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Essay on Air Pollution
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Introduction to Air Pollution
- Essay on the Sources of Air Pollution
- Essay on the Causes of Air Pollution
- Essay on the Effects of Air Pollution
- Essay on the Impact of Air Pollution
- Essay on the Control of Air Pollution
- Essay on the Practices to Reduce Air Pollution
- Essay on the Prevention of Air Pollution
- Essay on Air Pollution and Human Health
- Essay on the Cleaning Up Commonly found Air Pollutants
- Essay on Particle Pollution
- Essay on the Solutions for Air Pollution
- Essay on the Policy Measures for Air Pollution
- Essay on the Conclusion to Air Pollution
Essay # 1. Introduction to Air Pollution:
When something is added to the environment which is very harmful, poisonous for the living organs such as animal, people etc. is called pollution. In simple words, when environment not fit for the use is called pollution. Pollution not only affects to the human beings but also to others like plants, trees, and animals pets etc.
The other effects of pollution are acid rain, ozone deflection, global climate changes, crops and forest damages etc. on environment. The major causes of pollution are industrial waste, commercial waste, agricultural waste, day-to-day human activities, mode of transport and many other sources. Pollution weak our ecosystem of earth. So should always to make our all efforts to control our waste and not to through it into the river, seas, land etc.
Air pollution is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, and biological matter that harm to humans, other living organs or cause damage to the natural environment. Air pollution comes into picture due to the accumulation of hazardous substances into the atmosphere that danger human life and other living matter.
The most dominant player responsible for automobiles, combustion of coal, acid rain, manufacturing of building, tobacco smoke, paint fumes, aerosol sprays, nuclear weapons and wild fires. The earth is capable of cleaning itself of a certain level of pollution, but man-made pollution have becomes too numerous for the earth’s natural mechanisms to remove.
As far as effect of air pollution is concerned, many diseases caused such as respiratory disease, heart disease, asthma, eye disease etc. due to air pollution. The second one is heart disease, it caused due to increased level of carbon monoxide in the air. The statistics shows that, this year air pollution segment will count for 80% of premature death.
Transport is widely recognized to be a significant and increasing source of air pollution worldwide. One of the main causes of air pollution is manufacturing industries. This source of pollution sweeps particulate matter and chemicals into the atmosphere. The exhaust from a factory includes sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, as well as volatile organic compounds and particulates.
There is not an area of the Earth’s atmosphere organ ecosystem that has not been altered by the long-term effects of the pollution created by manufacturing. Strides have made to filthier the material coming from manufacturing plants, but it may take the Earth millennia to completely recover from the damage already done.
Essay # 2. Sources of Air Pollution:
1. Poisonous gases emitted by natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, burning of organic fuels like wood, dried crop wastes, cow dungs and coal contain mostly carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, smoke and particles of heavy metals causing high pollution of air.
2. Smoke produced from the chimney of power plants, factories and furnaces contain sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, the particles of zinc, lead, molybdenum metals, which pollutes atmospheric air.
3. The gaseous exhausts from motor vehicles in urban areas, marine vessels and aircrafts mostly contain carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which cause pollution in atmosphere air.
4. Wildfires of forest five cause pollution in atmospheric air by production of smokes, carbon dioxide gas and carbon monoxide gas.
5. Chemical fumes from paints, hair spray, varnishes and aerosol sprays cause air pollution.
6. Garbage and waste products of urban areas when dumped for a longer period in a bigger pit or vessel produce methane gas which is highly inflammable and form poisonous mixture of gases with air. It also reduces oxygen gas content from atmospheric air and causes asphyxia or suffocation.
7. Military nuclear weapons, use of tear gases use of germ warfare and launching of rockets highly pollute the atmospheric air.
8. In urban areas, generators, refrigerators, air conditioners produce most dangerous gases like fluorine gas and chlorofluorocarbon gas and polluting air to greater extent.
9. For urbanisation and installation of factories, deforestation or destruction of jungles or forests are undertaken by cutting off the huge number of bigger and smaller trees. This causes ecological imbalances, global warming and highly reduces the supply of oxygen to the atmospheric air.
10. In industrial areas the atmospheric air contains mostly sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide gases, which are emitted from the chimneys of the furnaces of factories. On rainy days the rain water reacts with these gases of the air and produce acids such as sulphuric acid and nitric acid which are highly corrosive and impervious to human skin aquatic animals, leaves of crops due to the acid rain effect.
