POLLUTION
DEFINITION
Pollution is the effect of undesirable changes in
our surroundings that have harmful effects on plants
animals and human beings.
(Pollutants
–solid,
liquid
or
gaseous
substances).
CLASSIFICATION OF POLLUTANTS
Degradable or non persistent pollutants (Eg.food waste
vegelables etc.
Slowly –degradable or persistent pollutants
(Eg. Plastics)
Non –degradable pollutants (Eg.nuclear waste)
CAUSES, EFFECTS AND CONTROL MEASURES OF POLLUTION
1. AIR POLLUTION
WHAT IS AIR POLLUTION?
Air pollution occurs due to the presence of undesirable solid or
gaseous particles in the air, in quantities that are harmful to human
health and the environment.
TYPES OF POLLUTANTS
Primary pollutants
Secondary pollutants
EFFECTS ON HUMAN BEINGS







Lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema
Exposure to air containing 0.001% of co lead to collapse
come and death
Oxygen carrying capacity of blood
Impairs perception and thinking, head ache etc
Sulphur, nitrogen oxides irritates respiratory system
Suspended particles aggravates RTI
Many volatile organic compounds (eg. formaldehyde)
and toxic particulates (eg. lead) can cause mutations,
reproductive problems or cancer.
EFFECTS ON PLANTS
• Damage trees from diseases, pests, drought, frost
EFFECTS ON MATERIALS
• Break down the exterior paint
• Discolor irreplaceable monuments, statues, beauty sites etc (finance
loss)
EFFECTS ON THE STRATOSPHERE
• Destruction of the ozone layer (ozone hole)
IMPLICATIONS FOR MANKIND
• Effects on human health
• Food production
• Plant and animal planktons damage
• Effect on materials
• Effect on climate
CONTROL MEASURES
 Natural
measures (Rain, wind)
 Engineering measures (Substitutics,
dispension higher smoke-stacks
 Educational measures (legal, inter-national
measures)
2. WATER POLLUTION
CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION
Surface water pollution
 Disease causing agents
 Oxygen –depleting wastes
 Inorganic plant nutrients (eg. water soluble nitrates and
phosphates)
 Water soluble inorganic chemicals
 Variety of organic chemicals
 Sediment of suspended matter
 Water soluble radio active isotopes
 Hot water released by power plants and industries
 Oil pollution
GROUND WATER POLLUTION
 Urban run-off of untreated or poorly treated waste water
and garbage
 Industrial wastes
 Agricultural practices
 Leaks from underground storage pipes and tanks
 Leachate from land fills
 Poorly-designed and inadequately maintained septic
tanks
 Mining wastes
EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION
 Water borne diseases
 Chemical poisoning
CONTROL MEASURES
 Setting up treatment plants
 Root zone process
3. SOIL POLLUTION
SOIL PROFILE
o Top layer or the surface litter layer called O-horizon
o The uppermost layer, the A –horizon
o The subsoil layer, the B –horizon
o Below the subsoil, the C –horizon
CAUSES OF SOIL DEGRADATION
o Erosion
o Excess use of fertilizers
o Excess salts and water
EFFECTS
Less fertile
 Water holding capacity
 Turbidity leading to the loss of aquatic life
 Effect of half life
 Salination and water logging

CONTROL MEASURES
To prevent soil erosion
 Area treatment
 Drainage –line treatment
 Adopting sustainable forming practices

4. MARINE POLLUTION
DEFINITION
•
Marine pollution can be defined as the introduction of
substances to the marine environment directly or
indirectly by man resulting in adverse effect.
CAUSES
Discharging wastes into the sea
• Washed off pesticides and fertilizers from the land
• Petroleum and oils washed off from the roads
• Ship accidents and accidental spillages at sea
• Off share oil exploration and extraction
•
CONTROL MEASURES

Sewage treatment plant
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Primary treatment
Secondary treatment
Advanced sewage treatment
For oil pollution –use of chemical dispersants
EFFECTS
Development of red tides
Oil slicks damage marine life, affect fish, shall
fish production
 Reduces the market value of sea food.


