What are the different types of pollution? Pollution occurs in several different forms. It has become a major environmental issue all across the globe. Any unwelcome and disagreeable change in the air, land, soil, water, etc. contributes towards pollution. All these changes can be in the form of chemical, biological or physical changes. The medium that causes pollution is referred to as pollutants. There are several laws enacted to curb pollution in the world. In India, the law made to safeguard the environment and enhance its quality is the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Let us take a look at the different types of pollution in detail: Air Pollution When the entire atmosphere gets filled up with harmful toxic gases that are released due to economic and industrial activities, then it leads to pollution of the air and the whole atmosphere. This leads to air pollution. Water Pollution This is another major form of pollution that is very destructive for the nature. As we all know that natural sources of water are getting depleted day by day and this has made water a rare commodity. Unfortunately, even in these critical times, these remaining water sources are getting contaminated by impurities from several sources (like industrial waste, garbage disposal etc.), that makes them inappropriate for human consumption. Garbage Pollution When people don’t obey to proper mechanisms of waste disposal, then it results in accumulation of waste. This in turn causes garbage pollution. The only means to address this problem is to make sure a proper system for waste disposal is present that doesn’t cause contamination to the environment. Noise pollution The common reasons behind noise pollution is the sound that comes from industry, planes, and other sources that reaches beyond permissible limits. There is a direct link between health and noise that includes high blood pressure, stress-related ailments, hearing loss and speech interference. How does Air Pollution deteriorate our environment? Air pollution is one of the major types of pollution that adversely impact our environment. The damages that it does to the environment cause a lot of harm not just to the human beings, but also to plants and animals. Let us look at some of the adverse impact of air pollution. Soot and smog Both of them are the highly prevalent forms of air pollution. Smog is also popularly called as ground-level ozone, that occurs due to emissions from burning fossil fuels. Soot, also called as particulate matter, is made using smaller particles of chemicals, smoke, soil, allergens and dust, in solids or gas form. They are carried via the air, that leads to air pollution. The basic sources of soot and smog are almost the same. Both of them come from trucks, cars power plants, factories, engines and incinerators. All these things burn fossil fuels like gas, natural gas and coal. The smallest airborne particles present in soot whether in the form of solids or gas is dangerous as they can sink into the blood and lungs and worsen the condition of bronchitis. This can result in occurrence of heart attacks, and also even result in death too. Smog can cause irritation to the throat and eyes and can even cause damage to the lungs of those who exercise or work outside, senior citizens and children. It is also bad for those people who have got allergies and asthma. These pollutants intensify the symptoms and triggers asthma bouts. Hazardous pollutants These pollutants are deadly in nature or can have acute health problems even in tiny quantities. Some of the commonest forms are lead, mercury, benzene and dioxins. Hazardous pollutants are generally emitted during combustion of gas and coal, cremating, or due to benzene present in gasoline. Benzene, is put under the category of a carcinogen that has the potential to cause irritation in skin, lung and eye. Prolonged exposure to it can even result in blood disorders in a person. Dioxins are commonly present in food, but are also available in tiny quantities in the air. Its presence can impact the health of the liver in a short term. Dioxins can also cause harm to the entire immune system, nervous system, reproductive system and endocrine system in the body. Lead when present in large quantities can cause damage to the kidneys and brains of the children. Its small amount also impacts the IQ and learning ability of a children. Mercury has been seen to adversely impact the nervous system of a person. Greenhouse gases Greenhouse gases works by trapping the heat of the earth in the atmosphere. These gases results in a warmer temperature. The various changes in the climate such as increasing sea levels, extreme weather, increasing spread of infectious ailments and heat-related deaths are due to greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide is one of the commonest sources of emissions of greenhouse gas. The second most common cause for it is methane gas. Where carbon dioxide is produced due to burning of fossil fuels, production of methane is due to industrial and natural sources that includes release of large amounts of gas at the time of gas and oil drilling.
