as innovative technological solutions, many countries, cities, and businesses can now successfully tackling serious pollution issues.

Today, a majority of UN Member States recognize environmental rights. The first Principles of both the 1972 Stockholm and 1992 Rio Declarations focused on the human right to a safe and clean environment. The Stockholm Declaration describes “the fundamental right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, in an environment of a quality that permits a life of dignity and well-being...”, while the Rio Declaration states that humans “are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature”. These declarations have, together with other principles, informed many national constitutions over the past three decades.

At the same time, voluntary environmental initiatives have supported more formal environmental agreements, resulting in progress in some areas. But even more robust governance frameworks are required to bring us closer to a pollution-free planet. In particular, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 1 provide an opportunity to accelerate the implementation of targeted and time-bound actions on pollution, which have been hitherto limited and inadequate.

With regards to chemicals and waste, legally binding approaches at the global level are essential to addressing the most critical and complex pollution challenges.

Existing multilateral environmental agreements already enable actions. This was notably in relation to the ban and substitution of ozone-depleting substances achieved in 2015, to the elimination of persistent organic pollutants and of most hazardous industrial chemicals and pesticides in international trade, as well as to hazardous and household waste and in particular to mercury with the entry into force of the Minamata Convention in 2017. Several of the multilateral environmental agreements were ratified worldwide or nearly worldwide.

The Convention on Biological Diversity’s Aichi Biodiversity Targets 2 also calls for a decrease in pollution and demands specific actions on excess nutrients . Today, a majority of UN Member States recognizes environmental rights. As of 2015, over 100 countries guaranteed their citizens a right to a healthy environment, with the majority of countries building this into their national constitutions. Although no international agreement explicitly recognizes the right to a healthy environment, national constitutions have played a vital role at the forefront of human rights and environmental protection . The majority of constitutional environmental rights include substantive, procedural, and emerging rights, such as the right to health and food, while others refer to policy-based, reciprocal-duty, and miscellaneous provisions.

Encouragingly, more governments, industries and citizens are moving towards sustainable materials management, greater resource efficiency, less environmentally damaging chemistry, clean technologies, and circular economies, as part of a more comprehensive transformation towards a sustainable economy. Trade can lead to greater environmental burdens in countries that extract and produce resources, as such activities generate waste and emissions. But trade can also provide solutions in terms of improved environmental goods and services . However, the capacity to adequately tackle pollution varies hugely across regions, social groups and genders.

At the same time, responses by governments, business and citizens to pollution remain sometimes limited in scope and scale and to date, there are no legally binding agreements that systematically address pollution in all its forms. If global and regional environmental agreements provide a partial framework, there are many gaps. For example, some agreements are only target-based, some are time-bound, while others cover also compliance-related actions, monitoring and reporting. For example, voluntary initiatives and global alliances – on topics such as fuel efficiency improvements, cleaner air and lead in paint – have addressed some of the more urgent issues, yet much more remains to be done to control and prevent pollution.

What are the benefits of addressing pollution?

It is obvious from many case studies that tackling pollution has already brought multiple benefits even if current responses may still be limited and inadequate. Projections indicate that further actions have the potential to enhance both health, well-being, and the economy. Two success stories show what can be achieved: the healing of the ozone layer and the phasing out of lead in fuel.

• The Montreal Protocol ensured that to date more than 99 per cent of the historic baseline levels of consumption and production of harmful ozone-depleting substances have been phased out and its Multilateral Fund provided roughly $3.7 billion to more than 140 countries to phase out ozone-depleting substances, with lasting influence on innovation, technology transfer, strengthening of environmental governance , and training of customs officers and technicians. As a result, the ozone layer is healing and is expected to be restored by the middle of the century. Consequently, up to two million cases of skin cancer may be prevented each year by 2030, decreases in agricultural and fisheries yields will be avoided and up to 0.5°C of global warming will be avoided by the end of the century as ozone-depleting susbstances were also responsible of about 20% of the greenhouse gas emissions.
• For lead additives in fuels the phase out is now almost complete, with only three countries still using some lead in fuel, all of which are set to stop by the end of 2017. Governments, the oil and auto industries, and civil society have worked together to support a global shift to unleaded fuels. This massive shift prevents an estimated 1.2 million premature deaths every year, and it also has a positive impact on children’s intellectual ability as lead is known to affect children’s IQ (United Nations Environment Programme 2016a).

Traditional pollution control that relies on “end-of-pipe” technologies has been shown to reduce polluting substances, such as in the case of sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) emissions from heating and energy production units. However, these technologies also require materials and energy upfront to produce the equipment, and as a consequence, may increase environmental impacts.

What actions can be taken to make the world truly pollution-free?

Solutions to help remove pollutants and detoxify our environment exist around the world. These need to be expanded, shared, and scaled up in order to avoid risking further exposure of humans and ecosystems to current and future pollution as well as increasing the costs of clean up. Improved risk assessment of new pollution sources is also urgently needed. Transitioning to a pollution-free world can drive innovation and social equity throughout the economy, by seeing pollution prevention and regulation compliance as an opportunity to clean up everyone’s environment, create new jobs, improve economic productivity and protect the rights of this and future generations.

Resource efficiency over the whole production -consumption system in particular can generate products which are identical or have the same functionality as when using traditional technologies and processes, while also reducing critical emissions and mitigating resource requirements and environmental impacts in the upstream processes.

Moving to less-polluting and nature-based technologies also offers economic and employment opportunities. Renewable energy provided jobs for 9.8 million people worldwide in 2016, compared to 5.7 million in 2012. Waste recycling and reuse also offers the chance to convert waste into economic opportunities, including jobs. As secondary materials replace virgin materials (for example phosphate from fertilizer nutrient recovery), they reduce the resource and environmental footprint of growth, but they can also have income and job impacts on primary exporting countries. Thus, careful and inclusive transition planning is required for those affected by these transformations. It is estimated that the global market for environmental goods and services reached $866 billion in 2011, and is expected to rise to $1.9 trillion by 2020.

However, challenges and gaps still limit the effectiveness of current actions. The key gaps are:

• implementation,
• infrastructure,
• limited financial and industry leadership,
• pricing and fiscal, and
• behavioural.

Implementation gaps are in particular due to a lack of resources; inadequate administrative, financial, institutional and technical capacity, and the absence of inter-ministerial coordination and political will. Absence of inter-ministerial coordination being a key reason why action does not happen.

There is also insufficient recognition by different actors that producer and consumer choices have pollution consequences. Such choices – even in the presence of pollution policies and regulations – can be made out of habit, a feeling that one person or firm cannot make a difference.

This report “Towards a pollution-free planet” is about encouraging a synergetic mix of actions and a whole-system, multi-beneficial policymaking approach that builds directly on existing internationally agreed environmental goals, including those relating to climate change , disaster and risk reduction and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , with its numerous pollution-reducing targets. As already underlined, existing international environmental agreements and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development present significant opportunities to accelerate actions to tackle pollution and improve the well-being of humans and ecosystems . The international framework for the Sustainable Development Goals encourages synergies between the Goal 3 and its associated target to “substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination”, and others such as the targets for climate change, air quality, nutrient pollution and marine debris. These links are detailed in the appendices of the report.

A pollution-free planet is by far and away the best insurance for the survival and well-being of current and future generations of humans and ecosystems . To advance this goal, this report has the following five overarching messages

• A global compact on pollution would make prevention a priority for all. It would also encourage policymakers to integrate prevention into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and national accounts;
• Environmental governance needs to be strengthened at all levels – with targeted action on “hard-hitting” pollutants through risk assessments and enhanced implementation of environmental legislation (including multilateral environmental agreements) and other measures;
• Sustainable consumption and production should be promoted through improved resource efficiency and lifestyle changes, waste reduction and management being prioritized;
• Investment in cleaner production and consumption will help to counter pollution , alongside increased funding for pollution monitoring , infrastructure, management and control;
• Multi- stakeholder partnerships and collaboration are vital for the innovation, knowledge-sharing and transdisciplinary research needed to develop technological and ecosystem -based solutions.

