Factors that causes water pollution in the industrial world.
Researchers have found many factors which cause water pollution in the industrial world.
According to Cheevaporn and Menasveta (2003), they found that untreated domestic waste is
lead to water pollution. Based on the study of Cheevaporn and Menasveta (2003), 60-70% of
domestic waste was discharged to the Chao Phrya River and eventually to the Gulf of Thailand.
They also provide information about the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) load from the
major coastal zone of Thailand from their case study. The untreated wastes are discharged
directly or indirectly into rivers or sea which causing high BOD values and bacterial
contamination close to populated and industrialized areas. This factor considered to be the most
serious problem due to the limited waste water treatment facilities in the area which are not
enough.
In the other hand, a case study of the surface water and ground water quality in the Wuwei basin
were done by Ma, Ding, Wei, Zhao, and Huang (2009) in order to understand the sources of
water pollution and the evolution of water quality in Shiyang River. Based on the case study the
concentrations of major chemical elements in the surface water were related to the distance
downstream from the source of the river with surface water in the upstream reaches of good
quality, but the river from Wuwei city to the Hongya reservoir was seriously polluted, with a
synthetic pollution index of 25. The study of Cheevaporn and Menasveta (2003) had provide
similar suggestion to the findings of Ma, Ding, Wei, Zhao, and Huang (2009) which is trace
metals contamination brings the water pollution to serious problem. Furthermore, there is a lack
of public consciousness for the need for environmental protection and a corresponding lack of
legal structures to promote this protection because water resources development and
management have been disorganized.
Likewise, urban drainage is identified as the factor that causes water pollution. This is supported
by the study of Marsden and Mackay (2001). Metals and oils from roads and industrial yards
contaminate the drainage from streets, yards and roof in urban areas. The study of Marsden and
Mackay (2001) is similar to the Ma, Ding, Wei, Zhao, and Huang (2009). However, there are
other factors that cause water pollution in the industrial world. Therefore, this problem should be
solving as could as we can.
The effects of water pollution caused by the industrial world.
Industrials waste products that has been controlled inefficiently directly cause the pollution of
water occurs and become a serious problem when this issue poses lots of bad effects to the
human and environment. According to Butt, Sharif and Bajwa (2005), sewages from the
industrial world nowadays has disposed to the nearest river or lakes which were frequently
happened in Pakistan, an agro based country belief to be the factor that contributes to the various
kinds of diseases. A survey was conducted around Haroonabad and found that a community that
exposed to the contaminated water has highest probability to suffer from diarrhoea diseases and
hookworm as they work manually and barefooted in the fields. Reddy and Behera (2006) has
conducted an intensive study in three industrial regions has reported that the villagers that
exposed to the polluted water has been suffered from water-borne diseases such as skin infection,
teeth corrosion and defective vision. Meanwhile, for the people who dids not drink the polluted
water also affected by serious diseases when they get exposed directly to the contaminated water
while working in the farm, taking bath and washing clothes. The above studied also similar to the
statement in Wang, Webber, Finlayson and Barnett (2008) that stated, over half of the China
communities drank polluted water that contaminated with various kinds of chemical and
biological wastes and end up with raised of cancer problem.
In India, Reddy and Behera (2006) has reported that agricultural sector was the worst affected by
water pollution. One of the study regions has proved that the land has become unproductive by
soil pollution result from the polluted water that they used to fertile their crops. Water pollution
also caused the damaged of agricultural machinery such as pump sets that contact with water
directly and caused corrosions. Because of these problems, enormous costs were needed in order
to repair or buy new equipments. Butt, et al. (2005), has stated that direct application on
vegetables and crops was one of the basic disposals of sewages in Pakistan. Their study has
proved that heavy metal that contain in the polluted water can cause deterioration of soil and
became toxic to plants as well. Indirectly, the consumers can suffer from renal system damaging,
mental retardation and diarrhea effects from the heavy metal in water.
Unfortunately, because of the water pollution, animals were easily got affected as they need to
drink water and graze on contaminated grasses to survive. Butt, et al. (2005), also has stated that,
heavy metal that accrue in the various food part of the crops can guide to clinical problems in
animals. Similarly, this case was happening almost five years in a village that used to study by
the researchers Reddy and Behera (2006). They observed that the livestock have been suffering
from serious diseases since they forced to depend on the polluted water and nibble on
contaminated grass or grazing fields as the village was lacked of water supplies. Moreover, cows
have become a burden for the owner since they have lost their reproductive capacity and
produced low class of milk and manure. Because of this serious problem, the villagers were
forced to sell their cattle at very low prices.