Natural Sources of Pollution:
Natural sources of pollution include dust carried by the wind from locations with very little or no green cover, gases released from the body processes of living beings (Carbon dioxide from humans during respiration, Methane from cattle during digestion, Oxygen from plants during Photosynthesis).
Smoke from the combustion of various inflammable objects, volcanic eruptions etc. along with the emission of polluted gases also make it to the list of Natural sources of Pollution.
Man-Made Sources of Pollution:
While looking at the man-made contributions towards air pollution, smoke again features as a prominent component. The smoke emitted from various forms of combustion like in bio mass, factories, vehicles, furnaces etc. Waste used to create landfills generates methane that is harmful in several ways.
The reactions of certain gases and chemicals also form harmful fumes that can be dangerous to the well-being of living creatures.
Essay # 3. Causes of Air Pollution:
i. Burning of Fossil Fuels:
Sulfur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and other factory combustibles is one the major cause of air pollution. Pollution emitting from vehicles including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, airplanes cause immense amount of pollution. We rely on them to fulfill our daily basic needs of transportation.
But, there overuse is killing our environment as dangerous gases are polluting the environment. Carbon Mono-oxide caused by improper or incomplete combustion and generally emitted from vehicles is another major pollutant along with Nitrogen Oxides that is produced from both natural and man-made processes.
ii. Agricultural Activities:
Ammonia is a very common by product from agriculture related activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Use of insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural activities has grown quite a lot. They emit harmful chemicals into the air and can also cause water pollution.
iii. Exhaust from Factories and Industries:
Manufacturing industries release large amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air thereby depleting the quality of air. Manufacturing industries can be found at every corner of the earth and there is no area that has not been affected by it. Petroleum refineries also release hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that pollute the air and also cause land pollution.
iv. Mining Operations:
Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are extracted using large equipments. During the process dust and chemicals are released in the air causing massive air pollution. This is one of the reason which is responsible for the deteriorating health conditions of workers and nearby residents.
v. Indoor Air Pollution:
Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic chemicals in the air and cause air pollution. Have you ever noticed that once you paint walls of your house, it creates some sort of smell which makes it literally impossible for you to breathe?
Suspended particulate matter (SPM) popular by its acronym SPM, is another cause of pollution. Referring to the particles afloat in the air, SPM is usually caused by dust, combustion etc.
Essay # 4. Effects of Air Pollution:
i. Respiratory and Heart Problems:
The effects of Air pollution are alarming. They are known to create several respiratory and heart conditions along with Cancer, among other threats to the body. Several millions are known to have died due to direct or indirect effects of Air pollution. Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to commonly suffer from pneumonia and asthma.
ii. Global Warming:
Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the world is witnessing due to Global warming. With increased temperatures worldwide, increase in sea levels and melting of ice from colder regions and icebergs, displacement and loss of habitat have already signaled an impending disaster if actions for preservation and normalization aren’t undertaken soon.
iii. Acid Rain:
Harmful gases such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released into the atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water droplets combines with these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the ground in the form of acid rain. Acid rain can cause great damage to human, animals and crops.
iv. Eutrophication:
Eutrophication is a condition where high amount of nitrogen present in some pollutants gets developed on sea’s surface and turns itself into algae and adversely affects fish, plants and animal species. The green colored algae that is present on lakes and ponds is due to presence of this chemical only.
v. Effect on Wildlife:
Just like humans, animals also face some devastating affects of air pollution. Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife species to move to new place and change their habitat. The toxic pollutants deposit over the surface of the water and can also affect sea animals.
vi. Depletion of Ozone Layer:
Ozone exists in earth’s stratosphere and is responsible for protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s ozone layer is depleting due to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydro chloro-fluorocarbons in the atmosphere. As ozone layer will go thin, it will emit harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye related problems. UV rays also have the capability to affect crops.
When you try to study the sources of air pollution, you enlist a series of activities and interactions that create these pollutants. There are two types of sources that we will take a look at: Natural sources and Man-made sources.
Hazardous Effects of Air Pollution:
Air pollution risk is a function of the hazards of the pollutants and the exposure to pollutants. Air pollution exposure may be for an individual, for certain groups (Neighbouring families or children) or for the entire population of a city or village.
The air pollution exposure includes different age and other demographic groups especially infants, children, pregnant women and other sensitive subpopulations. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is a significant risk factor for a multiple health conditions including respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer.