To reach these objectives, this report suggests a dual track of actions as framework for actions on pollution that UN Member States and other stakeholders may wish to consider to curb pollution around the world. This dual framework consists in the following combination:

• Targeted interventions , based on risk assessments and scientific evidence of impacts, to address “hard-hitting” pollutants as well as areas of pollution (air, water, marine and coastal, land/soil), including cross-cutting categories (chemicals, waste);
• System-wide transformations to shift the economy toward greater resource efficiency and equity , circularity and sustainable consumption and production , and improved ecosystem resilience to support cleaner and more sustainable development .

This dual track of actions is guided and underpinned by the two other elements of the framework:

• The five principles drawn from the Rio Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development : universality, sustainability , integration, precaution and inclusiveness.
• Enablers, or broader supporting actions, to shift incentives, correct market and policy failures and address some of the gaps and issues that make pollution so pervasive and persistent .

The report then present in more details the actions that should be undertaken to tackle the challenges in the various areas and lead to a “pollution-free planet”.

• Accidental poisoning
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• Aspartame Reevaluation
• Aspirin & Cancer
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• Bisphenol A
• CO 2 Capture & Storage
• Cancer rates and mortality, types and causes
• Chemical Mixtures
• Children & Screens
• Chlorine Sodium Hypochlorite
• Chlorpyrifos pesticide
• Chronic Diseases on Labour Practices
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• Climate Change
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• Dental Amalgams
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Essay on Pollution for Students and Children

500+ words essay on pollution.

Pollution is a term which even kids are aware of these days. It has become so common that almost everyone acknowledges the fact that pollution is rising continuously. The term ‘pollution’ means the manifestation of any unsolicited foreign substance in something. When we talk about pollution on earth, we refer to the contamination that is happening of the natural resources by various pollutants . All this is mainly caused by human activities which harm the environment in ways more than one. Therefore, an urgent need has arisen to tackle this issue straightaway. That is to say, pollution is damaging our earth severely and we need to realize its effects and prevent this damage. In this essay on pollution, we will see what are the effects of pollution and how to reduce it.

Effects of Pollution

Pollution affects the quality of life more than one can imagine. It works in mysterious ways, sometimes which cannot be seen by the naked eye. However, it is very much present in the environment. For instance, you might not be able to see the natural gases present in the air, but they are still there. Similarly, the pollutants which are messing up the air and increasing the levels of carbon dioxide is very dangerous for humans. Increased level of carbon dioxide will lead to global warming .

Further, the water is polluted in the name of industrial development, religious practices and more will cause a shortage of drinking water. Without water, human life is not possible. Moreover, the way waste is dumped on the land eventually ends up in the soil and turns toxic. If land pollution keeps on happening at this rate, we won’t have fertile soil to grow our crops on. Therefore, serious measures must be taken to reduce pollution to the core.

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Types of Pollution

• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
• Soil Pollution

How to Reduce Pollution?

After learning the harmful effects of pollution, one must get on the task of preventing or reducing pollution as soon as possible. To reduce air pollution, people should take public transport or carpool to reduce vehicular smoke. While it may be hard, avoiding firecrackers at festivals and celebrations can also cut down on air and noise pollution. Above all, we must adopt the habit of recycling. All the used plastic ends up in the oceans and land, which pollutes them.

So, remember to not dispose of them off after use, rather reuse them as long as you can. We must also encourage everyone to plant more trees which will absorb the harmful gases and make the air cleaner. When talking on a bigger level, the government must limit the usage of fertilizers to maintain the soil’s fertility. In addition, industries must be banned from dumping their waste into oceans and rivers, causing water pollution.

To sum it up, all types of pollution is hazardous and comes with grave consequences. Everyone must take a step towards change ranging from individuals to the industries. As tackling this problem calls for a joint effort, so we must join hands now. Moreover, the innocent lives of animals are being lost because of such human activities. So, all of us must take a stand and become a voice for the unheard in order to make this earth pollution-free.

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FAQs on Pollution

Q.1 What are the effects of pollution?

A.1 Pollution essentially affects the quality of human life. It degrades almost everything from the water we drink to the air we breathe. It damages the natural resources needed for a healthy life.

Q.2 How can one reduce pollution?

A.2 We must take individual steps to reduce pollution. People should decompose their waster mindfully, they should plant more trees. Further, one must always recycle what they can and make the earth greener.

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ELA  /  5th Grade  /  Unit 3: Protecting the Earth: Plastic Pollution

Protecting the Earth: Plastic Pollution

Students explore how plastic pollution is choking the world’s oceans, and explore a variety of solutions for reducing plastic waste and reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean.

• Text and Materials

Unit Summary

In this unit, students explore how plastic pollution is choking the world’s oceans. Students first learn about the history of plastic, how plastic ends up in the ocean, how plastic in the ocean impacts the ecosystem, and why it’s so hard to remove plastic from the ocean once it’s there. Students then explore a variety of solutions for reducing plastic waste and reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean. Students will learn about large policy-based changes that can be made and also explore smaller voluntary actions they can take that will make a difference. Finally, students end the unit by doing a research project aimed at educating others about the dangers of plastic and its impact on the environment. 

In this informational unit, students will be challenged to explain the relationship between two or more scientific ideas, noticing how authors use description, sequence, or cause- and-effect paragraph structure to help readers notice and explain the connections between events. Students will also analyze how authors use a variety of reasons and evidence to support their points, depending on their purpose for writing the text.  

Throughout the unit, students learn how to prepare for class discussions, determining which evidence best supports a particular idea and how to elaborate on that evidence. By writing daily in response to the Target Task question, students build their writing fluency, seeing the power of writing as a tool for understanding what they are reading. Students also set the foundations for strong literary analysis and opinion writing by learning how to craft strong paragraphs and multiple-paragraph essays. 

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Texts and Materials

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Core Materials

Book:  Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking the World's Oceans by Danielle Smith-Llera (Compass Point Books, 2018)   —  1120L

Supporting Materials

Article:  “Single-Use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability” (United Nations Environment Programme, 2018)

Article:  “Ten "stealth microplastics" to avoid if you want to save the oceans” by Sharon George and Deirdre McKay (The Conversation)

Article:  “Queensland passes laws banning 'killer' single-use plastics” (The Guardian)

Article:  “"People need them": The trouble with the movement to ban plastic straws” (The Guardian)

Article:  “Mythbusting: 5 common misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastics” (University of Michigan News)

Article:  “Little girl, big difference: 4th grader’s idea helps reduce trash at Pikes Peak region-area elementary school” by Lindsey Grewe for CBS

Article:  “CA Girl Scout’s letters spurred companies to cut down on using plastic straws” by Washington Post, adapted by The Lily News

Rubric:  Grade 5 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric

Template:  Two-Paragraph Outline

Template:  Three Paragraph Outline

Template:  Plastic Pollution Note-Taker

• Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading

These assessments accompany this unit to help gauge student understanding of key unit content and skills.

Download Content Assessment

Download Content Assessment Answer Key

Intellectual Prep

Suggestions for how to prepare to teach this unit

Before you teach this unit, unpack the texts, themes, and core standards through our guided intellectual preparation process. Each Unit Launch includes a series of short videos, targeted readings, and opportunities for action planning to ensure you're prepared to support every student.

Essential Questions

The central thematic questions addressed in the unit or across units

• Why do we have a plastic pollution problem? 
• How is plastic pollution hurting the world’s oceans? 
• What steps can be taken to lessen the amount of plastic pollution in the ocean?

Reading Focus Areas

Authors use description, sequence, or cause and effect paragraph and sentence structure to help readers notice and explain connections between ideas.

Authors use a variety of reasons and evidence to support their points. The type of evidence an author uses depends on the author’s purpose.

Writing Focus Areas

Opinion writing.

Write strong topic sentences that clearly state an opinion or answer the question.

Logically group details and reasons to support the opinion.

Identify and elaborate on details and reasons that support the opinion.

Use coordinating conjunctions to explain supporting details.

Provide concluding sentences or statements.

Informational Writing

Generate strong questions and use reliable sources when starting a research project.

Determine which details are the most important and best support the main point.

Use details to create topic sentences and coherent paragraphs.

Elaborate on reasons by providing more facts and details.

Speaking and Listening Focus Areas

Prepare for discussion.

Elaborate to support ideas. Provide evidence or examples to justify and defend a point clearly.

Use specific vocabulary. Use vocabulary that is specific to the subject and task to clarify and share their thoughts.

Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text

affordable artificial astounding biodegradability biodegradation biodegrade convenience decomposer discarded disposable dramatic emanate finite fragment grotesque incentive intrigued mechanism microplastic moldable plastic relentless synthetic tragic

-able -less -tion bio- de- micro-

To see all the vocabulary for Unit 3, view our 5th Grade Vocabulary Glossary .

Supporting All Students

In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the intellectual preparation protocol and the Unit Launch to determine which support students will need. To learn more, visit the Supporting all Students teacher tool.

Explain what it means to have a plastic problem.

Explain how plastic ends up in a gyre and what happens to it once it is there.

Explain why the author uses the words grotesque , astounding , and dramatic to describe what Moore and his team found.

L.5.4.c RI.5.3

Explain how Leo Baekeland invented plastic. 

Analyze how plastic became such a large part of everyday life.

L.5.2.a RI.5.3

Explain what evidence the author uses to emphasize how much plastic is in the ocean and its impact on the ecosystem. 

RI.5.3 RI.5.8

Analyze how plastic has a negative impact on ocean ecosystems and humans. 

• Trash Vortex pp. 40 – 43
• “Single-Use Plastics” — Figure 1.2–Figure 1.8

Explain what the author means by the quote, "we need to think about the items we are using not just on beaches, but also inland and communities far upstream as well."

Writing  – 3 days

Write two strong paragraphs describing why we have a plastic pollution problem and how plastic pollution impacts the ocean.

L.5.2.a W.5.2 W.5.2.a W.5.2.b W.5.2.e W.5.7 W.5.9

Opinion Writing  – 4 days

• All unit texts
• “Queensland passes laws banning 'killer' single-use plastics”
• “"People need them": The trouble with the movement to ban plastic straws”
• “Mythbusting: 5 common misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastics”
• Grade 5 Literary Analysis and Opinion Writing Rubric
• Two-Paragraph Outline — (Use outline depending on students' needs)
• Three Paragraph Outline — (Use outline depending on students' needs)
• Plastic Pollution Note-Taker

Write an opinion piece defending whether or not single-use plastics should be banned by citing evidence from multiple texts and building an argument.

L.5.2.e L.5.3.a RI.5.8 SL.5.1 SL.5.4 W.5.1 W.5.1.a W.5.1.b W.5.5 W.5.8

Explain what strategies the author recommends to help reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean and the pros and cons of the strategies.

Explain what strategies the author recommends to help reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean and the pros and cons of the strategies. 

RI.5.3 RI.5.9

Explain what "stealth microplastics" are and what steps we can take to reduce plastic waste from microplastics. 

• “CA Girl Scout’s letters spurred companies to cut down on using plastic straws”
• “Little girl, big difference: 4th grader’s idea helps reduce trash at Pikes Peak region-area elementary school”

Describe how Shelby’s actions show that a single person can make a difference.

Write multiple paragraphs that describe a solution for reducing the school’s use of plastic after researching different alternatives. Create a presentation to convince others around the school to take part and minimize the school’s use of plastic.

L.5.2.a L.5.2.e L.5.3.a L.5.3.b L.5.4.c SL.5.4 SL.5.5 SL.5.6 W.5.1 W.5.1.a W.5.1.b W.5.2.a W.5.2.b W.5.2.e W.5.6 W.5.7 W.5.9

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Common Core Standards

Core standards.

The content standards covered in this unit

Language Standards

L.5.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.5.2.a — Use punctuation to separate items in a series.

L.5.2.e — Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.

L.5.3 — Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

L.5.3.a — Expand, combine, and reduce sentences for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

L.5.3.b — Compare and contrast the varieties of English (e.g., dialects, registers) used in stories, dramas, or poems.

L.5.4.c — Consult reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

Reading Standards for Informational Text

RI.5.3 — Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.

RI.5.8 — Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s).

RI.5.9 — Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Speaking and Listening Standards

SL.5.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.5.4 — Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

SL.5.5 — Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

SL.5.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, using formal English when appropriate to task and situation.

Writing Standards

W.5.1 — Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information

W.5.1.a — Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.

W.5.1.b — Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.

W.5.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

W.5.2.a — Introduce a topic clearly, provide a general observation and focus, and group related information logically; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

W.5.2.b — Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.

W.5.2.e — Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented

W.5.5 — With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

W.5.6 — With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting.

W.5.7 — Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.

W.5.8 — Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

W.5.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Supporting Standards

Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit

L.5.1.a — Explain the function of conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections in general and their function in particular sentences.

L.5.2 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L.5.4 — Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

L.5.4.b — Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., photograph, photosynthesis).

L.5.5 — Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

L.5.6 — Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal contrast, addition, and other logical relationships (e.g., however, although, nevertheless, similarly, moreover, in addition).

Reading Standards: Foundational Skills

RF.5.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

RF.5.4 — Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

RI.5.1 — Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

RI.5.4 — Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or subject area.

RI.5.7 — Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

RI.5.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 4—5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

W.5.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1—3 above.)

W.5.9.b — Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts (e.g., "Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point[s]").

W.5.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

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Air Pollution: Current and Future Challenges

Despite dramatic progress cleaning the air since 1970, air pollution in the United States continues to harm people’s health and the environment. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA continues to work with state, local and tribal governments, other federal agencies, and stakeholders to reduce air pollution and the damage that it causes.

• Learn about more about air pollution, air pollution programs, and what you can do.

Outdoor air pollution challenges facing the United States today include:

• Meeting health-based standards for common air pollutants
• Limiting climate change
• Reducing risks from toxic air pollutants
• Protecting the stratospheric ozone layer against degradation

Indoor air pollution, which arises from a variety of causes, also can cause health problems. For more information on indoor air pollution, which is not regulated under the Clean Air Act, see EPA’s indoor air web site .

Air Pollution Challenges: Common Pollutants

Great progress has been made in achieving national air quality standards, which EPA originally established in 1971 and updates periodically based on the latest science. One sign of this progress is that visible air pollution is less frequent and widespread than it was in the 1970s.

However, air pollution can be harmful even when it is not visible. Newer scientific studies have shown that some pollutants can harm public health and welfare even at very low levels. EPA in recent years revised standards for five of the six common pollutants subject to national air quality standards. EPA made the standards more protective because new, peer-reviewed scientific studies showed that existing standards were not adequate to protect public health and the environment.

Status of common pollutant problems in brief

Today, pollution levels in many areas of the United States exceed national air quality standards for at least one of the six common pollutants:

• Although levels of particle pollution and ground-level ozone pollution are substantially lower than in the past, levels are unhealthy in numerous areas of the country. Both pollutants are the result of emissions from diverse sources, and travel long distances and across state lines. An extensive body of scientific evidence shows that long- and short-term exposures to fine particle pollution, also known as fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), can cause premature death and harmful effects on the cardiovascular system, including increased hospital admissions and emergency department visits for heart attacks and strokes. Scientific evidence also links PM to harmful respiratory effects, including asthma attacks. Ozone can increase the frequency of asthma attacks, cause shortness of breath, aggravate lung diseases, and cause permanent damage to lungs through long-term exposure. Elevated ozone levels are linked to increases in hospitalizations, emergency room visits and premature death. Both pollutants cause environmental damage, and fine particles impair visibility. Fine particles can be emitted directly or formed from gaseous emissions including sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides. Ozone, a colorless gas, is created when emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react.  
• For unhealthy peak levels of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide , EPA is working with states and others on ways to determine where and how often unhealthy peaks occur. Both pollutants cause multiple adverse respiratory effects including increased asthma symptoms, and are associated with increased emergency department visits and hospital admissions for respiratory illness. Both pollutants cause environmental damage, and are byproducts of fossil fuel combustion.  
• Airborne lead pollution, a nationwide health concern before EPA phased out lead in motor vehicle gasoline under Clean Air Act authority, now meets national air quality standards except in areas near certain large lead-emitting industrial facilities. Lead is associated with neurological effects in children, such as behavioral problems, learning deficits and lowered IQ, and high blood pressure and heart disease in adults.  
• The entire nation meets the carbon monoxide air quality standards, largely because of emissions standards for new motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act.

