Pollution's Impact: Yangtze And Ganges Rivers Suffer

The Ganges and the Yangtze are two of the world's largest and most important rivers. They are also two of the most polluted. The Ganges, the largest river in the Indian subcontinent, is severely polluted with human waste and industrial contaminants. Over 600km of the river is ecologically dead. The Yangtze, Asia's longest river, is also one of the world's most polluted waterways. Both rivers are sacred to billions and are relied upon for drinking water, bathing, fishing, and agriculture. This paragraph will explore the effects of pollution on these two vital rivers.

Industrial and agricultural pollution

The Yangtze River and the Ganges River are two of the most important waterways in the world, providing water to hundreds of millions of people and supporting a remarkable variety of aquatic species. However, both rivers face significant threats from industrial and agricultural pollution.

Industrial Pollution in the Yangtze River

The Yangtze River has long been a source of life and prosperity for the Chinese people, but it now suffers from various forms of pollution, including industrial wastewater. A study reviewing two decades of published research on organic pollutants in the river found that the Wuhan section and the Yangtze Estuary exhibited stronger pollution than other sections. The contamination includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). These pollutants have been shown to have potential health risks, with detectable concentrations of toxic compounds found in aquatic organisms.

Agricultural Pollution in the Yangtze River

In addition to industrial pollution, agricultural activities have also contributed to the pollution of the Yangtze River. A 2023 study found that since the founding of the People's Republic of China, crop harvests in the Yangtze River Economic Belt have shown an upward trend, with the fastest increase in harvests from 1979 to 1997, resulting in a 2.75-fold increase in N loss (storage) by 2014. While China implemented measures to prevent and control agricultural pollution starting in 2015, leading to a decrease in N loss, the levels remain high. Each year, a significant amount of nitrogen (N) is lost to the atmosphere, water, and soil, exceeding the amount harvested with crops. The study also highlighted the risk of nonpoint source pollution, with N emissions from agricultural and rural areas increasing annually before the implementation of pollution control policies.

Industrial Pollution in the Ganges River

The Ganges River, the largest in the Indian subcontinent, is considered the most polluted river in the world due to human waste and industrial contaminants. Industrial cities like Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Patna, along with tanneries, chemical plants, and other facilities, contribute to the river's pollution by dumping untreated waste. For example, a coal-based power plant on the Pandu River, a tributary of the Ganges, produces fly ash containing toxic heavy metals that end up in the river. Industrial effluents, though a relatively low proportion of the total waste, are a major concern due to their toxic and non-biodegradable nature.

Agricultural Pollution in the Ganges River

Agricultural practices also contribute to the pollution of the Ganges River. The disposal of human sewage and animal waste, increasing population density, and the discharge of industrial waste into the river are significant sources of pollution. Three-quarters of the sewage generated in the northern plains remains untreated before being discharged into the Ganges and its tributaries. The high population density along the river, with over 100 cities and numerous towns, further exacerbates the problem. Religious traditions, such as bathing in the river during festival seasons, can also lead to the disposal of food waste and leaves into the river.

Human waste

The Ganges and the Yangtze, two of the world's most important rivers, are both severely affected by human waste pollution.

Ganges

The Ganges River is considered the most polluted river in the world. It is the largest river in the Indian subcontinent and supplies water to approximately 40% of India's population, serving an estimated 500 million people.

Three-quarters of the sewage generated in the northern plains is discharged into the Ganges and its tributaries without any treatment. This amounts to around 3 million litres of sewage per day, contributing to the river's classification as an ecologically dead zone.

The main causes of water pollution in the Ganges are the disposal of human sewage and animal waste, increasing population density, and the discharge of industrial waste. The river flows through numerous cities with large populations, and a large proportion of the sewage with a high organic load originates from domestic water usage by these residents. Even where effective sewage treatment plants are provided, more than half are either not operating or not operating efficiently. A review in 2022 indicated that only 37% of the sewage generated is treated.

The river is also polluted by waste from tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, slaughterhouses, and hospitals, which dump untreated waste into the river. Cremation practices along the river further contribute to the human waste pollution, with an estimated 40,000 bodies cremated and deposited into the river each year in Varanasi alone.

Yangtze

The Yangtze River, the third-longest river in the world, is a vital source of freshwater for over 400 million people in China. However, it is also highly polluted, with industrial, domestic, and municipal wastewater discharges being the main cause.

Along the banks of the Yangtze are about 400 chemical plants, seven major oil refineries, five steel mills, the Three Gorges Dam, cities and other population centers, and agricultural fields, all of which contribute to continuous water pollution.

In addition to liquid waste, solid waste, including plastic, also enters the river, forming entire islands in some places. The pollution in the Yangtze has led to the extinction of species like the Chinese river dolphin and is threatening other vulnerable species like the Chinese alligator and the finless porpoise.

Initiatives and Challenges

Both the Ganges and the Yangtze have faced challenges in addressing human waste pollution. Despite initiatives to clean the rivers and reduce pollution, such as the Namami Gange project for the Ganges and the World Bank-supported ecological restoration programs for the Yangtze, the issues persist.

The high population density and increasing industrialization along these rivers contribute to the continuous input of human waste and other pollutants. In the case of the Ganges, cultural and religious practices, such as bathing in the river and disposing of cremation remains, also play a significant role in the pollution.

To effectively address the human waste pollution in these rivers, comprehensive measures are needed, including improving wastewater treatment infrastructure, enforcing regulations on waste disposal, and promoting public awareness about the importance of keeping the rivers clean.

