ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Course-1/FC/EVS-IV

UNIT-4

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

• Pollution: The term pollution can be defined as influence of any substance causing
nuisance, harmful effects, and uneasiness to the organisms.
• Pollutant: Any solid, liquid or gaseous substance which may cause harm or damage
the environment, humans, plants, animals or even damage property.
• Environmental Pollution: Any undesirable change in physical, chemical, or biological
characteristics of any component of the environment i.e. air, water, soil which can cause
harmful effects on various forms of life or property.

TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION:

1. Air pollution

2. Water pollution

3. Soil pollution

4. Noise pollution

1. AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution is the introduction of physical, biological or chemical agents that can cause
harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural
environment or built environment, into the atmosphere.

CAUSES/SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION:

1. Natural: Natural pollutant emissions vary from one location to another with
seasonal, geological and meteorological conditions and with the type of vegetation.

E.g.: Wildfires (releases smoke and CO), volcanic activities (releases chlorine, sulphur
and ash), decomposition of animals and cattle dungs (releases methane).

2. Anthropogenic/Man-made: It maybe domestic, commercial, agricultural,

industrial and transportation related sources.
 • Domestic sources:

Activity Pollutants released

CO, CO2, NOx, SOx, soot, smoke (if fossil fuels are burned
Space heating at the
residence)

Cooking Fats ( as solids, liquids, and vapors), particles, odors

Cleaning Solvent vapors, dust, lint, spray can propellants

Gardening Pesticides, fertilizers (some of which ma

• Commercial sources: Commercial sources of air pollution include the public services
industries e.g., dry cleaning of clothes. Other includes restaurants, hotels, schools, printing and
painting.
• Agricultural sources: Animal feed operations, cotton particles during harvesting and
processing in sufficient quantities, pesticides and insecticides, etc
• Industrial sources: Fertilizer and explosive manufactures (produces NO x), paper
plants, natural gas cleaning and processing plants, oil refineries, synthetic fibers plant
(produces Hydrogen sulfide), cast iron and other metallurgical processes (releases CO),
industries related to petroleum and natural gas industries (releases VOCs).
• Transportation related sources: Vehicular emissions that releases volatile organic
carbon (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), etc.
 TYPES OF AIR POLLUTANTS:

1. Primary pollutants: Emitted directly from source. E.g: CO, CO2, NOX, etc.

2. Secondary pollutants: Not directly emitted as such, but forms when other
pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere. E.g: Photochemical smog, ozone, acid
rain etc.

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION ON HUMAN HEALTH:

• Short-term effects:

✓ Irritation to the eyes, nose and throat.

✓ Upper respiratory infections

✓ Headache, nausea, asthma and emphysema

• Long-term effects:

✓ Chronic respiratory diseases

✓ Lung cancer

✓ Damage to brain, nerves, liver or kidneys

✓ Heart diseases
 EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION ON ENVIRONMENT:

• Ozone depletion/ozone hole: As ozone layer in the upper atmosphere absorbs

incoming harmful ultraviolet radiation but it is now getting thinner & more UVs are reaching
in to earth creating different disease like cancer& eye problems.
• Enhanced greenhouse effect: Increasing global temperature. Scientists predicting that
earth's temperature will increase by 3-40C by year 2030 if the pollution continues to increase
at the same pace.
• Global warming
• Acid rain: It is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxides which react
with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids. The chemicals in acid rain can
cause paints to peel, corrosion of steel structures and weathering of stone building and statues.

HOW IS AIR POLLUTION MEASURED?

 Air quality is expressed in terms of AQI (Air Quality Index).

 It gives the index value about the current pollution status in the city and how polluted
the air currently is.

 There are eight pollutants whose concentration is measured and AQI is calculated.

 As the AQI value increases, health impacts become serious.

CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF AIR POLLUTION

• Control of particulate matter using arresters and scrubbers.