In Brief: How EPA is working with states and tribes to limit common air pollutants

• EPA's air research provides the critical science to develop and implement outdoor air regulations under the Clean Air Act and puts new tools and information in the hands of air quality managers and regulators to protect the air we breathe.  
• To reflect new scientific studies, EPA revised the national air quality standards for fine particles (2006, 2012), ground-level ozone (2008, 2015), sulfur dioxide (2010), nitrogen dioxide (2010), and lead (2008). After the scientific review, EPA decided to retain the existing standards for carbon monoxide.  EPA strengthened the air quality standards for ground-level ozone in October 2015 based on extensive scientific evidence about ozone’s effects.

EPA has designated areas meeting and not meeting the air quality standards for the 2006 and 2012 PM standards and the 2008 ozone standard, and has completed an initial round of area designations for the 2010 sulfur dioxide standard. The agency also issues rules or guidance for state implementation of the various ambient air quality standards – for example, in March 2015, proposing requirements for implementation of current and future fine particle standards. EPA is working with states to improve data to support implementation of the 2010 sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide standards.

For areas not meeting the national air quality standards, states are required to adopt state implementation plan revisions containing measures needed to meet the standards as expeditiously as practicable and within time periods specified in the Clean Air Act (except that plans are not required for areas with “marginal” ozone levels).

• EPA is helping states to meet standards for common pollutants by issuing federal emissions standards for new motor vehicles and non-road engines, national emissions standards for categories of new industrial equipment (e.g., power plants, industrial boilers, cement manufacturing, secondary lead smelting), and technical and policy guidance for state implementation plans. EPA and state rules already on the books are projected to help 99 percent of counties with monitors meet the revised fine particle standards by 2020. The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for new and existing power plants issued in December 2011 are achieving reductions in fine particles and sulfur dioxide as a byproduct of controls required to cut toxic emissions.  
• Vehicles and their fuels continue to be an important contributor to air pollution. EPA in 2014 issued standards commonly known as Tier 3, which consider the vehicle and its fuel as an integrated system, setting new vehicle emissions standards and a new gasoline sulfur standard beginning in 2017. The vehicle emissions standards will reduce both tailpipe and evaporative emissions from passenger cars, light-duty trucks, medium-duty passenger vehicles, and some heavy-duty vehicles. The gasoline sulfur standard will enable more stringent vehicle emissions standards and will make emissions control systems more effective. These rules further cut the sulfur content of gasoline. Cleaner fuel makes possible the use of new vehicle emission control technologies and cuts harmful emissions in existing vehicles. The standards will reduce atmospheric levels of ozone, fine particles, nitrogen dioxide, and toxic pollution.

Learn more about common pollutants, health effects, standards and implementation:

• fine particles
• ground-level ozone
• sulfur dioxide
• nitrogen dioxide
• carbon monoxide

Air Pollution Challenges: Climate Change

EPA determined in 2009 that emissions of carbon dioxide and other long-lived greenhouse gases that build up in the atmosphere endanger the health and welfare of current and future generations by causing climate change and ocean acidification. Long-lived greenhouse gases , which trap heat in the atmosphere, include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. These gases are produced by a numerous and diverse human activities.

In May 2010, the National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences, published an assessment which concluded that “climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for - and in many cases is already affecting - a broad range of human and natural systems.” 1 The NRC stated that this conclusion is based on findings that are consistent with several other major assessments of the state of scientific knowledge on climate change. 2

Climate change impacts on public health and welfare

The risks to public health and the environment from climate change are substantial and far-reaching. Scientists warn that carbon pollution and resulting climate change are expected to lead to more intense hurricanes and storms, heavier and more frequent flooding, increased drought, and more severe wildfires - events that can cause deaths, injuries, and billions of dollars of damage to property and the nation’s infrastructure.

Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas pollution leads to more frequent and intense heat waves that increase mortality, especially among the poor and elderly. 3 Other climate change public health concerns raised in the scientific literature include anticipated increases in ground-level ozone pollution 4 , the potential for enhanced spread of some waterborne and pest-related diseases 5 , and evidence for increased production or dispersion of airborne allergens. 6

Other effects of greenhouse gas pollution noted in the scientific literature include ocean acidification, sea level rise and increased storm surge, harm to agriculture and forests, species extinctions and ecosystem damage. 7 Climate change impacts in certain regions of the world (potentially leading, for example, to food scarcity, conflicts or mass migration) may exacerbate problems that raise humanitarian, trade and national security issues for the United States. 8

The U.S. government's May 2014 National Climate Assessment concluded that climate change impacts are already manifesting themselves and imposing losses and costs. 9 The report documents increases in extreme weather and climate events in recent decades, with resulting damage and disruption to human well-being, infrastructure, ecosystems, and agriculture, and projects continued increases in impacts across a wide range of communities, sectors, and ecosystems.

Those most vulnerable to climate related health effects - such as children, the elderly, the poor, and future generations - face disproportionate risks. 10 Recent studies also find that certain communities, including low-income communities and some communities of color (more specifically, populations defined jointly by ethnic/racial characteristics and geographic location), are disproportionately affected by certain climate-change-related impacts - including heat waves, degraded air quality, and extreme weather events - which are associated with increased deaths, illnesses, and economic challenges. Studies also find that climate change poses particular threats to the health, well-being, and ways of life of indigenous peoples in the U.S.

The National Research Council (NRC) and other scientific bodies have emphasized that it is important to take initial steps to reduce greenhouse gases without delay because, once emitted, greenhouse gases persist in the atmosphere for long time periods. As the NRC explained in a recent report, “The sooner that serious efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions proceed, the lower the risks posed by climate change, and the less pressure there will be to make larger, more rapid, and potentially more expensive reductions later.” 11

In brief: What EPA is doing about climate change

Under the Clean Air Act, EPA is taking initial common sense steps to limit greenhouse gas pollution from large sources:

EPA and the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration between 2010 and 2012 issued the first national greenhouse gas emission standards and fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks for model years 2012-2025, and for medium- and heavy-duty trucks for 2014-2018.  Proposed truck standards for 2018 and beyond were announced in June 2015.  EPA is also responsible for developing and implementing regulations to ensure that transportation fuel sold in the United States contains a minimum volume of renewable fuel. Learn more about clean vehicles

EPA and states in 2011 began requiring preconstruction permits that limit greenhouse gas emissions from large new stationary sources - such as power plants, refineries, cement plants, and steel mills - when they are built or undergo major modification. Learn more about GHG permitting

• On August 3, 2015, President Obama and EPA announced the Clean Power Plan – a historic and important step in reducing carbon pollution from power plants that takes real action on climate change. Shaped by years of unprecedented outreach and public engagement, the final Clean Power Plan is fair, flexible and designed to strengthen the fast-growing trend toward cleaner and lower-polluting American energy. With strong but achievable standards for power plants, and customized goals for states to cut the carbon pollution that is driving climate change, the Clean Power Plan provides national consistency, accountability and a level playing field while reflecting each state’s energy mix. It also shows the world that the United States is committed to leading global efforts to address climate change. Learn more about the Clean Power Plan, the Carbon Pollution Standards, the Federal Plan, and model rule for states

The Clean Power Plan will reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants, the nation’s largest source, while maintaining energy reliability and affordability.  The Clean Air Act creates a partnership between EPA, states, tribes and U.S. territories – with EPA setting a goal, and states and tribes choosing how they will meet it.  This partnership is laid out in the Clean Power Plan.

Also on August 3, 2015, EPA issued final Carbon Pollution Standards for new, modified, and constructed power plants, and proposed a Federal Plan and model rules to assist states in implementing the Clean Power Plan.

On February 9, 2016, the Supreme Court stayed implementation of the Clean Power Plan pending judicial review. The Court’s decision was not on the merits of the rule. EPA firmly believes the Clean Power Plan will be upheld when the merits are considered because the rule rests on strong scientific and legal foundations.

On October 16, 2017, EPA  proposed to repeal the CPP and rescind the accompanying legal memorandum.

EPA is implementing its Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions released in March 2014. In January 2015 EPA announced a new goal to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 40 – 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025, and a set of actions by EPA and other agencies to put the U.S. on a path to achieve this ambitious goal. In August 2015, EPA proposed new common-sense measures to cut methane emissions, reduce smog-forming air pollution and provide certainty for industry through proposed rules for the oil and gas industry . The agency also proposed to further reduce emissions of methane-rich gas from municipal solid waste landfills . In March 2016 EPA launched the National Gas STAR Methane Challenge Program under which oil and gas companies can make, track and showcase ambitious commitments to reduce methane emissions.