Animal waste

Agricultural pollution, including animal waste, surpassed industrial waste as China's main pollutant of the Yangtze River as of 2010. Animal manure is a significant contributor to water pollution in the Yangtze River Basin, which provides the main source of water for almost 600 million people. The basin acts as a conveyor of plastic and other pollutants to the world's oceans, and efforts to reduce water pollution from animal manure are ongoing.

The Yangtze River Basin covers 19 provinces in China and is home to a third of the country's endangered species and 40% of its rare or endangered plants. The Chinese government has implemented various measures and regulations to control and improve the situation, and while the water quality has improved, the fight against pollution is still ongoing.

In summary, animal waste pollution is a critical issue for both the Yangtze and Ganges Rivers, affecting the health and well-being of hundreds of millions of people and causing significant environmental damage.

Solid waste

The Yangtze River, the third-longest river in the world, is located in southwest China and flows into the East China Sea. The river is a vital source of freshwater for the People's Republic of China, and its health is essential to the country's economy and the livelihoods of its citizens. However, solid waste pollution, primarily from industrial and agricultural activities, has severely affected the Yangtze. Factories, especially in the middle and lower reaches of the river, used to discharge sewage directly into the Yangtze, becoming the leading cause of pollution. While the amount of wastewater has been reduced, the river's water quality has not been able to recover quickly. The rubbish from ships on the Yangtze reached 75,000 tons in 2015, and people could walk on the waste discarded upstream of the Gezhouda Dam without danger.

Agricultural chemical fertilizers flowing into the Yangtze and its lakes have also caused eutrophication, with blue-green algae blooms occurring annually in Taihu Lake, one of the lakes along the river. In addition to liquid waste, solid trash, mostly plastic, also enters the river, forming entire islands in some places. The pollution from ships and factories has led to the contamination of drinking water and the decline of wildlife, including the extinction of the Baiji dolphin in 2006.

The Ganges River, one of the world's longest and most full-flowing rivers, is considered sacred in India. However, human activities have turned it into a dumping ground for garbage, decaying corpses, feces, and chemicals. Large industrial enterprises discharge wastewater directly into the river, with about three million liters of wastewater flowing into the Ganges every day, and only half of it treated. In addition, waste from tanneries, chemical plants, textile factories, slaughterhouses, and hospitals is dumped into the river untreated. The river's waters are so polluted that it is considered one of the most polluted waterways in the world, posing significant risks to human health and the environment.

The solid waste pollution in the Ganges is further exacerbated by religious traditions and cremations along the riverbanks. During festival seasons, over 70 million people bathe in the Ganges, and food, waste, and leaves are often left in the river. Traditional beliefs hold that being cremated on the banks of the Ganges and floating down the river will cleanse the sins of the deceased. In Varanasi alone, an estimated 40,000 bodies are cremated each year and deposited into the river, with many of them only partially burned due to the high cost of cremation wood. This has led to the presence of super bacteria in the waters, resistant to most forms of commonly used antibiotics.

The pollution in both the Yangtze and Ganges Rivers has had devastating consequences for the environment and the people who depend on these rivers. Solid waste, including industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and waste from ships, has contaminated drinking water sources and led to the decline of wildlife and biodiversity. The effects on human health, including the increased incidence of waterborne diseases and cancer, are also significant. While efforts have been made to address the pollution in these rivers, the fight against solid waste pollution remains ongoing.

Eutrophication

The Ganges and the Yangtze rivers are two of the most polluted rivers in the world. The Ganges, the largest river in the Indian subcontinent, is severely polluted with human waste and industrial contaminants. Three-quarters of the sewage generated in the northern plains is discharged into the river without treatment. The river flows through 100 cities with populations exceeding 100,000 residents and about 48 towns. The cities of Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Patna, along with tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries, slaughterhouses, and hospitals, actively contribute to the river's pollution by dumping untreated waste into it.

The leather industry in Kanpur, which employs around 50,000 people in more than 400 tanneries, uses toxic chromium compounds. Despite the establishment of a common treatment plant in 1995, chromium levels in the river have not decreased and now exceed the recommended maximum level by more than 70 times.

The main causes of water pollution in the Ganges are the disposal of human and animal waste and the discharge of industrial waste. Religious traditions also contribute to the river's pollution. During festival seasons, over 70 million people bathe in the Ganges to cleanse themselves of their past sins, and traditional beliefs hold that being cremated on its banks and floating down the river will carry the deceased's sins away. In Varanasi alone, an estimated 40,000 bodies are cremated each year and deposited into the river.

The Yangtze River, the longest river in Asia, is also one of the most polluted rivers in the world. It is the largest source of fresh water in China, supporting more than 400 million people. The river is polluted by industrial, domestic, and municipal wastewater discharges. Located along its banks are about 400 chemical plants, major oil refineries, steel mills, the world's largest concrete Three Gorges Dam, cities and other population centers, and agricultural fields. All of these facilities continuously pollute the water. A total of 600 kilometers of the river in different sections are in critical condition, and 30% of its tributaries are heavily polluted.

The river is also polluted by solid waste, mainly plastic, which forms entire islands in some places. Shipping is another source of pollution, with fuel and dangerous goods such as oil, toxic substances, fuel oil, liquefied gas, gasoline, and alcohol often getting into the water. According to environmentalists, more than 14 billion tons of liquid waste is discharged into the Yangtze each year, accounting for almost 42% of the country's total.

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