The health effects caused by air pollution may include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing, asthma and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. These effects cause result in increased medication use, increase doctor’s care or emergency room visits, more hospitalisation and premature deaths.
The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the body’s respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. The World Health Organisation states that about 2.4. million people die each year from causes directly attributable to indoor and outdoor air pollutions.
Essay # 5. Impact of Air Pollution:
International standards ensure that there is university of standardization in diverse products and services in the I.S.O. Series. The ISO 9000 part entitled quality management and quality Assurance standards have eleven standards.
Air pollution has hazardous impact on human health. Air pollution is contributory for respiratory disorders in Homo- sapiens. It is common knowledge that, lead particles from vehicles exhaust in higher dose can kill outright but in lower dates may shorten life span of man. Polymer dust, acid fumes mists and solvent vapours in work environment discharges these elements to the outside.
The quality of vegetation is adversely affected by air pollution. Eco-friendly society may is not possible, when farmers make use of chemicals such as insecticides, herbicides and pesticides in agricultures. The pesticides applied in agriculture are likely to produce foliar lesions, chlorosis and reduce fruit sets.
Emissions into the air have repercussions on climate in terms of local rainfall. Of late, environmental economists and public authorities have expressed concern at the adverse impact of emissions in air on ozone layer in atmosphere.
Dust storms pollen grains of flowers are natural sources of air pollution. Air pollution by and large is the by product of human activities. Regardless of the fact that, natural resources are scarce in a country man had exploited scanty natural resources for profit maximization for the present and has discounted there by needs of sustainable development to preserve natural resources for future generations.
Impact of Air Pollution on Human Health:
The human health effects of poor air quality are far-reaching, but principally affect the body’s respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Individual reactions to air pollutants depend on the type of pollutant a person is exposed to, the degree of exposure, the individual’s health status and genetics. People who exercise outdoors, for example, on hot, smoggy days increase their exposure to pollutants in the air.
The health effects caused by air pollutants may range from subtle biochemical and physiological changes to difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. These effects can result in increased medication use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospital admissions and even premature death.
a. Pyramid of Health Effects:
Air pollution can affect both the respiratory and cardiac systems. The health effects of air pollution can be seen as a pyramid, with the mildest but not common effects at the bottom of the pyramid, and the least common but more severe at the top of the pyramid. The pyramid demonstrates that as severity decreases the number of people affected increases.
Health Endpoints Associated with Increased Air Pollutant Levels:
i. Mortality: All non-accidental mortality causes
ii. Hospital Admissions: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Hospital Admissions.
iii. Emergency Room Visits: Visit to an emergency department.
iv. Asthma Symptom Days: Exacerbation of asthma symptoms in individuals with diagnosed asthma.
v. Restricted Activity Days: Days spent in bed, missed from work, and days when activities are partially restricted due to illness.
vi. Acute Respiratory Symptoms: Respiratory-related symptoms such as chest discomfort, coughing and wheezing.
b. Population at Risk:
Although everyone is at risk from the health effects of air pollution, certain sub-populations are more susceptible. Individual reactions to air contaminants depend on several factors such as the type of pollutant, the degree of exposure and how much of the pollutant is present. Age and health are also important factors.
The elderly and people suffering from cardio-respiratory problems such as asthma appear to be the most susceptible groups.
Children and newborns are also sensitive to the health effects of air pollution since they take in more air than adults for their body weight and consequently, a higher level of pollutants. People who exercise outdoors on hot and smoggy days are also at greater risk due to their increased exposure to pollutants in the air.
c. Leading Causes of Hospitalization:
Respiratory and cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of hospitalization in Canada. In 1996-1997 there were 3.16 million hospital admissions in Canada of which cardiovascular and respiratory diseases accounted for 15 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively.
Air pollution exacerbates the condition of people with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and causes measurable increases in the rates of hospitalization for these diseases.
We do not yet understand the role of air pollution in causing these illnesses in the Canadian population.
d. Leading Causes of Death:
Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of death in Canada. In 1997, 37 per cent and 9 per cent of over 2,00,000 deaths were related to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases respectively.
Air pollution causes measurable increases in non-accidental mortality.
e. Estimating Health Benefits:
When examining a specific pollution-reduction option (such as changing gasoline composition) regulators may estimate the reduction in health effects that are expected, and the value to society of avoiding those health problems.