• Promote the use of clean fuel (natural gas-solar energy-wind)

• Control the burning of solid waste and fuel

 • Plant more trees especially in areas where air pollution activities take place like mining

• Chimneys should be constructed tall in size so that the emissions are released not on
the ground level.

• Automobiles must be designed with emission control system.

• Use public transport and car pooling system.

2. WATER POLLUTION

Water quality refers to physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water.

➢ Physical characteristics: Temperature, clarity, Odour

➢ Chemical : Presence of organic and inorganic substances in water like

Chloride, Calcium, Fluoride, pH, EC

➢ Biological : Organisms present in water like Coliforms

Water pollution is the presence of any foreign substance (organic, inorganic,

radiological or biological) in water which tends to degrade the quality so as to constitute a
hazard or impairs the usefulness of water.

SOURCES OF WATER POLLUTION

• Agricultural sources (Fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, etc.)

• Municipal sewage

• Industrial wastewater (Releases fluorides, sulphates, mercury, heavy metals etc.)

• Coal mines and coal processing (Releases chlorides, various metals, sulphuric acid,
hydrogen suphide, etc.)

• Oil production, transport and use

WATER POLLUTANTS ARE CLASSIFIED INTO:

1. Point Sources: Contaminants that enter a waterway from a single, identifiable source,
such as a pipe or ditch. Pollution sources which have clearly identified location, such as a
channel through which wastes are discharged (e.g pipes and sewers). Example: Discharges
from a sewage treatment plant, a factory, or a city storm drain.

2. Non-point Sources: Unidentifiable sources. When the location of pollution sources

is diffuse and difficult to mark, such as runoff areas and agricultural fields.

EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION:

• About 40% of deaths worldwide are caused by water pollution. Water pollution leads
to water borne diseases like cholera, typhoid, malaria, diarrhoea.
 • The waste water or sewage contains pathogens which when consumed causes jaundice,
cholera, typhoid, amoebiosis etc.
• Heavy metals can cause serious health problems. Mercuric compounds are converted
by bacterial actions into methyl mercury which causes numbness of limbs, lips and tongue,
blurring of vision and metal derangement. Minimata disease was caused in 1952 in Japan due
to consumption of mercury. Cadmium can cause itai itai disease which is a painful disease of
bones and joints, cancer of lungs and liver. Lead causes anaemia, headache, loss of muscle
power and bluish line around gums
• Death of aquatic animals due to low Dissolved Oxygen (DO) content.
• Disruption of food chain.
• Growth of algae (Eutrophication).

CONTROL OF WATER POLLUTION:

 Do not litter unnecessarily. Avoid plastics.

 Use water wisely for irrigation purpose.

 Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints etc. Down the sink.

 Do not over use pesticides and fertilizers.

 Buy more environmentally safe cleaning liquids at home and other public places.

 Industrial sewages should be suitably treated before discharging into water bodies.
The conventional sewage treatment includes primary, secondary and tertiary treatment.

3. SOIL POLLUTION

Soil is a dynamic natural body composed of mineral matter, organic matter and living
forms in which plant grows. The top soil gets polluted by the addition of the substances to the
soil which adversely affect physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its
productivity Addition of substance which adversely affects the quality of soil or its fertility is
known as soil pollution.

SOURCES OF SOIL POLLUTION:

 Solid waste (plastic, cloth, glass, metal and organic matter, sewage, building debris).

 Industrial sources: It includes fly ash, chemical residues, metallic and nuclear waste,
dyes, acids, etc.

 Agricultural sources: Fertilizers and pesticides which reach the soil as run-off and land
filling

EFFECTS OF SOIL POLLUTION:

• Produce foul and offensive odour.

• Salination of the soil.
 • Soil pollutants can alter the metabolism of soil organisms even at low concentrations
and hence affect the primary food chain.
• Reduce nitrogen fixation
• The contaminants can alter the plant metabolism and reduce crop yield and in turn give
rise to soil erosion.
• Pollutants present in the soil can reduce the soil fertility and productivity.
• The pollutants may leach down with the rain water polluting the ground water and
consumption of this polluted water can cause health problems.