5. NOISE POLLUTION
SOURCES OR NOISE POLLUTION
Indoor noise pollution
• Outdoor noise pollution
•
EFFECTS
•
•
•
Temporary or permanent hearing loss
Emotional or psychological effects
Increased rate of accidents
CONTROL MEASURES
•
•
•
•
Reduce noise at the source
Block the path of noise
Increase the path-length
Protect the recipient
6.THERMAL POLLUTION
DEFINITION
• Definition –Discharge of warm water into a river is
usually called thermal pollution
CAUSES
• Discharge of heated water by the industries
EFFECTS
• Decreases the solubility of oxygen
• Changes the ecological balance of the river
• Promote the growth of certain fish and the fish catch
•
may be high in the vicinity of a power plant
Change in the diversity of fauna
CONTROL MEASURES
 Passing the heated water through a cooling pond or tower
7. NUCLEAR HAZARDS
CAUSES
 Leakage from nuclear power unit
 Explosion of atom bombs
 Testing of nuclear product
EFFECT
 Genetic anomalies
 Mutation leading to cancer
8. SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT –CAUSES EFFECTS
AND CONTROL MEASURES OF URBAN AND
INDUSTRIAL WASTE.
CLASSIFICATION


Municipal solid waste
Hazardous wastes
CONTROL MEASURES OF URBAN WASTES
Source reduction
 Recycling
 Disposal

Vermicomposting
HAZARDOUS WASTES
Toxic waste
• Reactive waste
• Ignitable waste
• Corrosive wastes
• Infectious wastes
• Radioactive wastes
•
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND HEALTH RISKS
Contamination of ground water
• Affects aquatic life, birds life and human life
•
9. ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE
PREVENTION OF POLLUTION
 Plant
trees wherever you can and more
importantly take care of them. They
reduce air pollution
 Reduce the use of wood and paper
products wherever possible
 Reuse as many envelopes as you can
 Do not buy furniture, doors or window
frames made from tropical hardwoods
Contd…
 Use
pesticides only when absolutely
necessary and use them in small amounts.
 Advocate organic farming
 Reduce the use of fossil fuels
 Buy consumer goods that last.
 Try to avoid asking for plastic carry bags
Contd…
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Recycle all newspaper, glass, aluminum and
other items accepted for recycling
Set up a compost bin in your garden or terrace
Start individual or community composting or
vermicomposting plants
Do not litter the roads and surrounding
You could join any of the several NGOs that
exist in our country or become volunteers.
Contd…
 Learn
about the biodiversity of your own
area
 You cannot improve your world by not
voting.
 Do not get discouraged at the first sign of
trouble
 When talking to elected officials always be
courteous and reasonable.
10. Disaster management: floods,
earthquakes, cyclones landslide
GUIDELINES FOR AN EFFECTIVE MITIGATION PROGRAM
Pro-disaster mitigation
 Mitigation measures must ensure protection of
the natural and cultural assets of the community
 Hazard reduction methods
 Any mitigation program must ensure an effective
partnership between Government private
sectors, NGOs, scientific and the community

ELEMENTS OF A MITIGATION STRATEGY
Risk assessment and vulnerability analysis
 Incentives and resources for mitigation
 Applied research and technology transfer
 Public awareness and training
 Institutional mechanisms
 Land use planning and regulations
 Hazard resistant design and construction
 Structural and constructional reinforcement of
existing buildings

FLOODS AND MITIGATION MEASURES STRUCTURAL MEASURES
 Reservoirs flow to be regulated
 Construction of embankments and floodwalls
 Improve flow conditions in the channel and anti-erosion
measures
 Improved drainage.
Non-structural measures
 Flood –plain management
 Maintaining wetlands
 Flood forecasting and warning services
 Disaster relief, flood fighting and public health measures
 Flood insurance
EARTHQUAKES AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Role of NGOs
CYCLONES AND MITIGATION MEASURES
Installation of early warning systems
 Developing communication infrastructure
 Developing shelter belts
 Developing community cyclone shelters
 Construction of permanent houses
 Training and education
 Land use control and settlement planning

LAND SLIDES AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Developmental
programs
that
involve
modification of the topography exploitation of
natural resources
preventive measures for further landslides are
drainage measures, erosion –control measures
rock fall control measures
preventing deforestation

improving afforestation
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