In conclusion, the above studies may prove that water pollution has caused lots of bad effects not
to human solely, but also to other living things. Sadly, all of the studies mentioned above did not
come out with the effect of water pollution on non-living things such as buildings, highways and
bridges. In addition, people should be aware that enormous costs of damaged and treatment
would be rise year by year if this water pollution problem does not come to the end. For
example, In China, US$3.9 billion have been spent annually just for the impact on health Wang,
et al. (2008). As a result, it showed that water pollution is a serious problem that people in all
over the world should not take lightly.
The solutions of water pollution caused by the industrial world.
Researchers have accepted that environmental education is one of the effective ways to solve the
water pollution that cause by the industrial world according to Skanavis and Sarri (2002) with
reference to the solution of the water pollution that cause by the waste from the industry
activities suggested by Sangodoyin (1995) as well as Chukwuma (1998). According to the study
of Sangodoyin (1995) in Nigeria on the characteristic of the sewage from different type of
industries which bring about the water pollution, one of the suggestions of the study is to offer a
education constantly to the industrial manager such as the talk and workshop. With that, the
members of the industry are more familiar to the arrangement of the effluent of the industry.
Besides that, this also can improve the awareness of the workers to the water pollution. The
study of Chukwuma (1998) had provide similar suggestion to the findings of Sangodoyin (1995).
The study of Chukwuma (1998) was about the effect of the chemical element to the environment.
The study suggested that education can bring a good impact to the water pollution which is
similar to the suggestion of the study of Sangodoyin( 1995). However, the education means by
Chukwuma (1998) is give the environmental education to the skilled bodies as well as the
community. This also means that the level of the awareness is increase to the public since there
are participation from the public.
A research conducted by Skanavis and Sarri (2002) to investigate the require of the
environmental awareness of the community with the aim of solve the environment issue which
included the water pollution cause by the industrial. The research is conducted in Cyprus which
is a developing country. According to the research, environmental education is the effective way
to increase the awareness among the citizen and this is also similar to the recommendation of
Sangodoyin( 1995) as well as Chukwuma (1998). In contrast, the environmental education that
mentioned by Skanavis and Sarri can be formal and non-formal. The non-formal environmental
education also not bound by age, sex, social systems. With that, the participation of the public on
the environment issue will increase and start in the early age.
In a nutshell, environmental education is an effective way to create the environmental awareness
among the society as well as solve the water pollution cause by sewage form industrial.
However, the weakness of the environmental education is it takes a long process to achieve the
target. Therefore, the enforcement of the pre-treatment plant installation by the regulatory bodies
to the industries is vital to avoid the untreated waste water flow to the drainage system. This is
supported by the study of Sangodoyin (1995). At last, more researches should be conducted to
solve the water pollution issues.
References:
Butt, M. S., Sharif, K., Bajwa, B. E. & Aziz, A. (2005). Hazardous effects of sewage water on
environment: Focus on heavy metals and chemical composition of soil and vegetables.
Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 16(4), 338-346.
Cheevaporn, V. & Menasveta, P. (2003). Water pollution and habitat degradation in the Gulf of
Thailand. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 47, 43-51.
Chukwuma, C.Sr. (1998). Environmental issues and our chemical world - the need for a
multidimensional approach in environmental safety, health and management.
Environmental Management and Health, 9(3), 136-143.
Ma, Z., Ding, Z., Wei, G., Zhao, H. & Huang, T. (2009). Sources of water pollution and
evolution of water quality in the Wuwei basin of Shiyang river, Northest China. Journal
of Environmental Management, 90, 1168-1177.
Marsden, M.W. & Mackay, D.W. (2001). Water quality in Scotland: The view of the regulator.
The Science of the Total Environment, 265, 369-386.
Reddy, V. R. & Bahera, B. (2006). Impact of water pollution on rural communities: An
economic analysis. Ecological Economics, 58, 520– 537.
Sangodoyin, A.Y.(1995). Characteristics and control of industrial effluent-generated pollution.
Environmental Management and Health, 6(4), 15-18.
Skanavis, C., & Sarri,E. (2002). The role of environmental education as a tool for environmental
management in Cyprus: Strategies and activities. Environmental Management and
Health, 13(5), 529-544. doi: 10.1108/09566160210441816
Wang, M., Webber, M., Finlayson, B. & Barnett, J. (2008). Rural industries and water pollution
in China. Journal of Environmental Management, 86, 648–659.
By:
1) Wong Chee Wei AE09004
2) Phillisca Prima Anak Adan AE09019
3) Nurul'Ain Binti Othman AE09014