As a society, we pay for the health effects of air pollution in many ways. Additional health care costs for the treatment of these effects may come from any of the following: hospital admissions, visits to the emergency room or doctor’s office, homecare service, medication such as inhalers for asthma. Other considerations include lost productivity in the workplace, lost wages due to sick time, out of pocket expenses incurred while ill (e.g., additional child care costs), and, finally lost quality of life or life itself.
f. Value of Health Benefits:
A recent study examined the economic value of reducing the health effects of air pollution by introducing cleaner vehicles and fuels in Canada. This study found that the economic value of avoiding these health effects was $24 billion over a period of 24 years, compared to a cost of $6 billion to implement the programme. This methodology has been used by Health Canada and Environment Canada in a number of initiatives to examine the benefits of control measures.
Essay # 6. Control of Air Pollution:
The dispersion of air pollutants mainly depends on physical processes in air; those of wind and weather. How far air pollutants are transported mainly depends upon particle size of the compounds and at which height the pollution was emitted into the air. Fumes that are emitted into air through high smoke stags will mix with air so that local concentrations are not very high.
However, wind will transport compounds and the pollution will become very disperse. Rain can remove pollutants from air. This causes precipitation and consequentially soil and water pollution.
For environmental agencies it is very important to determine exactly how an air pollutant spreads. Air is not a very complex medium. This enables us to predict the dispersion of air pollutants with computer models. In a computer model dispersion is calculated by means of different parameters, such as wind speed, wind direction, temperature, air humidity and cloudiness.
These predictions are of great significance when we are dealing with toxic clouds or radioactive radiation, because these are a danger to human health and because inhabitants of polluted areas need to be warned.
Any Decrease in Air Pollution leads to Longer Lives, Study Finds:
“Despite the fact that the U.S. population as a whole is exposed to much lower levels of air pollution than 30 years ago – because of great strides made to reduce people’s exposure – it appears that further reductions in air pollution levels would continue to benefit public health,” lead author Andrew Correia said.
Numerous studies have shown that improved air quality leads to lower rates of various health problems and increases life expectancy. But because many of these studies were conducted between 1980 and 2000, when U.S. air pollution levels were steadily declining, some researchers have questioned whether the much smaller decreases that have occurred in this century would still have a health benefit.
The new study focused on levels of fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5 (indicating that the particles have diameters of 2.5 micrometers or less). It is well-established that both acute and chronic exposure to PM2.5 is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular and lung disease and death.
The researchers examined PM2.5 levels and life expectancy statistics in 545 counties across the United States between the years 2000 and 2007. In doing so, they expanded on a 2009 New England Journal of Medicine study that had found an association between increased life expectancy and reduced air pollution in 211 urban counties. In addition to examining more counties, the new study made use of more recent data and was able to examine both urban and rural areas.
Pollution weak the balance of our ecosystem of earth. So we should always to make efforts to control pollution by minimizing waste, and not throwing it to river, ocean and land.
Some preventive steps should be taken to minimize air pollutions:
1. The Air Prevention and Control of Pollution Act was passed in 1981 to control pollution and measurable improvement.
2. In the period 2001-2010 supply of more electricity to urban and rural areas to control the burning of wood, cow dung and kerosene.
3. Supply of more LPG gases as domestic fuel instead of coal and fuel wood.
4. We should plant more trees to reduce the greenhouse effects and maintain the balance of temperature.
5. Lesser use of vehicles. We should go to the office by buses and sharing autos.
6. Regular checkup of vehicles.
7. Dumping the garbage in a pit to make it manure.
8. Construction of tall chimneys in power houses and factories.
9. Good habits of covering at the time of coughing and sneezing.
Pollution Control Prolongs Life:
Even after controlling for other risk factors such as smoking prevalence, socio-economic status and other demographic characteristics, the researchers found that every reduction of 10 micrograms per cubic meter of PM2.5 concentration increased the average life expectancy in a county by 0.35 years.
The connection between improved air quality and life expectancy was stronger in more urban and densely populated regions. Although the reasons for this were not clear, the researchers suggested that perhaps particulate matter in urban areas has a different composition than that in rural areas.
The study strongly demonstrates that continuing to decrease levels of air pollution has a measurable and significant benefit for human health and life span.
“Since the 1970s, enactment of increasingly stringent air quality controls has led to improvements in ambient air quality in the United States at costs that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has estimated as high as $25 billion per year,” senior author Francesca Dominici said. However, the extent to which more recent regulatory actions have benefited public health [had remained] in question.