CONTROL OF SOIL POLLUTION:

• Indiscriminate disposal of solid waste such as open dumping should be avoided; proper
waste management.
• It is essential to stop the use of plastic bags and instead use degradable bags made of
paper and cloth.
• Sewage should be treated properly.
• Organic matter from domestic and agricultural and other waste should be segregated
and subjected to vermicomposting to be used as manure.
• Chemical fertilizers and pesticides used may be reduced and organic biofertilizers and
biopesticides should be popularized.
• Bioremediation

4. NOISE POLLUTION

Noise can be simply defined as unwanted sound. Noise level is measured in terms of
decibels (dB). WHO has prescribed optimum noise level as 45 dB by day and 35 dB by night.
Anything above 80 dB is hazardous.

CAUSES OF NOISE POLLUTION:

 Indoor Sources:

✓ Noise produced by radio, television, generators, electric fans, coolers, air

conditioners, home appliances, etc.

✓ Noise pollution is more in cities due to higher concentration of population and

industrial activities like transportation.

✓ Noise is a by product of industrialization, urbanization and modern civilization.

• Outdoor sources:

✓ Indiscriminate use of loudspeakers, industrial activities, automobiles, trains,

aeroplanes and activities at market place, religious, social and cultural functions, sports and
political rallies.
 ✓ In rural areas, farm machines, pump sets.

✓ During festivals, marriage and many other occasions use of fire crackers
contribute to noise pollution.

EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION

• Hearing loss
• High blood pressure
• Stress
• Noise disturbs sleep and can cause emotional problems such as aggression, mental
depression and annoyance.

CONTROL OF NOISE POLLUTION

• Planting bushes and trees in and around sound generating sources.

• Regular servicing and tuning of automobiles.
• Buildings can be designed with suitable noise absorbing materials for walls and
ceilings.
• Workers should be provided with equipments such as ear plugs and earmuffs for
hearing protection.
• Regulations should be imposed to restrict the usage of playing loudspeakers in crowded
areas and public places.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

“Solid waste" means any solid or semi-solid domestic waste, sanitary waste,
commercial waste, institutional waste, catering and market waste and other non residential
wastes, street sweepings etc. generated in the area under the local authorities and other
entities. (MoEF&CC, SWM, 2016). Any waste other than human excreta, urine & waste
water, is called solid waste. (UNICEF, SLWM).

SOURCES:

 Residential sources: Households and residential areas. These are the major sources of
solid waste in almost all cities and towns in Ethiopia.

 Commercial sources: Businesses such as food and drink establishments, shops, banks,
etc.

 Institutional sources: Public and government institutions e.g. offices, religious

institutions, prisons, schools, universities, etc.

 Open areas: Waste from street sweepings, roadside dustbins, ditches and other public
places.
  Industrial sources: Various types of industrial processes.

 Health facilities: Hospitals and other health facilities.

 Construction and demolition: Various types of construction and demolition activities

in urban areas such as the construction of apartments, the demolition of urban slums,
etc.

 Electronic and electrical waste (e-wastes): Electronic devices (computers, phones,

radios, etc.) and household appliances (cookers, washing machines, etc.)

EFFECTS OF SOLID WASTE:

1. Health Hazard
• If solid wastes are not collected and allowed to accumulate, they may create
unsanitary conditions.
• This may lead to epidemic outbreaks.
• Many diseases like cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, plague, jaundice, or gastro-
intestinal diseases may spread and cause loss of human lives.
• In addition, improper handling of the solid wastes is a health hazard for the
workers who come in direct contact with the waste.
2. Environmental Impact
• If the solid wastes are not treated properly, decomposition and putrefaction
(decay) may take place.
• The organic solid waste during decomposition may generate obnoxious
(intolerable) odors.
• Open dumps release methane from decomposition of biodegradable waste under
anaerobic conditions. Methane causes fires and explosions and is a major
contributor to global warming.
• Uncontrolled burning of waste at dump sites releases fine particles which are a
major cause of respiratory disease and cause smog.
• Open burning of MSW and tyres emits tonnes of pollutants into the atmosphere
every year.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Solid Waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal, managing and
monitoring of waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by human
activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on health, the
environment or aesthetics. Solid Waste management is a distinct practice from resource
recovery which focuses on delaying the rate of consumption of natural resources.

