Types of Environmental Pollution: Sources, Causes, Effects, Solutions

Though the quality of living has tremendously improved in the past few years, some major new issues that harmfully affect human health and the environment have also risen with it. Pollution is one of the biggest challenges faced by the modern world. Pollution is defined as the introduction of damaging or poisonous materials into the natural environment or the presence of undesirable materials in the natural environment as an outcome of human activities. The materials that contaminate the natural environments are called pollutants. In this article, we shall explore the meaning, causes and types of environmental pollution and analyse the adverse effects of pollution on human health and the environment.

What is Environmental Pollution?

Environmental Pollution is the contamination of the environment with unwanted, hazardous substances that adversely affect the biological as well as physical constituents of the atmosphere or environment. With an increase in the industrial revolution, we unknowingly contaminated our surroundings, and today, it has come to a serious, disturbing level and if it is not minimized, we should be ready to face its severe and frightening effects in the future.

Causes and Sources of Environmental Pollution

Harmful sources such as smoke, smog, particulate matter, and more substances that come out from factories, automobiles, etc., have triggered environmental pollution. Besides these chemical substances, different sources of energy are also participating in this activity, such as heat and light causing global warming, radioactive pollution, noise pollution in urban areas due to industries, vehicles, entertainment purposes, etc. Some natural events such as earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, etc., also add to pollution.

Types of Environmental Pollution

Based on the sources that cause environmental pollution, they are categorized into different types, such as air pollution, water pollution, soil or land pollution, and many more. Let’s discuss each of them in detail.

1. Air Pollution

Air Pollution is the presence of harmful contaminants in the atmosphere such as smoke, smog, particulate matter, toxic gases, etc. It is one of the major causes of environmental pollution, and if left unchecked, can cause drastic issues such as global warming, ozone layer depletion, and many more. They cause serious respiratory disorders in living organisms. Some of the causes that are responsible for air pollution are:

• 1. Nuclear accidents in nuclear energy power plants.
• 2. Spillage of radioactive wastes in water bodies.
• 3. Testing of nuclear weapons.
• 4. Use of radioisotopes for medical and laboratory purposes.

2. Water Pollution

Water Pollution may be defined as the contamination of water bodies such as rivers, lakes, oceans, etc., due to the introduction of toxic wastes. Water pollution is a major impact on human activities such as:

• 1. Untreated sewage discharge.
• 2. Disposal of industrial wastes into the water bodies.
• 3. Agricultural wastes such as fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides.

3. Soil Pollution

Soil Pollution is caused due to contamination of soil as a result of dumping harmful wastes such as plastics, garbage, clothes, medical equipment, metals, etc., into landfills. Due to these contaminations, degradation of soil quality occurs that leads to soil pollution. Some of the causes of soil pollution include:

• 1. Unplanned solid waste disposal.
• 2. Mining activities
• 3. Oil spills
• 4. Deforestation
• 5. Loss of soil fertility due to excessive use of fertilizers.

4. Noise Pollution

Noise Pollution is defined as any undesirable or unpleasant sound that causes harmful effects to human beings and animals in the surroundings. Long exposure to such noise leads to hypertension, stress, listening disorders, etc. Some of the causes of noise pollution are:

• 1. The noise produced by traffic.
• 2. Industrial noise
• 3. The noise produced in construction sites.
• 4. Household noise produced from speakers, televisions, etc.

5. Radioactive Pollution

Pollution caused by the introduction of radioactive substances into the environment due to testing of nuclear weapons, nuclear explosions. mining of radioactive ores, etc., is defined as radioactive pollution. Serious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, anaemia occur in people with prolonged exposure to such radiations. Major causes of radioactive pollution are:

• 1. Nuclear accidents in nuclear energy power plants.
• 2. Spillage of radioactive wastes in water bodies.
• 3. Testing of nuclear weapons.
• 4. Use of radioisotopes for medical and laboratory purposes.

Effects of Environmental Pollution

Various effects of environmental pollution are:

1. Effects of air pollution – Severe effects of air pollution are global warming, greenhouse effect, ozone layer depletion, and acid rain. In human beings, air pollution causes respiratory disorders, lung cancer, and asthma.
2. Effects of water pollution – Contaminated river water pollutes potable water that causes many water-borne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, etc. Polluted water also destroys plants, aquatic organisms due to eutrophication. Water pollutants cause contamination of the food chain also.
3. Effects of soil pollution – Some of the major effects of soil pollution are loss of soil fertility, health disorders such as nausea, fatigue, eye irritation, etc. Waterlogging in the soil leads to salinity that destroys its fertility.
4. Effects of noise pollution – Noise pollution is a major cause of human activities that leads to severe health disorders in human beings. Loud unwanted noise can permanently damage the ear and cause deafness, hypertension, heart diseases, etc.
5. Effects of radioactive pollution – Severe health disorders like cancer, damaged cells, skin burns are caused due to radioactive pollution. Radioactive leakage is also a major cause of water and soil pollution.

Environmental Pollution Prevention Measures

1. Environmental pollution can be reduced by spreading awareness to use renewable sources of energy such as wind energy, solar energy, etc., instead of non-renewable sources of energy like coal and petroleum products.
2. We should try to use public transport instead of private vehicles as far as possible; this would reduce air pollution to a great extent.
3. Burning of forests, agricultural lands, dry leaves, etc. should be avoided.
4. A new concept of green building has emerged nowadays that means construction of such buildings those designed and constructed in such a way that causes negative impacts to our environment.
5. Instead of coal, factories should switch to use natural gas fuel that can dramatically reduce emissions of harmful gases like mercury, particulates matter, greenhouse gasses, and other contaminants.
6. To avoid water pollution, do not pour cooking oil or any other type of fat; in the sink. Disposal of household chemicals or cleaning agents, pills, medicines, or drugs down the toilet should be avoided.
7. We should stop using packaged drinking water as these plastic bottles later become non-biodegradable wastes.
8. Plastic bags should be avoided; instead of this, we should use jute bags or other recyclable bags for shopping.
9. Soil pollution can be minimised by planting more trees, using organic farming techniques that stop the use of chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides.
10. We can Reduce Noise pollution by using earplugs, lowering the volume, planting more trees, regular maintenance of vehicles, and following traffic rules by minimum use of horns, turning off appliances when not in use, etc.

Summary

In brief, we can conclude that every kind of environmental pollution causes a serious threat to our whole ecological system, including the atmosphere. For our better and healthy life, we need fresh air to breathe and fresh water to drink. If they get polluted to a great extent, we won’t be able to lead a simple and comfortable life. Though the origins of all the types of environmental pollution are different, i.e. air, water, soil, etc., their ultimate effects will be on us only!

Thus, we should join hands and take sincere initiatives to stop pollution. Though we have recognized the problem and cause of environmental pollution still many attempts are needed to be made to control it. It is the sole responsibility of every human being to protect our environment so that we can maintain it for our future generations.

We should start thinking right away about how to preserve our precious and unique planet before it is too late. We must learn to control the cause of environmental pollution but along with that, we should also implement various techniques to rectify the damage done by the pollutants.

Frequently Asked Questions on Types of Environmental Pollution

The most commonly asked questions on types of environmental pollution are answered here:

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