How Pollution Can Be Disintegrated And Destroyed

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials, or pollutants, into the environment. These pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash, or the result of human activity, such as trash or runoff from factories. While pollution can take many forms, the three major types are air, water, and land pollution. One of the most pressing issues within the topic of pollution is plastic pollution, which is threatening wildlife and the environment. Plastic pollution is caused by the fact that plastic is not biodegradable and can take hundreds of years to disintegrate. However, there are ongoing efforts to combat this issue, such as the development of enzymes that can break down plastic.

Plastic pollution

The longevity of plastic in the ocean is a significant concern. Plastic items can take hundreds of years to degrade, with plastic bottles, for instance, taking 450 years to break down. Fishing line, disposable diapers, and plastic shopping bags have similar degradation times.

Efforts to combat plastic pollution include the creation of mutant enzymes that can break down plastics, as well as global initiatives such as the UN resolution to end plastic pollution in the sea. Additionally, some governments have taken steps to limit or ban plastic bags, with California passing legislation to ban them by 2026.

Air pollution

In the United States, the Clean Air Act, established in 1970, authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate emissions and work towards reducing air pollution and its associated damage. While progress has been made, air pollution continues to pose challenges and harm people's health and the environment.

Water pollution

The agricultural sector is the biggest consumer of global freshwater resources and a serious water polluter. Agriculture is the leading cause of water degradation in many parts of the world. Fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from farms wash nutrients and pathogens into waterways when it rains. Nutrient pollution, caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus, is the number-one threat to water quality worldwide and can cause harmful algal blooms.

Sewage and wastewater are also significant contributors to water pollution. More than 80% of the world's wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused. In the United States alone, wastewater treatment facilities process about 34 billion gallons of wastewater per day. However, ageing sewage treatment systems also release more than 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater each year.

Radioactive substances, such as those generated by uranium mining, nuclear power plants, and military weapons production, are another source of water pollution. Radioactive waste can persist in the environment for thousands of years, making disposal a major challenge.

To address water pollution, it is essential to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and nutrients on crops, properly treat wastewater, and restrict the use of single-use plastics. By implementing these measures, we can protect our water sources and mitigate the harmful effects of water pollution on human health and the environment.

Land pollution

The main causes of land pollution include litter, waste, urbanization, construction, mining, extraction, and agriculture.

Littering and Waste

Littering, or the improper disposal of waste products, is a common cause of land pollution. According to a study by Litter in America, litter cleanup costs the U.S. more than an estimated $11.5 billion each year. Illegal dumping also contributes to land pollution, as people often dump waste in forests, open fields, and ditches instead of approved dumping areas. Even when waste is thrown into a trash can and picked up by a garbage truck, it usually ends up in a landfill, which, if not properly managed, can contribute to land pollution.

Urbanization and Construction

Large populations living in dense areas and producing trash and litter inevitably lead to land pollution. Construction activities to accommodate increasing populations also generate large waste materials, such as metal, plastic, wood, and bricks, which, if not properly disposed of, contribute to land pollution.

Mining and Extraction

Mining is the extraction of minerals and other geological materials from the ground, which depletes the Earth's natural resources and causes damage and land pollution. It often damages the surrounding area's natural ecosystems, alters the landscape, destroys natural habitats for wildlife, and reduces biodiversity. Acid mine drainage (AMD), a method used in coal mining, creates sulfuric acid when it reacts with the surrounding rocks and sand. Sulfuric acid is toxic to humans, plants, and wildlife.

Agriculture

Agricultural pollution occurs when contamination from raising livestock and growing food crops is released into the environment. Major contributors to agricultural-related land pollution include runoff from pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, and animal waste. Unsustainable farming practices such as intensive cultivation and overgrazing can strip the land of its natural nutrients, leaving it no longer viable for future crops.

Light and noise pollution

Light pollution is the human-made alteration of outdoor light levels from those occurring naturally. It is the presence of any unwanted, inappropriate, or excessive artificial lighting. Light pollution can be understood not only as a phenomenon resulting from a specific source but also as a contributor to the wider, collective impact of various sources of pollution. It is a major side effect of urbanisation, and about 83% of the world's population lives under light-polluted skies.

Light pollution can be categorised into:

• Light trespass: unwanted light entering one's property.
• Over-illumination: the excessive and unnecessary use of light.
• Glare: excessive brightness that causes visual discomfort.
• Sky glow: the brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas.
• Light clutter: bright, confusing, and excessive groupings of light sources.

Light pollution can be reduced by:

• Using light fixtures that limit the amount of light emitted.
• Adjusting the type of lights used, so the light waves emitted are less likely to cause severe light pollution problems.
• Evaluating and re-designing lighting plans.
• Improving lighting fixtures, for example, by using full cutoff lighting fixtures.

Noise pollution, or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise or sound with potentially harmful effects on humans and animals. Sources of outdoor noise worldwide are mainly caused by machines, transport, and propagation systems. Poor urban planning can also give rise to noise pollution, for example, having industrial and residential buildings side by side.

Noise pollution can be measured in terms of pressure, intensity, and frequency:

• Sound pressure level (SPL) represents the amount of pressure relative to atmospheric pressure during sound wave propagation.
• Sound intensity, measured in Watts per meter squared, represents the flow of sound over a particular area.
• Frequency, or pitch, is measured in Hertz (Hz) and reflects the number of sound waves propagated through the air per second.

Noise pollution has been linked to various adverse health effects, including:

• Stress-related illnesses.
• High blood pressure.
• Speech interference.
• Hearing loss.
• Sleep disruption.
• Lost productivity.
• Cardiovascular disorders.
• Hypertension.
• High-stress levels.
• Tinnitus.
• Cognitive decline.

Noise pollution can also have negative impacts on wildlife, for example, by interfering with communication, reproduction, and navigation. It can also increase the risk of death by altering predator or prey detection and avoidance.

To reduce noise pollution, strategies such as urban planning, road design, noise barriers, and speed limitations can be implemented. Individuals can also protect themselves by using hearing protection, such as earplugs or earmuffs.

Frequently asked questions