Helena Joyce
The world's waterways are under threat from a variety of sources of pollution, including industrial waste, sewage, oil spills, agricultural runoff, and pharmaceuticals. A 2022 study found that pharmaceutical pollution is rampant in waterways around the globe, with the most common drugs being antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and antidepressants. This has detrimental effects on the river ecosystem and threatens access to clean drinking water for billions of people. Rivers such as the Ganges in India, the Citarum in Indonesia, the Mississippi in the USA, the Sarno in Italy, the Buriganga in Bangladesh, and the Yellow River in China are considered to be among the most polluted waterways in the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Most Polluted Waterway | Pacific Ocean |
| Reason | Sewage spills |
| Pollutants | Biochemical oxygen demand, Suspended solids |
| Rivers | Ganges, Citarum, Mississippi, Yangtze, Yellow, La Paz, Ravi |
| River Characteristics | High levels of sewage, industrial waste, agricultural waste, pharmaceuticals, plastic, chemicals, ashes, pesticides, fertilizers, mercury |
| Impact | Destruction of habitats, endangerment of species, health emergencies, cancer, death |
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What You'll Learn
Pharmaceutical pollution
The Ganges River, stretching over 1500 miles through India and Bangladesh, is the primary water source for almost half a billion people. It has also been deemed a sacred river by Hindus, who believe that it cleanses people from their sins. Unfortunately, the Ganges River has become massively polluted due to the dumping of raw sewage, chemicals, and plastics, among other wastes.
The Citarum River, which serves a large population, is another waterway that has been severely polluted by industrial waste from thousands of factories. As a result, mercury levels in the water have risen far above safe levels.
China's Yellow River has also gained attention for its high levels of pollution due to swift industrialization and the dumping of factory waste.
The most frequently detected APIs include carbamazepine, metformin, and caffeine, which were found at over half of the monitored sites. Concentrations of at least one API at 25.7% of sampling sites were greater than those considered safe for aquatic organisms. For example, the diabetes drug metformin was found to have levels that could impact the environment. Sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic, was the drug most frequently found to have passed safe limits in sites across Africa, North and South America. Nicotine was most frequently measured above safe limits in Asian samples, and the beta-blocker propranolol was most frequently above PNEC in Europe.
The presence of these contaminants in surface water poses a threat to environmental and human health. For example, environmental exposure to APIs can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, feminized fish, and increased susceptibility of fish to predators. Furthermore, drug pollution can cause behavioural changes in wildlife and alter the production of chlorophyll.
To address this issue, it is crucial to develop and implement versatile and efficient systems for eliminating pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) from wastewater. Mycoremediation, which utilizes fungi to reduce the toxicity of wastewater, has been identified as a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and effective approach to pollution remediation. However, these techniques are still largely at the laboratory scale, and more research is needed to apply them to wastewater treatment plants.
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Industrial and agricultural waste
Agricultural waste, including runoff from farms and livestock operations, can also pollute waterways. This type of waste can include pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other chemicals that can be harmful to aquatic life and contribute to soil degradation. The Mississippi River, for instance, has been impacted by nitrogen-based fertilizer runoff, which reduces oxygen levels in the water and contributes to the death of aquatic life.
In some cases, a combination of industrial and agricultural waste is responsible for waterway pollution. The Yamuna River in India, for instance, is polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff, with water treatment potentially unable to reduce toxicity levels. The Nairobi River in Kenya is also polluted by agricultural, industrial, and residential waste, with the situation yet to be addressed.
The release of industrial and agricultural waste into waterways has substantial negative impacts on the environment, including the destruction of ecosystems, threats to wildlife, and reduced access to clean drinking water for billions of people. These issues are further exacerbated when polluted rivers flow into the ocean, creating far-reaching consequences.
While it is challenging to definitively state which waterway is the most polluted in the world, several stand out due to the severe impacts of industrial and agricultural waste. These include the Ganges River in India, which is revered as sacred but suffers from pollution due to sewage, chemicals, and plastic waste, and the Yellow River in China, which has been affected by industrialization and factory waste dumping. The Citarum River in Indonesia, the Sarno River in Italy, and the Mississippi River in the United States are also among the most polluted waterways, with industrial and agricultural waste significantly harming water quality and ecosystems.
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Sewage and chemicals
The Ganges River, which runs through India and Bangladesh, is also heavily polluted by sewage. Serving as the primary water source for almost half a billion people, the river is considered sacred by Hindus, who believe it cleanses people of their sins. However, raw sewage is dumped into the river from more than 1,100 industrial units, and the water quality degrades as one travels down the river. The Ganges now has a layer of floating plastics and other wastes, and communities frequently exposed to it have reported higher incidences of waterborne diseases.
The Citarum River, which serves a large population, faces similar issues. Industrial waste from 2,000 factories has led to mercury levels far above acceptable standards, and the river is polluted from its source to its outlets. The Yellow River in China has also suffered from industrial sewage, with chemical factories and coal miners discharging wastewater into the river, leading to a change in its colour from yellow to a "muddy brown".