WHY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT?

Due to population growth, industrialization, urbanization and economic growth, a trend of

significant increase in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation has been recorded worldwide.
MSW generation, in terms of kg/capita/day, has shown a positive correlation with economic
development at world scale. Due to rapid industrial growth and migration of people from
villages to cities, the urban population is increasing rapidly. Waste generation has been
observed to increase annually in proportion to the rise in population and urbanization. The per
capita generation of MSW has also increased tremendously with improved life style and social
status of the populations in urban centers.

IMPORTANCE OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

• Proper management of solid wastes is an important determinant of improved sanitation

in any community.

• It improves the health and living environment of the community.

• Reduce environment pollution and make urban areas clean.

• Convert bio-waste into energy for ensuring greater energy security.

• Promote recycling and reuse of solid waste.

• Improper handling of solid waste is dangerous to health and environment. It can cause
contamination of water supplies and air pollution.

HOW TO MANAGE SOLID WASTE

As far as possible, solid waste generated at household level should be managed so that
zero or minimum community waste is generated. This involves the following steps:

a) Sorting out or segregation at Household level

b) Treatment/ management of biodegradable household level waste

c) Treatment/ management of household level non biodegradable waste

SOLID WASTE SEGREGATION AT HOUSEHOLD LEVEL

Household waste should be sorted out or segregated at the source i.e. at the household level.
This is to be done by generating awareness to sort out waste at the household level by keeping
bio degradable and non bio degradable waste in separate color bins of 5 to 10 liters capacity
each(e.g. green color bin for bio degradable waste and blue bin for non bio degradable waste).
Reusable segregated non biodegradable waste may be reutilized at household level.

WASTE MANAGEMENT METHODS:

1. Composting
2. Vermicomposting
3. Biogas
4. Incineration
5. Landfill
1. COMPOSTING: Composting is carried out in a simple manure pit or garbage pit
(lined or unlined). In this process aerobic microorganisms oxidize organic compounds
to carbon- dioxide and oxides of nitrogen and carbon from organic compounds is used
as a source of energy, while nitrogen is recycled. In the composting process, due to
exothermic reactions, temperature of mass rises. In areas/regions with higher rainfall
composting in over ground heaps is advisable. The factors affecting the composting
process are: (a) Micro-organisms; (b) Moisture, (c) Temperature and (d) Carbon/
Nitrogen (C/N) ratio

2. VERMICOMPOSTING: Vermicompost is a natural compost of organic wastes

through Earthworms, who take up organic wastes and after degradation and digestion,
convert such wastes in the form of granules, rich in nitrogen content. Such vermin cast
or vermin compost has good plant nutrients. This is a natural composting method being
used in India and other countries for centuries. However, in recent years there has been
systematic methods developed to enhance such composting by using improved methods
and strains of earthworms in rural as well as urban areas in India also.
ADVANTAGES OF VERMICOMPOST

a) Vermicompost is rich in all essential plant nutrients.

b) Vermicompost is easy to apply, handle and store and does not have bad odour.

c) It improves soil structure, texture, aeration, and water holding capacity. Vermi compost
contains earthworm cocoon and increases the population and activity of earthworm in
the soil.

d) Vermicompost is free from pathogens, toxic elements, weed seeds etc.

e) Vermicompost minimizes the incidence of pest and diseases.

f) It enhances the decomposition of organic matter in soil.

g) It contains valuable vitamins, enzymes and hormones like auxins, gibberellins etc.

