Air pollution can also cause worsening of existing heart problems, asthma, and other lung complications. Like humans, animals can suffer from a number of health problems due to air pollution, including birth defects, reproductive failure, and diseases. Air pollution causes a number of environmental effects in addition to the effects on humans and animals.
Acid rain contains high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids that are created by oxides and sulfur oxides released into the air by the burning of fossil fuels.
Acid rain damages trees and acidifies soils and water bodies, making the water too acidic for fish and other aquatic life. Nitrogen oxides released into the air by the burning of fossil fuels also contribute to the nitrogen responsible for toxic algae blooms. The release of man-made compounds including hydrochlorofluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons, and halons formerly used as coolants, foaming agents, pesticides, solvents, aerosol propellants, and fire-extinguishers are depleting the ozone.
The ozone layer in the stratosphere forms a protective layer that reflects harmful ultraviolet rays back into space that would otherwise destroy animal and plant life. The effects of water pollution depend on which chemicals are being dumped where. Bodies of water that are near urbanized areas tend to be heavily polluted by dumbing of garbage and chemicals, both legally and illegally, by industrial plants, health centers, and individuals. By far the biggest consequence of water pollution is the death of aquatic creatures, which can disrupt the entire food chain.
Pollutants such as cadmium, mercury, and lead are eaten by tiny aquatic organisms that are then eaten by fish and shell fish, becoming more concentrated with each step up the food chain and causing serious problems in humans and wildlife.
Nutrient pollution can cause toxic algal blooms in drinking water sources that create toxins that kill fish and other aquatic animals. Direct exposure to this toxic alga causes serious health problems in humans including neurological effects, respiratory problems, stomach and liver illness, and rashes. A consequential problem is created when disinfectants used to treat drinking water reach water polluted with toxic algae, they react creating dioxins.
Dioxins are extremely harmful chemical compounds that have been linked with reproductive and development problems, and even cancer. Nitrates, caused by fertilizers, also contaminate drinking water and according to the Environmental Protection Agency , babies who consume water that is high in nitrates can become seriously ill with blue-baby syndrome, which causes shortness of breath and blue-tinted skin, and can lead to death if not treated early.
Land and soil pollution has substantial consequences for humans, animals, microorganisms and aquatic life. Contaminated land and soil can cause various problems on the skin, respiratory problems, and even different kinds of cancers. Open burning of garbage is much more harmful to your health and the environment than one may think. Exposure to open burning of garbage waste can pose serious health risk including cancer, liver issues, impairment of immune system, reproductive functions; can also affect the developing nervous system.
With the rise of population in the city, construction and demolition is a part of the ever going development phase of the national capital. Several construction sites and raw materials such as bricks and concrete cause haze and foul air which is hazardous for the people especially, children and elderly citizens.
Agricultural activities have had a serious impact on the decreasing air quality. To begin with pesticides and fertilizers are the main source to contaminate the surrounding air.
Nowadays, pesticides and fertilizers are mixed with new invasive species which are not found in nature, for quick growth of the crops and vegetation. Once they are sprayed over, the smell and the effect of the pesticides are left in the air. Some mix with water and some seeps into the ground which not only destroys the crops but also causes numerous health-related issues.
Talking about air pollution, we always consider outdoor air pollution dangerous for our lives but never talk about indoor air pollution. A massive landfill near Quezon City, Philippines, was the site of a land pollution tragedy in 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 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 herbivore s that eat the plants also become contaminated. So do the predator s 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. The trash is dangerous to ocean life and reduces economic activity in the area. Some cities incinerate , or burn, their garbage. Incinerating trash gets rid of it, but it can release dangerous heavy metal s 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 agribusiness es 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 fine d 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 countries. Still, many gains have been made. In , the Cuyahoga River, in the U. The fire helped spur the Clean Water Act of 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. 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.
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? 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. Acids can corrode some natural materials.
Acids have pH levels lower than 7. Acid rain can be manmade or occur naturally. When released through a small opening, the liquid becomes a spray or foam. Also called cyanobacteria and in freshwater habitats pond scum. Carbon dioxide is also the byproduct of burning fossil fuels.
It can be toxic to humans. Some CFCs have destructive effects on the ozone layer. Also called blue-green algae even though it is not algae and in freshwater habitats pond scum. The Earth is the only place in the known universe that supports life. Nobel Prizes are awarded in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. Ocean acidification threatens corals and shellfish.
Also known as petroleum or crude oil. Pesticides can be fungicides which kill harmful fungi , insecticides which kill harmful insects , herbicides which kill harmful plants , or rodenticides which kill harmful rodents. Regions are the basic units of geography. Sea level is determined by measurements taken over a year cycle. Storm drains flow into local creeks, rivers, or seas. Ultraviolet is often shortened to UV.
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They will best know the preferred format. According to the EPA , the greenhouse effect is when gases absorb the infrared radiation that is released from the Earth, preventing the heat from escaping.
This is a natural process that keeps our atmosphere warm. If too many gases are introduced into the atmosphere, though, more heat is trapped and this can make the planet artificially warm, according to Columbia University. Air pollution kills more than 2 million people each year, according to a study published in the journal of Environmental Research Letters. The effects of air pollution on human health can vary widely depending on the pollutant, according to Hugh Sealy, professor and director of the environmental and occupational health track at the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, St.
George's University, St. George's, Grenada. If the pollutant is highly toxic, the effects on health can be widespread and severe.
For example, the release of methyl isocyanate gas at Union Carbide plant in Bhopal in killed over 2, people, and over , suffered respiratory problems. An irritant e. The air pollutant may be carcinogenic e. Other air pollutants like carbon dioxide have an indirect impact on human health through climate change," Sealy told Live Science. Even though humans can't see or smell noise pollution, it still affects the environment.
Noise pollution happens when the sound coming from planes, industry or other sources reaches harmful levels. Research has shown that there are direct links between noise and health, including stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure , speech interference, hearing loss.
For example, a study bythe WHO Noise Environmental Burden on Disease working group found that noise pollution may contribute to hundreds of thousands of deaths per year by increasing the rates of coronary heart disease.
Underwater noise pollution coming from ships has been shown to upset whales ' navigation systems and kill other species that depend on the natural underwater world. Noise also makes wild species communicate louder, which can shorten their lifespan.
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