Agricultural chemicals are another significant source of water pollution. The Yangtze River in China, for example, is affected by agricultural chemical fertiliser, with plastic waste found along its banks. The Mississippi River in the United States has been impacted by nitrogen-based fertiliser run-off, which upsets the food chain and reduces oxygen levels, causing the death of aquatic life. Lake Victoria, which was once a thriving ecosystem, is now filled with fertiliser and chemicals from local farms, as well as industrial and domestic waste.
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Sacred rivers
One of the most well-known sacred rivers is the Ganges, stretching over 1,500 miles through India and Bangladesh. The Ganges is a primary water source for almost half a billion people and holds spiritual importance for Hindus, who believe it possesses healing powers and the ability to cleanse sins. Unfortunately, the Ganges has become one of the most polluted rivers globally due to raw sewage, industrial waste, and chemical dumping. The burning of corpses and the release of ashes into the river further contribute to its degradation. Despite the pollution, many Hindus continue to bathe in and drink the water, considering it sacred and inseparable from their religious practices.
Another sacred river facing critical pollution levels is the Yamuna, a tributary of the Ganges, flowing through India's capital, New Delhi. During the ancient Hindu festival of Chhath Puja, worshippers gather on the river's banks, standing waist-deep in its toxic white foam, caused by poor waste management and high levels of phosphates and surfactants. While the festival celebrates the sun god, the river itself is considered sacred, providing more than half of New Delhi with water. Despite the city's efforts to mitigate the foam, the river remains heavily polluted.
The Vrishabhavathi River in southern India, once known for its grandeur and importance, has also suffered. The river was integral to the construction and significance of the historic temple dedicated to the Monkey God Hanuman. However, the river's condition has deteriorated, and the lush island where the temple stood is now a busy highway.
Outside of India, the Sarno River in Italy is Europe's most polluted river due to continuous dumping of industrial and agricultural waste. Similarly, China's Yellow River, known for its distinctive colour, has become severely polluted due to swift industrialisation and the dumping of factory waste.
The pollution of these sacred rivers has led to decreased access to clean drinking water, health issues, and ecological damage. It also poses a spiritual crisis for those who hold these rivers sacred, forcing them to confront the question of what it means when a sacred river becomes polluted.
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Oil spillages
One of the most well-known oil spills in history is the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which occurred on April 20, 2010. An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform resulted in the deaths of 11 people. The spill released approximately 134 million gallons of oil into the ocean before it was capped three months later. This spill was the largest marine oil spill in US history and had devastating consequences for the environment. Thousands of animals were covered in oil, and the spill area hosted 8,332 species, including fish, birds, mollusks, crustaceans, sea turtles, and marine mammals. The cleanup process utilized Corexit, which increased the toxicity of the oil by 52 times, further exacerbating the ecological impact.
The Mississippi River, one of the longest rivers in the world, has also experienced various oil spillages. These incidents have contributed to the decline in aquatic life in the river. Additionally, the release of industrial and agricultural waste, as well as harmful chemicals, has further polluted the water.
The Yellow River in China has also faced pollution due to industrialization, with factories dumping waste directly into the river. While oil spillages may not be the primary source of pollution in this case, the cumulative impact of industrialization and waste dumping has led to a significant deterioration of water quality.
To address oil spillages and waterway pollution, legislation such as the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 has been enacted. This act holds responsible parties accountable for the cleanup and restoration of affected areas. Federal, state, and tribal agencies work together to assess the impacts and fund restoration projects through legal settlements.
The Ganges River, considered sacred by Hindus, is another waterway that has suffered from pollution. While oil spillages may not be the primary source of pollution, the river is contaminated by the dumping of raw sewage, chemicals, and waste. This has led to higher incidences of waterborne diseases in communities that rely on the river.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several waterways that are frequently mentioned as being among the most polluted in the world. These include the Ganges River in India, the Citarum River in Indonesia, the Yangtze River in China, the Mississippi River in the United States, and the Pacific Ocean.
The Ganges River is considered sacred by many Hindus, who believe that bathing in the river will cleanse them of their sins. As a result, millions of people bathe in and drink the water from the river, contributing to pollution through sewage and waste. Additionally, factories and industrial units pump wastewater, pesticides, fertilizers, and industrial metals into the river, further degrading its water quality.
The Citarum River is heavily polluted by industrial waste from over 2,000 factories, which has led to mercury levels in the water that are far above acceptable standards. The dense population around the river also contributes to its pollution.
The Yangtze River, which flows through a significant portion of China, is primarily polluted by industrial wastewater discharge and agricultural chemical fertilizer. The rapid industrialization and agricultural activities along the river have led to high levels of pollution, with towns along the river branded as "cancer villages" due to increased cancer rates among residents.
The Mississippi River, one of the longest rivers in the world, has a large "Dead Zone" at its mouth due to industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff. Oil spillages over the years have also significantly reduced the aquatic life in the river.
The Pacific Ocean is the most polluted out of the five official oceans on the planet. Sewage spills, which release biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and suspended solids into the water, are the main culprits. These spills destroy vulnerable habitats and negatively impact local communities on nearby Pacific islands.