3. BIOGAS

Animal dung along with human wastes can be effectively used for biogas generation
through on-site biogas plant linked with toilet. Biogas plant is important in providing
sustainable energy sources in rural communities. Generation and utilization of bioenergy has
multiple advantages. It helps improve sanitation, provide bioenergy at almost nil recurring
expenditure and finally slurry / effluent of biogas plant has plant nutrient value to be used for
agriculture purposes. Thus toilet linked biogas plant has additional benefits in terms of
improving sanitation. In villages where household wastes contain mainly organics, they are
also suitable for biogas generation. Such wastes can also be mixed in the same biogas plant to
generate biogas production. For family size biogas plant there are basically two designs (1)
Floating drum type popularly known as KVIC model and (2) Fixed dome type, popularly
known as Deenbandhu Model.

IMPORTANCE OF BIOGAS

➢ Biogas can be used for Cooking of 3-4 family members for two times a day
 ➢ Biogas can be used for illumination with the use mantle lamps. Mantle lamps (2nos.)
can be used for 6 hours per 24hrs. Such mantle lamps gives illumination equivalent to
4o watt bulb at 220 volt of electricity.

➢ Biogas technologies also create manure which can be used in agricultural field.

➢ Use of Biogas helps to restrict the emission of CO2 in atmosphere.

➢ It brings extra revenue to the users.

4. INCINERATION

Waste incineration is the use of high temperature furnaces to combust waste and reduce its
volume by 95% and mass by 80-85%. The mass isn’t actually lost, it’s just moved into the
atmosphere as water vapor and other flue gasses including dioxins. The remaining salts, metals
and other non-combustible elements in the waste are left in the ash that is then disposed of in
a landfill.

• Advantages: Many waste incinerators are also used to generate electricity as a useful
by-product of the waste incineration process. However, there are still environmental
concerns around waste incineration.

• Disadvantages: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is also emitted from waste incinerator facilities.
One study suggests that one tonne of municipal waste burned in an incinerator produces
one tonne of CO2.

5. LANDFILLING
 A landfill is an engineered pit, in which layers of solid waste are filled, compacted and
covered for final disposal. It is lined at the bottom to prevent groundwater pollution.
Engineered landfills consist of a lined bottom; a leachate collection and treatment system;
groundwater monitoring; gas extraction (the gas is flared or used for energy production) and a
cap system. The capacity is planned and the site is chosen based on an environmental risk
assessment study (UNEP 2002). Land filling shall be restricted to non-biodegradable, inert
waste and other waste that are not suitable either for recycling or for biological processing.
Land filling shall also be carried out for residues of waste processing facilities as well as pre-
processing rejects from waste processing facilities.

Advantages

• Effective disposal method if managed well

• Sanitary disposal method if managed effectively

• Energy production and fast degradation if designed as a bioreactor landfill

Disadvantages

• Fills up quickly if waste is not reduced and reusable waste is not collected separately
and recycled

• A reasonably large area is required

• Risk of groundwater contamination if not sealed correctly or the liner system is

damaged
 • High costs for high-tech landfills

• If not managed well, there is a risk of the landfill degenerating into an open dump

• Once the landfill site is shut down O&M and monitoring must continue for the
following 50 to 100 years

4R CONCEPT IN SOLID WASTE

A number of waste prevention techniques are available, and they are commonly summarized
as popularly known as 4Rs: reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery. To overcome the
problem of solid wastes, following steps need to be taken:

1. REDUCE consumption at the source.

2. REUSE goods as much as possible to give them a longer life.

3. RECYCLE to the maximum.

4. RECOVER, that means composting putrescible wastes at home.

Some items that can be recycled or reused

• Paper: Old copies, Old books, Paper bags, Newspapers, Old greeting cards,
Cardboard box

• Plastic: Containers, Bags, Sheets

• Glass and ceramics: Bottles, Plates, Cups, Bowls

• Miscellaneous: Old cans, Utensils, Clothes, Furniture