EPA in July 2015 finalized a rule to prohibit certain uses of hydrofluorocarbons -- a class of potent greenhouse gases used in air conditioning, refrigeration and other equipment -- in favor of safer alternatives. The U.S. also has proposed amendments to the Montreal Protocol to achieve reductions in HFCs internationally.

Learn more about climate science, control efforts, and adaptation on EPA’s climate change web site

Air Pollution Challenges: Toxic Pollutants

While overall emissions of air toxics have declined significantly since 1990, substantial quantities of toxic pollutants continue to be released into the air. Elevated risks can occur in urban areas, near industrial facilities, and in areas with high transportation emissions.

Numerous toxic pollutants from diverse sources

Hazardous air pollutants, also called air toxics, include 187 pollutants listed in the Clean Air Act. EPA can add pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or to cause adverse environmental effects.

Examples of air toxics include benzene, which is found in gasoline; perchloroethylene, which is emitted from some dry cleaning facilities; and methylene chloride, which is used as a solvent and paint stripper by a number of industries. Other examples of air toxics include dioxin, asbestos, and metals such as cadmium, mercury, chromium, and lead compounds.

Most air toxics originate from manmade sources, including mobile sources such as motor vehicles, industrial facilities and small “area” sources. Numerous categories of stationary sources emit air toxics, including power plants, chemical manufacturing, aerospace manufacturing and steel mills. Some air toxics are released in large amounts from natural sources such as forest fires.

Health risks from air toxics

EPA’s most recent national assessment of inhalation risks from air toxics 12 estimated that the whole nation experiences lifetime cancer risks above ten in a million, and that almost 14 million people in more than 60 urban locations have lifetime cancer risks greater than 100 in a million. Since that 2005 assessment, EPA standards have required significant further reductions in toxic emissions.

Elevated risks are often found in the largest urban areas where there are multiple emission sources, communities near industrial facilities, and/or areas near large roadways or transportation facilities. Benzene and formaldehyde are two of the biggest cancer risk drivers, and acrolein tends to dominate non-cancer risks.

In brief: How EPA is working with states and communities to reduce toxic air pollution

EPA standards based on technology performance have been successful in achieving large reductions in national emissions of air toxics. As directed by Congress, EPA has completed emissions standards for all 174 major source categories, and 68 categories of small area sources representing 90 percent of emissions of 30 priority pollutants for urban areas. In addition, EPA has reduced the benzene content in gasoline, and has established stringent emission standards for on-road and nonroad diesel and gasoline engine emissions that significantly reduce emissions of mobile source air toxics. As required by the Act, EPA has completed residual risk assessments and technology reviews covering numerous regulated source categories to assess whether more protective air toxics standards are warranted. EPA has updated standards as appropriate. Additional residual risk assessments and technology reviews are currently underway.

EPA also encourages and supports area-wide air toxics strategies of state, tribal and local agencies through national, regional and community-based initiatives. Among these initiatives are the National Clean Diesel Campaign , which through partnerships and grants reduces diesel emissions for existing engines that EPA does not regulate; Clean School Bus USA , a national partnership to minimize pollution from school buses; the SmartWay Transport Partnership to promote efficient goods movement; wood smoke reduction initiatives; a collision repair campaign involving autobody shops; community-scale air toxics ambient monitoring grants ; and other programs including Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE). The CARE program helps communities develop broad-based local partnerships (that include business and local government) and conduct community-driven problem solving as they build capacity to understand and take effective actions on addressing environmental problems.

Learn more about air toxics, stationary sources of emissions, and control efforts Learn more about mobile source air toxics and control efforts

Air Pollution Challenges: Protecting the Stratospheric Ozone Layer

The  ozone (O 3 ) layer  in the stratosphere protects life on earth by filtering out harmful ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun. When chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ozone-degrading chemicals  are emitted, they mix with the atmosphere and eventually rise to the stratosphere. There, the chlorine and the bromine they contain initiate chemical reactions that destroy ozone. This destruction has occurred at a more rapid rate than ozone can be created through natural processes, depleting the ozone layer.

The toll on public health and the environment

Higher levels of  ultraviolet radiation  reaching Earth's surface lead to health and environmental effects such as a greater incidence of skin cancer, cataracts, and impaired immune systems. Higher levels of ultraviolet radiation also reduce crop yields, diminish the productivity of the oceans, and possibly contribute to the decline of amphibious populations that is occurring around the world.

In brief: What’s being done to protect the ozone layer

Countries around the world are phasing out the production of chemicals that destroy ozone in the Earth's upper atmosphere under an international treaty known as the Montreal Protocol . Using a flexible and innovative regulatory approach, the United States already has phased out production of those substances having the greatest potential to deplete the ozone layer under Clean Air Act provisions enacted to implement the Montreal Protocol. These chemicals include CFCs, halons, methyl chloroform and carbon tetrachloride. The United States and other countries are currently phasing out production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), chemicals being used globally in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment and in making foams. Phasing out CFCs and HCFCs is also beneficial in protecting the earth's climate, as these substances are also very damaging greenhouse gases.

Also under the Clean Air Act, EPA implements regulatory programs to:

Ensure that refrigerants and halon fire extinguishing agents are recycled properly.

Ensure that alternatives to ozone-depleting substances (ODS) are evaluated for their impacts on human health and the environment.

Ban the release of ozone-depleting refrigerants during the service, maintenance, and disposal of air conditioners and other refrigeration equipment.

Require that manufacturers label products either containing or made with the most harmful ODS.

These vital measures are helping to protect human health and the global environment.

The work of protecting the ozone layer is not finished. EPA plans to complete the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances that continue to be produced, and continue efforts to minimize releases of chemicals in use. Since ozone-depleting substances persist in the air for long periods of time, the past use of these substances continues to affect the ozone layer today. In our work to expedite the recovery of the ozone layer, EPA plans to augment CAA implementation by:

Continuing to provide forecasts of the expected risk of overexposure to UV radiation from the sun through the UV Index, and to educate the public on how to protect themselves from over exposure to UV radiation.

Continuing to foster domestic and international partnerships to protect the ozone layer.

Encouraging the development of products, technologies, and initiatives that reap co-benefits in climate change and energy efficiency.

Learn more About EPA’s Ozone Layer Protection Programs

Some of the following links exit the site

1 National Research Council (2010), Advancing the Science of Climate Change , National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., p. 3.

2 National Research Council (2010), Advancing the Science of Climate Change , National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., p. 286.

3 USGCRP (2009).  Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States . Karl, T.R., J.M. Melillo, and T.C. Peterson (eds.). United States Global Change Research Program. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, USA.

4 CCSP (2008).  Analyses of the effects of global change on human health and welfare and human systems . A Report by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research. Gamble, J.L. (ed.), K.L. Ebi, F.G. Sussman, T.J. Wilbanks, (Authors). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, USA.

5 Confalonieri, U., B. Menne, R. Akhtar, K.L. Ebi, M. Hauengue, R.S. Kovats, B. Revich and A. Woodward (2007). Human health. In:  Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability  .  Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change  Parry, M.L., O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, (eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

7 An explanation of observed and projected climate change and its associated impacts on health, society, and the environment is included in the EPA’s Endangerment Finding and associated technical support document (TSD). See EPA, “ Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act ,” 74 FR 66496, Dec. 15, 2009. Both the Federal Register Notice and the Technical Support Document (TSD) for Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings are found in the public docket, Docket No. EPA-OAR-2009-0171.

8 EPA, Endangerment Finding , 74 FR 66535.

9 . U.S. Global Change Research Program, Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment , May 2014.

10 EPA, Endangerment Finding , 74 FR 66498.

11 National Research Council (2011) America’s Climate Choices: Report in Brief , Committee on America’s Climate Choices, Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Division on Earth and Life Studies, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., p. 2.

12 EPA, 2005 National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (2011).

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• Pollution Essay in English for Students

Essay on Pollution for Students

Being aware of pollution is quite mandatory for all the students these days. In order to become a responsible citizen of the world for future generations, every child should know how human activities are leaving an impact on the environment and nature. This topic is quite crucial. And, school children should learn how to write an interesting essay on ‘Pollution’ effortlessly. Take a glance below. 