Essay # 7. Practices to Reduce Air Pollution:
We make choices every day that can help to reduce air pollution.
Below are a few ideas that you can take to help clean our air:
At Home:
i. Conserve energy – turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
ii. Recycle paper, plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. (This conserves energy and reduces production emissions.)
iii. Keep woodstoves and fireplaces well maintained. You should also consider placing old wood stoves with EPA-certified models.
iv. Plant deciduous trees in locations around your home to provide shade in the summer, but to allow light in the winter.
v. Buy green electricity-produced by low or even zero- pollution facilities.
vi. Connect your outdoor lights to a timer or use solar lighting.
vii. Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
viii. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120F.
ix. Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes, and paint strippers.
x. Test your home for radon-a dangerous, radioactive gas that is odourless and tasteless. If the test shows elevated levels of radon, the problem can be fixed cost effectively.
xi. Choose not to smoke in your home, especially if you have children. If you or your visitors must smoke, then smoke outside.
Buy Smart:
Buy ENERGY STAR products, including energy efficient lighting and appliances. They are environmentally friendly products.
For more information:
i. Choose efficient, low-polluting models of vehicles.
ii. Choose products that have less packaging and are reusable.
iii. Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
iv. Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.
Drive Wise:
Plan your trips. Save gasoline and reduce air pollution.
i. Keep tires properly inflated and aligned.
ii. In the summer time, fill gas tank during cooler evening hours to cut down on evaporation. Avoid spilling gas and don’t top off the tank. Replace gas tank cap tightly.
iii. Avoid waiting in long drive-thru lines, for example, at fast-food restaurants or banks. Park your car and go in.
iv. When possible, use public transportation, walk, or ride a bike.
v. Get regular engine tune ups and car maintenance checks (especially for the spark plugs).
vi. Use an energy-conserving (EC) grade motor oil.
vii. Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
viii. Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
ix. Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work.
For your Health:
i. Check daily air quality forecasts, which tell how clean or polluted your air is, and the associated health concerns.
ii. Remove indoor asthma triggers from your home and avoid outdoor triggers in order to effectively control your asthma, to learn more about asthma triggers and ways to avoid them.
iii. Minimize your sun exposure. Wear sun block and UV protection sunglasses. To find out about current forecasts of UV where you live, pollution prevention, monitoring and solution.
Solution efforts on pollution are always a big problem. This is why prevention. Interventions are always a better way of controlling air pollution. These prevention methods can either come from government (laws) or by individual actions. In many big cities, monitoring equipment have been installed at many points in the city. Authorities read them regularly to check the quality of air.
Let’s see more below:
i. Government (or community) level prevention – Governments throughout the world have already taken action against air pollution by introducing green energy. Some governments are investing in wind energy and solar energy, as well as other renewable energy, to minimize burning of fossil fuels, which cause heavy air pollution.
ii. Governments are also forcing companies to be more responsible with their manufacturing activities, so that even though they still cause pollution, they are a lot controlled.
iii. Companies are also building more energy efficient cars, which pollute less than before.
iv. Individual Level Prevention: Encourage your family to use the bus, train or bike when commuting. If we all do this, there will be less cars on road and less fumes.
v. Use energy (light, water, boiler, kettle and fire woods) wisely. This is because lots of fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity, and so if we can cut down the use, we will also cut down the amount of pollution we create.
vi. Recycle and re-use things: This will minimize the dependence of producing new things. Remember manufacturing industries create a lot of pollution, so if we can re-use things like shopping plastic bags, clothing, paper and bottles, it can help.
Indoor Air Pollution and Health:
i. Around 3 billion people cook and heat their homes using open fires and leaky stoves burning biomass (wood, animal dung and crop waste) and coal.
ii. Nearly 2 million people die prematurely from illness attributable to indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use.
iii. Nearly 50 per cent of pneumonia deaths among children under five are due to particulate matter inhaled from indoor air pollution.
iv. More than one million people a year die from chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) that develops due to exposure to such indoor air pollution.
v. Both women and men exposed to heavy indoor smoke are 2-3 times more likely to develop COPD.
Air pollution threatens the health of humans and other living beings in our planet. It creates smog and acid rain, causes cancer and respiratory diseases, reduces the ozone layer atmosphere and contributes to global warming.
Reducing Toxic Air Pollutants:
Toxic air pollutants, or air toxics, are known to cause or are suspected of causing cancer, birth defects, reproduction problems, and other serious illnesses. Exposure to certain levels of some toxic air pollutants can cause difficulty in breathing, nausea or other illnesses. Exposure to certain toxic pollutants can even cause death.