A Few Things to Keep in Mind:

Never ever hurry to write the essay.

Think properly and jot down your thoughts before proceeding.

Divide your write-up into a few segments such as - introduction, main body - you can make a few points as per the topic and a conclusion.

Try writing short paragraphs. Short and crisp sentences are also a great way to avoid silly mistakes.

Adding factual data wherever required is important such as year, date etc.|

Essay on Pollution

Introduction.

Pollution has become a very common yet serious issue in today’s world. It has been there in different forms since a long time even before human evolution such as volcanic eruptions, wildfire which lead to various photochemical reactions in the atmosphere. The current concern is that it is rising day by day due to various resources of pollutants. And, one of the main pollutants are humans and man-made machines. It is right to say that pollution is damaging the mother earth severely and we, humans, should play our part to prevent it from happening.

What is Pollution?

Pollution sepsis is the presence of contaminants in the natural environment that causes harm and damage and therefore leads to adverse changes.

Kinds of Pollution

There are mainly three kinds of pollution - 1) Air Pollution, 2) Water Pollution, and 3) Soil Pollution. 

Air Pollution

Air Pollution occurs due to the presence of harmful gases and substances in the air. It is due to vehicle emission, dust and dirt, poisonous gasses from the factories etc. To reduce air pollution, we should use carpooling or public transport rather than using our private mode of transportation whose harmful gas emission only adds to the problem, we should also actively avoid burning trash or other materials etc.

Water Pollution

Water Pollution happens when toxic substances get mixed in various water bodies such as lakes, oceans, rivers etc. Here toxic substances refer to the Chemical fertilizer, Industrial waste, Sewage and wastewater, Mining activities, Marine dumping etc.

Soil Pollution

Soil pollution depicts the contamination of soil due to the presence of toxic substances due to Excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides, deforestation, industrial waste etc . To maintain the soil’s fertility, the government must limit the usage of fertilizers and plant more trees.

There are a few other pollutants causing pollution apart from the aforementioned ones, such as Radioactive pollution. This is one of the rarer types of pollution. It occurs due to the presence of radioactive substances such as the presence of nuclear waste in air, solids, liquids or any other place.

Effects of Pollution on Human Health

Pollution is increasingly having a major effect on the health of human lives. People are gettin g affected by different types of deadly diseases due to the various pollution in air, water and soil. Here are the different diseases humans face due to different pollution.

Due to Air Pollution

Air is an essential part of human life. Humans cannot live without breathing air. But, air pollution causes major damage to human lives. Here are some of the major diseases caused due to air pollution.

Lung cancer

Major coronary heart disease

Respiratory problems

Due to Water Pollution

Water is another source of life. Any living being cannot survive without drinking water. But the continuous degradation and pollution of major water bodies are also causing deadly diseases to humans and animals. It is also affecting marine life. Since water is consumed all the time, it’s pollution is causing a lot of deadly diseases. Some of the major diseases caused by water pollution are as follows:

Hepatitis A

Diarrhoea 

Due to Soil Pollution

Soil is an important part of our lives. The land on which we are walking or travelling is made with soil. Due to all the chemicals mixed with the soil and degradation due to the same, it is inevitable that many harmful chemicals come in contact with our body and cause many skin diseases or in forms of food crops that are planted on such polluted soil. Direct contact can cause a lot of problems for us humans. Some of the major diseases caused due to soil pollution are as follows:

Different types of cancer

Damage of the nervous system due to contact with lead present in the soil.

liver and kidney failure

What are the Different Methods to Reduce Pollution?

The degrading quality of all the important elements like air, water and soil is affecting the lives of many children, adults as well as animals. We need to keep our environment safe and use effective methods to reduce pollution. 

Methods to reduce Air Pollution

Some of the effective methods to reduce air pollution are as follows:

Regulation of air through chimneys: The industries should disintegrate the harmful gas from the air prior to its release from the chimneys. They should check and avoid using harmful gases, which are the major causes of air pollution.

Use of public transport or cycle: If you are travelling to distant places, it is recommended to take public transport. Or if you are going to any shops or buying any garment, it is always better to use your cycle. Public transport can take you to different places along with other people; this will help reduce air pollution. If you can cycle, it will reduce air pollution and another added benefit is that it will keep your health in check.

Reduction of fires and smokes: In the dry season, many people burn plastic, papers, dry leaves, which creates a big fire and smoke that creates a harmful layer of fog suspended in the atmosphere. It is better if you stop burning plastic to reduce smoke.

Methods to Reduce Water Pollution

Some of the effective methods to reduce water pollution are as follows:

Avoid disposing of plastic and waste materials: To keep the water free from any pollution, the first thing is to avoid disposing of any sort of plastics or food waste water material in water. The waste materials get dissolved in the water and harm the aquatic life along with those who drink the water. 

Reduce use of chemicals: you should avoid purchasing harmful chemical products that can get mixed with the water and pollute it. The biggest examples are pesticides and insecticides, which causes a major effect on marine life.

Reduce use of detergents: Detergents have many strong chemicals which can cause the leather to water and wash your clothes. If these detergents get mixed with water, they can pollute the soil.

Methods to Reduce Soil Pollution 

Some of the methods to reduce soil pollution are as follows:

Avoid disposing of harmful chemicals: The industries should avoid disposing of harmful chemicals in the soil. It can change the structure and components of the soil making it an unusable surface of land for vegetation. 

Eat food in biodegradable containers: As you dispose of the food containers in dustbins, it is good to use biodegradable food containers despite using plastic containers, which are harmful to the soil.

Plant more trees: The structure of the soil can be improved by planting more trees. Trees help to hold the soil together and improve the soil quality. Hence we should plant more trees.

How to Reduce Pollution Gradually?

Upon learning about the harmful effects of pollution, it is everyone’s responsibility to take some steps towards prevention. We should be aware of all the possible preventive measures to help reduce every kind of pollution such as to curb air pollution, we should avoid bursting crackers during any festival or using public transport or carpool to reduce air pollution or cutting down the usage of loud loudspeaker, and public honking would help in noise pollution. We should always be aware of this situation and take measures accordingly. It’s us who should be cautious in the beginning and make everyone else surrounding us conscious as well. We should take eco-friendly steps like planting more trees, reducing the usage of plastic, using more sustainable products in the household etc. while talking about the pollution of the entire world, you should always remember that every small step will lead to a bigger impact one day.

In a nutshell, every kind of pollution leaves a huge negative impact on our environment, human lives, animals etc. We, as responsible citizens, must take steps towards a better tomorrow. We must join hands to take various initiatives and fight against this problem. A lot of innocent lives are put in danger due to pollution every day. If we don’t do anything from now on or take a stand to make the earth pollution-free, then the doomsday will be upon us very soon.

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FREE K-12 standards-aligned STEM

curriculum for educators everywhere!

Find more at TeachEngineering.org .

• TeachEngineering
• Pollution Solutions

Lesson Pollution Solutions

Grade Level: 5 (4-6)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Lesson Dependency: None

NGSS Performance Expectations:

• Print lesson and its associated curriculum

Curriculum in this Unit Units serve as guides to a particular content or subject area. Nested under units are lessons (in purple) and hands-on activities (in blue). Note that not all lessons and activities will exist under a unit, and instead may exist as "standalone" curriculum.

• Cleaning Air with Balloons
• Cleaning Air Like a Vacuum Cleaner: Let's Bag It
• A Merry-Go-Round for Dirty Air
• Washing Air: Wet Scrubber Pollutant Recovery Method
• What's a Kid to Do? Environmental Letter Campaign
• Environmental History Timeline

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Engineering connection, learning objectives, worksheets and attachments, more curriculum like this, introduction/motivation, associated activities, lesson closure, vocabulary/definitions, user comments & tips.

One of the biggest challenges environmental and chemical engineers face is devising new techniques to prevent the creation of additional air pollution from manufacturing and industry. Their challenge is compounded by industry owners who do not want the added clean-up steps than can slow down and/or add cost to their manufacturing processes. So, engineers must be creative in designing new pollutant recovery methods and industrial technologies that clean and prevent air pollution.