Some toxic air pollutants are of concern because they degrade slowly or not at all, as in the case of metals such as mercury or lead. These persistent air toxics can remain in the environment for a long time and can be transported great distances. Toxic air pollutants, like mercury or polychlorinated biphenyls, deposited onto soil or into lakes and streams persist and bio-accumulate in the environment.
They can affect living systems and food chains, and eventually affect people when they eat contaminated food. This can be particularly important for American Indians or other communities where cultural practices or subsistence life styles are prevalent.
The majority of air toxics come from manmade sources, such as factory smokestack emissions and motor vehicle exhaust.
Gasoline also contains air toxics. When you put fuel in your car, gases escape and form a vapor. You can smell these vapors when you refuel your vehicle.
When cars and trucks burn gasoline, toxic air pollutants are emitted from the tailpipe. Those air toxics are combustion products – chemicals that are produced when gasoline is burned. EPA is working with industries to develop cleaner- burning fuels and more efficient engines, and is taking steps to make sure that pollution control devices installed in motor vehicles work properly. EPA has issued requirements that are leading to cleaner-burning diesel engines, reducing releases of particle pollution and air toxics.
Air toxics are also released from industrial sources, such as chemical factories, refineries, and incinerators, and even from small industrial and commercial sources, such as dry cleaners and printing shops. Under the 1990 Clean Air Act, EPA has regulated both large and small sources of air toxics, but has mainly focused efforts on larger sources.
Before the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, EPA regulated air toxics one chemical at a time. This approach did not work well. Between 1970 and 1990, EPA established regulations for only seven pollutants. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments took a completely different approach to reducing toxic air pollutants.
The Amendments required EPA to identify categories of industrial sources for 187 listed toxic air pollutants and to take steps to reduce pollution by requiring sources to install controls or change production processes.
It makes good sense to regulate by categories of industries rather than one pollutant at a time, since many individual sources release more than one toxic chemical. Developing controls and process changes for industrial source categories can result in major reductions in releases of multiple pollutants at one time.
EPA has published regulations covering a wide range of industrial categories, including chemical plants, incinerators, dry cleaners, and manufacturers of wood furniture. Harmful air toxics from large industrial sources, such as chemical plants, petroleum refineries, and paper mills, have been reduced by nearly 70 percent.
These regulations mostly apply to large, so-called “major” sources and also to some smaller sources known as “area” sources. In most cases, EPA does not prescribe a specific control technology, but sets a performance level based on a technology or other practices already used by the better-controlled and lower emitting sources in an industry.
EPA works to develop regulations that give companies as much flexibility as possible in deciding how they reduce their toxic air emissions-as long as the companies meet the levels required in the regulations.
The 1990 Clean Air Act requires EPA to first set regulations using a technology-based or performance-based approach to reduce toxic emissions from industrial sources. After EPA sets the technology-based regulations, the Act requires EPA to evaluate any remaining (“residual”) risks, and decide whether it is necessary to control the source further. That assessment of remaining risk was initiated in the year 2000 for some of the industries covered by the technology-based standards.
Chemical Emergencies:
The 1984 chemical disaster that resulted in thousands of deaths in Bhopal, India, inspired sections of the 1990 Clean Air Act that require factories and other businesses to develop plans to prevent accidental releases of highly toxic chemicals.
The 1990 Act also established the Chemical Safety Board, an independent agency that investigates and reports on accidental releases of toxic chemicals from industrial facilities. The Board operates much like the National Transportation Safety Board, the agency that investigates airplane and train crashes.
The Chemical Safety Board assembles the information necessary to determine how and why an accident involving toxic chemicals happened. The goal is to apply understanding of accidents to prevent other accidents involving toxic chemicals.
Air Toxics and Risk:
The Clean Air Act requires a number of studies to help EPA better characterize risks to human health and the environment from air toxics. Those studies provide information for rule making and support national and local efforts to address risks through pollution prevention and other voluntary programmes.
Among these risk reduction initiatives are:
i. The Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy includes local and community-based initiatives to reduce local toxic air emissions. The primary goal of the strategy is to reduce public health risks from both indoor and outdoor sources of toxic air pollutants.
ii. The Great Waters Programme incorporates activities to investigate and reduce the deposition of toxic air pollutants to the “Great Waters” which include the Chesapeake Bay, Lake Champlain, the Great Lakes, National Estuary Programme areas, and National Estuarine Research Reserves.
iii. Initiatives targeting emission reductions of persistent bio-accumulative toxics (PBTs) like mercury, DDT (a pesticide banned in the United States), and dioxins.