After this lesson, students should be able to:

• Describe and explain how a scrubber, an electrostatic precipitator, a cyclone and a baghouse work as pollutant recovery methods.
• Give examples of when the use of a scrubber, an electrostatic precipitator, a cyclone or a baghouse is appropriate.
• Describe how engineers create technology to help industry clean up their air pollution.

Educational Standards Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards. All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN) , a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org). In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g. , by state; within source by type; e.g. , science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc .

Ngss: next generation science standards - science, international technology and engineering educators association - technology.

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Do you agree with this alignment? Thanks for your feedback!

State Standards

Colorado - science.

Ask students to suggest ideas to the following questions: How would you clean up air that is dirty with dust, particulate matter and gases? Would you establish any laws? Who would the laws impact: industries, small businesses, citizens? Write their ideas on the chalkboard.

Hopefully, the student suggestions include "washing the air" and, perhaps, using a filter. If not, prompt them by asking how nature cleans the air, and what happens to all the dirt and dust that is suctioned up by a vacuum. Discuss what they think should happen if somebody releases a large amount of pollution into the air.

The Clean Air Act of 1970 regulates how much of any pollutant can be released into the air. Two kinds of pollutants are regulated under the Clean Air Act. One type, called "criteria" pollutants, includes these six pollutants: carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, lead and particulate matter. Criteria air pollutants are discharged in relatively large quantities by a variety of sources, and they threaten human health and welfare across broad regions of the country. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets national standards for each of the criteria pollutants, and the states must take action to ensure the standards are met. Failure to meet the standards is called "nonattainment." Many urban areas are classified as "non-attainment areas" for at least one criteria air pollutant. The Clean Air Act establishes "enforcement" methods that can be used to make polluters obey the laws and regulations. Enforcement methods include citations (like traffic tickets), fines and jail terms for violators of the law. As the goals of the law are met, we breathe cleaner air every year.

The most common methods of eliminating or reducing pollutants to an acceptable level are: destroying the pollutant by thermal or catalytic combustion (burning the air), changing the pollutant to a less toxic form or collecting the pollution with equipment to prevent its escape into the atmosphere. Explain to the students that in this lesson they will investigate four air pollution cleaning methods developed by environmental engineers and used in industry: scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, cyclones and baghouses.

Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers

One of the biggest challenges environmental and chemical engineers face is devising new techniques to prevent the creation of additional air pollution. Manufacturing and industry are large contributors to air pollution. In this lesson, students take on the role of engineers and experiment with four different methods for cleaning up industrially-polluted air. To do this, conduct four of the activities listed in the Associated Activities section in sequence to model the four technologies used to reduce industrial air pollution: Washing Air: Wet Scrubber Pollutant Recovery Method (wet scrubber) , Cleaning Air with Balloons (electrostatic precipitator) , A Merry-Go-Round for Dirty Air (cyclone) and Cleaning Air Like a Vacuum Cleaner: Let's Bag It (baghouse) .

Industrial Cleaning Methods

Natural Cleaning Methods

There are also a number of natural ways to clean the air, including:

• Hurricanes (violent tropical storms of rain, lightning, thunder and high winds)
• Tornadoes (violent, funnel-shaped windstorms that are very destructive)
• Raindrops, snowflakes and other precipitation events remove air pollution through the natural water cycle (although this can lead to water and land pollution)
• Plants (especially spider plants)
• Mucus inside our noses traps the dirt and germs from the air before they reach our lungs. If the air is really dirty it cannot stop all the pollution, so some of it may reach and damage our lungs (i.e., smoking effects).

Clean Air Act

To help reduce air pollution, over the years, our government has passed many laws, called the Clean Air Act. The first Clean Air Act was passed in 1963. The Clean Air Act tells people everything they must do to reduce air pollution. Several Clean Air Acts have been passed since 1963. The most recent one was passed in 1990. (For more information, see the attached Clean Air Act Reading .)

• Cleaning Air with Balloons - Students observe and discuss a simple balloon model of an electrostatic precipitator to better understand how this pollution recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.
• Cleaning Air Like a Vacuum Cleaner: Let's Bag It - Students observe and discuss a vacuum cleaner model of a baghouse to better understand how this pollution recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.
• A Merry-Go-Round for Dirty Air - Students observe and discuss a cup and pencil model of a cyclone to better understand how this pollution recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.
• Washing Air: Wet Scrubber Pollutant Recovery Method - Students observe and discuss a simple model of a wet scrubber to better understand how this pollution recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.
• What's a Kid to Do? Environmental Letter Campaign - In this literacy activity, students write letters as part of an environmental action campaign. They become more aware of global environmental problems and play a part in their solution.

Write on the chalkboard the following information on the four air pollutant removal methods explored in the four activities in the Associated Activities section:

Baghouses: 99.9% efficiency

Cyclones: 95% efficiency

Electrostatic precipitators: 99.9% efficiency

Wet scrubbers: 95% efficiency

Ask the students the following questions to help clarify their understanding of the industrial air pollutant recovery methods in use today, and discuss as a class:

• Does a wet scrubber clean up all of the pollutants? (Answer: No, it removes 95% of them.)
• Do any of these cleaning methods remove all pollutants from the air? (Answer: No. They range from 95-99.9% efficient.)
• Which type of air cleaning process would be the best for removing particles? Which method is most efficient? (Answer: The baghouses and precipitators are the most efficient.)
• Which method is least efficient? (Answer: Cyclones.)
• Which type of air cleaner would be the best for removing waste gases? (Answer: Wet scrubbers work better on acidic, basic or corrosive gasses. Cyclones work better on other gases.)
• When might one type of pollutant recovery method be better than another? (Answer: It would depend on the type of pollutant(s), cost, location, etc.)
• If the baghouses and precipitators are the most efficient, why would you ever want to use a wet scrubber or cyclone? (Answer: It depends on the type of pollutant(s) and the industrial conditions. Wet scrubbers work better on acidic, basic or corrosive gases with high water solubility. Cyclones are best at removing solid pollutants from dust-laden gases.)
• What problems arise by having too many pollutants in the air we breathe? (Answer: The most important problems are adverse health effects.)

Have the students complete the attached Cleaning Up Worksheet – Four Methods to summarize their understanding of the various pollutant recovery methods explored in the activities.

Read the attached Clean Air Act Reading .

Explain to students that during this lesson they have only considered industrial changes and technologies for controlling air pollution. Ask for suggestions about what we can personally do to control and/or prevent the amount of air pollution that we cause? Conduct the literacy activity, What's a Kid to Do? Environmental Letter Campaign , for this lesson and/or assign the attached Clean Air Act Worksheet and Letter as homework.

baghouse: A pollutant recovery method that works very much like a giant vacuum cleaner. Heavy dirt particles fall out and are removed, and smaller particles are trapped by filters (bags) made of cloth, paper or similar materials. Particles are shaken or blown from the filters into a collection hopper.

cyclone: A pollutant recovery method in which dust-laden gas is whirled very rapidly inside a cylinder-shaped collector. Flying dust particles (as well as all matter) like to travel in straight lines unless an external force acts upon them. Because of this, pollutant particles with inertia in a cyclone tend to leave the circular path of the cyclone, collect on the wall, and then slide down the wall into a collection chamber.

electrostatic precipitator: A pollutant recovery method in which a static charge makes dirt particles stick to electrified plates (much the same way that static electricity in clothing attracts small bits of dust and lint). The dirt is knocked loose, collected and removed.

hopper: A funnel-shaped chamber in which materials are collected temporarily and later discharged through the bottom.

scrubber: A pollutant recovery method that traps solid particles and gases as they pass through a fine water mist inside the scrubber. Sometimes the mist is injected with limestone powder to help extract the dirt particles.

Pre-Lesson Assessment

Brainstorming : As a class or in small groups, have the students engage in open discussion. Remind students that in brainstorming, no idea or suggestion is "silly." All ideas should be respectfully heard. Take an uncritical position, encourage wild ideas and discourage criticism of ideas. Have them raise their hands to respond. Write their ideas on the board. Ask the students:

• How would you clean up air that is dirty with dust, particulate matter and gases?

Post-Introduction Assessment

Class Discussion : Ask the students and discuss as a class:

• Can you think of any ways that nature helps clean up the air? (Answer: Hurricanes, violent tropical storms with rain and high winds, tornadoes, raindrops/snowflakes/other precipitation remove air pollution through the water cycle, plants [especially spider plants], and mucus inside our noses traps some of the dirt and germs from the air before they reach our lungs.)
• Do you think engineers use nature as a model for the air cleaning technologies they design? (Answer: We will find out as we learn about industrial air cleaning methods.)

Lesson Summary Assessment

Drawing/Journaling : If your class conducted all four pollutant recovery method activities, have students complete the attached Cleaning Up Worksheet – Four Methods to capture their observations and summarize their understanding of the various methods. Otherwise, depending on the students' age, have them draw a picture or write in their own words a description of how the studied industrial air cleaner methods clean air. Ask for volunteers to share their descriptions with the class.

It's a problem all over the world! Imagine that you are an engineer at a meeting of great leaders from around the world. They are waiting to hear you speak about what is happening to our fresh air. You want to convince more of them to begin using the new technologies that you have just studied. What will you tell them? How will you get them to work together? Write down your ideas.

Now What? Have the students brainstorm about what to do with the pollutants that are removed from the air with the pollution recovery methods investigated in the activities of this lesson.

Clean Air Act : Have students complete the Clean Air Act Worksheet and Letter , which asks them to describe what they would include in their own "clean air act" and write a letter to the National Clean Air Coalition about what they have learned.

Lesson Extension Activities

If you have the time and ability to let the students build the models described in the Associated Activities section, consider having one group build a different model and present it to the class. Have students research the Clean Air Act. What is it? What is the goal? When was it started? Have students compare the U.S. to other countries in its air quality and regulations for controlling air quality.

Assign students some of the lesson concepts to research on the Internet. Lead a small discussion of the findings during the next class period.

Students are introduced to the concepts of air pollution and technologies that engineers have developed to reduce air pollution. They develop an understanding of visible air pollutants with an incomplete combustion demonstration, a "smog in a jar" demonstration, construction of simple particulate ma...

Students learn what causes air pollution and how to investigate the different pollutants that exist, such as toxic gases and particulate matter. They investigate the technologies developed by engineers to reduce air pollution.

Students observe and discuss a simple model of a wet scrubber to understand how this pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.

Students observe and discuss a simple balloon model of an electrostatic precipitator to better understand how this pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.

Air Pollution Control. The Chemical Engineer's Resource Page, Midlothian, VA. Accessed November 27, 2004. (Description of cyclone, scrubber and electrostatic precipitator air pollution control methods.) http://www.cheresources.com/pollcontrolzz.shtml

Markle, Sandra. The Kids' Earth Handbook. Atheneum, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1991.

Mock, Lyn. Air Pollution Control. Last updated August 2, 2004. Lesson Plans for Teachers, TCEQ, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. Accessed September 18, 2006. Originally found at: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/assets/public/assistance/education/air/air_pollution_control.pdf

Section 6 Particulate Matter Controls, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Last accessed August 22, 2020. https://www3.epa.gov/ttn/catc/dir1/cs6ch1.pdf

Contributors

Supporting program, acknowledgements.

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0338326. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: December 11, 2020

• Biology Article

Air Pollution Control

Air pollution & its control, air pollution definition.

“Air Pollution is the release of pollutants such as gases, particles, biological molecules, etc. into the air that is harmful to human health and the environment.”

Air Pollution Diagram

Table of Contents

What is Air Pollution?

Types of air pollutants, primary pollutants, secondary pollutants, causes of air pollution.

Air pollution refers to any physical, chemical or biological change in the air. It is the contamination of air by harmful gases, dust and smoke which affects plants, animals and humans drastically.

There is a certain percentage of gases present in the atmosphere. An increase or decrease in the composition of these gases is harmful to survival. This imbalance in the gaseous composition has resulted in an increase in earth’s temperature, which is known as global warming.

There are two types of air pollutants:

The pollutants that directly cause air pollution are known as primary pollutants. Sulphur-dioxide emitted from factories is a primary pollutant.

The pollutants formed by the intermingling and reaction of primary pollutants are known as secondary pollutants. Smog, formed by the intermingling of smoke and fog, is a secondary pollutant.

Also Read:  Water Pollution

Following are the important causes of air pollution:

Burning of Fossil Fuels

The combustion of fossil fuels emits a large amount of sulphur dioxide. Carbon monoxide released by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels also results in air pollution.

Automobiles

The gases emitted from vehicles such as jeeps, trucks, cars, buses, etc. pollute the environment. These are the major sources of greenhouse gases and also result in diseases among individuals.

Agricultural Activities

Ammonia is one of the most hazardous gases emitted during agricultural activities. The insecticides, pesticides and fertilisers emit harmful chemicals in the atmosphere and contaminate it.

Factories and Industries

Factories and industries are the main source of carbon monoxide, organic compounds, hydrocarbons and chemicals. These are released into the air, degrading its quality.

Mining Activities

In the mining process, the minerals below the earth are extracted using large pieces of equipment. The dust and chemicals released during the process not only pollute the air, but also deteriorate the health of the workers and people living in the nearby areas.

Domestic Sources

The household cleaning products and paints contain toxic chemicals that are released in the air. The smell from the newly painted walls is the smell of the chemicals present in the paints. It not only pollutes the air but also affects breathing.

Effects of Air Pollution

The hazardous effects of air pollution on the environment include:

Air pollution has resulted in several respiratory disorders and heart diseases among humans. The cases of lung cancer have increased in the last few decades. Children living near polluted areas are more prone to pneumonia and asthma. Many people die every year due to the direct or indirect effects of air pollution.

Global Warming

Due to the emission of greenhouse gases, there is an imbalance in the gaseous composition of the air. This has led to an increase in the temperature of the earth. This increase in earth’s temperature is known as global warming . This has resulted in the melting of glaciers and an increase in sea levels. Many areas are submerged underwater.

The burning of fossil fuels releases harmful gases such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides in the air. The water droplets combine with these pollutants, become acidic and fall as acid rain which damages human, animal and plant life.

Ozone Layer Depletion

The release of chlorofluorocarbons, halons, and hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere is the major cause of depletion of the ozone layer. The depleting ozone layer does not prevent the harmful ultraviolet rays coming from the sun and causes skin diseases and eye problems among individuals. Also Read:  Ozone Layer Depletion

Effect on Animals

The air pollutants suspend in the water bodies and affect aquatic life. Pollution also compels the animals to leave their habitat and shift to a new place. This renders them stray and has also led to the extinction of a large number of animal species.

Following are the measures one should adopt, to control air pollution:

Avoid Using Vehicles

People should avoid using vehicles for shorter distances. Rather, they should prefer public modes of transport to travel from one place to another. This not only prevents pollution, but also conserves energy.

Energy Conservation

A large number of fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity. Therefore, do not forget to switch off the electrical appliances when not in use. Thus, you can save the environment at the individual level. Use of energy-efficient devices such as CFLs also controls pollution to a greater level.

Use of Clean Energy Resources

The use of solar, wind and geothermal energies reduce air pollution at a larger level. Various countries, including India, have implemented the use of these resources as a step towards a cleaner environment.

Other air pollution control measures include:

• By minimising and reducing the use of fire and fire products.
• Since industrial emissions are one of the major causes of air pollution, the pollutants can be controlled or treated at the source itself to reduce its effects. For example, if the reactions of a certain raw material yield a pollutant, then the raw materials can be substituted with other less polluting materials.
• Fuel substitution is another way of controlling air pollution. In many parts of India, petrol and diesel are being replaced by CNG – Compressed Natural Gas fueled vehicles. These are mostly adopted by vehicles that aren’t fully operating with ideal emission engines.
• Although there are many practices in India, which focus on repairing the quality of air, most of them are either forgotten or not being enforced properly. There are still a lot of vehicles on roads which haven’t been tested for vehicle emissions.
• Another way of controlling air pollution caused by industries is to modify and maintain existing pieces of equipment so that the emission of pollutants is minimised.
• Sometimes controlling pollutants at the source is not possible. In that case, we can have process control equipment to control the pollution.
• A very effective way of controlling air pollution is by diluting the air pollutants.
• The last and the best way of reducing the ill effects of air pollution is tree plantation. Plants and trees reduce a large number of pollutants in the air. Ideally, planting trees in areas of high pollution levels will be extremely effective.

Frequently Asked Questions

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