Essay # 8. Prevention of Air Pollution:
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is mainly believed to be manmade. So man can only take preventive measures to reduce air pollution and it is high time for human to think for a better future life of living beings on this earth.
Some important measures for prevention of air pollution are given below:
i. Reduce the use of vehicles either by resorting to public transport for daily transportation or switching over from vehicles to other means such as cycling or walking.
ii. If the use of vehicle is inevitable, make sure that you use it efficiently i.e. drive within the speed limit recommended by the manufacturer, turn the engine off on red light and make sure that you maintain your vehicle as per their instructions.
iii. Buying fuel efficient vehicles is yet another option that you have. Several car manufacturers are using advanced technology to roll out vehicles, which minimize emissions of smoke and gaseous pollutants.
iv. Implement practices such as ‘carpool’ wherein you take turns to use your vehicles in your neighbourhood or workplace. Simple, but effective measure when it comes to vehicle pollution.
v. Though indirectly saving energy by resorting to energy saving appliances and not wasting electricity will also help in carbine air pollution lesser the energy requirements lesser will be produced and thus turn, will lessen the amount of air pollution caused by power plants or furnaces.
vi. Do not burn the wastes generated in your homes instead resort to other means of garbage disposal. The same rule implies when it comes to disposal of your garden wastes or home garbage. A better way out is to opt for traditional methods such as composting but putting them in a bigger pit.
vii. You can also resort to technology advanced air pollution control equipment systems such as use of wet scrubbers to remove acid gases present in the atmospheric air.
viii. Use a thermostat in your homes so that your heater or air conditioner automatically gets switched off when it is not required.
ix. Follow all the rules and regulations meant to stop environmental pollution and do try to spread awareness about such environmental hazards.
x. To purify the polluted air my making up the deficiency of oxygen gas, every individual may be young or old must start plantations everywhere regularly and stop destruction of forest due to regular cutting off of trees.
Essay # 9. Air Pollution and Human Health:
“This work has broad potential public health implications,” lead researcher Heather Volk said. “We’ve known for a long time that air pollution is bad for our lungs, and especially for children. We’re now beginning to understand how air pollution may affect the brain.”
The researchers estimated exposure to air pollution during each trimester of pregnancy and during the first year of life among 279 people with autism and 245 people without autism, all of whom were participants in the California-based Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) study. Exposure was calculated using addresses listed in residential histories and on the participants’ birth certificates.
The researchers then estimated regional air pollution levels using data from the Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) Air Quality System. The researchers then used air pollution data to calculate participants’ exposure to three specific pollutants: nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter fewer than 10 microns in diameter (PM10), and particulate fewer than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5).
In addition, the researchers used dispersion models to calculate how much air pollution the participants had likely been exposed to by local traffic. The study is the first to look at exposure not just to regional pollution, but also to that generated by local traffic. It follows a prior study by the same researchers that looked only at the correlation between autism risk and residence distance from a freeway.
We took into account how far away people lived from roads, meteorology such as which way the wind was blowing, how busy the road was, and other factors to study traffic- related pollution. We also examined data from air quality monitors, which measure pollution over a larger region that could come from traffic, industry, rail yards, or many other sources.
Essay # 10. Cleaning Up Commonly Found Air Pollutants:
Six common air pollutants (also known as “criteria pollutants”) are found all over the United States. They are particle pollution (often referred to as particulate matter), ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and lead.
These pollutants can harm your health and the environment, and cause property damage. Of the six pollutants, particle pollution and ground-level ozone are the most widespread health threats. Details about these two pollutants are discussed below. For information about the other common pollutants.
EPA calls these pollutants “criteria” air pollutants because it regulates them by developing human health based and/or environmentally-based criteria (science based guidelines) for setting permissible levels. The set of limits based on human health is called primary standards.
Another set of limits intended to prevent environmental and property damage is called secondary standards. A geographic area with air quality that is cleaner than the primary standard is called an “attainment” area; areas that do not meet the primary standard are called “non-attainment” areas.
EPA has been developing programs to cut emissions of these commonly found air pollutants since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970. It’s a big job, and although a great deal of progress has been made, it will take time to make the air healthy throughout the country.
For the latest information on air quality trends in the U.S. There are still several areas of the country, including many large cities that are classified as non-attainment for at least one of the six common pollutants. Despite continued improvements in air quality, millions of people live in areas with monitoring data measuring unhealthy levels of pollution.
Essay # 11. Particle Pollution:
Particle pollution, also known as particulate matter (PM), includes the very fine dust, soot, smoke, and droplets that are formed from chemical reactions, and produced when fuels such as coal, wood, or oil are burned.
For example, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases from motor vehicles, electric power generation, and industrial facilities react with sunlight and water vapour to form particles. Particles may also come from fireplaces, wood stoves, unpaved roads, crushing and grinding operations, and may be blown into the air by the wind.
EPA scientists and other health experts are concerned about particle pollution because very small or “fine” particles can get deep into the lungs. These fine particles, by themselves, or in combination with other air pollutants, can cause increased emergency room visits and hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses, and tens of thousands of deaths each year.
They can aggravate asthma, cause acute respiratory symptoms such as coughing, reduce lung function resulting in shortness of breath, and cause chronic bronchitis.
The elderly, children, and asthmatics are particularly susceptible to health problems caused by breathing fine particles. Individuals with pre-existing heart or lung disease are also at an increased risk of health problems due to particle pollution.
Particles also cause haze reducing visibility in places like national parks and wilderness areas that are known for their scenic vistas. These are places where we expect to see clearly for long distances. In many parts of the United States, pollution has reduced the distance and clarity of what we see by 70 percent.
Fine particles can remain suspended in the air and travel long distances with the wind. For example, over 20 per cent of the particles that form haze in the Rocky Mountains National Park have been estimated to come from hundreds of miles away.
Particles also make buildings, statues and other outdoor structures dirty. Trinity Church in downtown New York City was black until a few years ago, when cleaning off almost 200 years’ worth of soot brought the church’s stone walls back to their original light pink colour.
Before the 1990 Clean Air Act went into effect, EPA set limits on airborne particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter called PM10. These are tiny particles (seven of these particles lined up next to each other would cover a distance no wider than a human hair).
Research has shown that even smaller particles (1/4 the size of a PM10 particle) are more likely to harm our health. So in 1997, EPA published limits for fine particles, called PM25. To reduce particle levels, additional controls are being required on a variety of sources including power plants and diesel trucks.
Types of Pollutants:
In order to understand the causes of Air pollution, several divisions can be made. Primarily air pollutants can be caused by primary sources or secondary sources. The pollutants that are a direct result of the process can be called primary pollutants. A classic example of a primary pollutant would be the sulfur-dioxide emitted from factories.
Secondary pollutants are the ones that are caused by the inter mingling and reactions of primary pollutants. Smog created by the interactions of several primary pollutants is known to be as secondary pollutant.
Essay # 12. Solutions for Air Pollution:
i. Use Public Mode of Transportation:
Encourage people to use more and more public modes of transportation to reduce pollution. Also, try to make use of carpooling. If you and your colleagues come from the same locality and have same timings you can explore this option to save energy and money.
ii. Conserve Energy:
Switch off fans and lights when you are going out. Large amount of fossil fuels are burnt to produce electricity. You can save the environment from degradation by reducing the amount of fossil fuels to be burned.
iii. Understand the Concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle:
Do not throw away items that are of no use to you. In-fact reuse them for some other purpose, e.g., you can use old jars to store cereals or pulses.
iv. Emphasis on Clean Energy Resources:
Clean energy technologies like solar, wind and geothermal are on high these days. Governments of various countries have been providing grants to consumers who are interested in installing solar panels for their home. This will go a long way to curb air pollution.
v. Use Energy Efficient Devices:
CFL lights consume less electricity as against their counterparts. They live longer, consume less electricity, lower electricity bills and also help you to reduce pollution by consuming less energy.
Several attempts are being made worldwide on personal, industrial and governmental levels to curb the intensity at which Air Pollution is rising and regain a balance as far as the proportions of the foundation gases are concerned.
This is a direct attempt at slacking Global warming. We are seeing a series of innovations and experiments aimed at alternate and unconventional options to reduce pollutants. Air Pollution is one of the larger mirrors of man’s follies, and a challenge we need to overcome to see a tomorrow.
Essay 13. Policy Measures for Air Pollution:
In keeping with the goal of promoting ecological balance in the world, the United Nations General Assembly has declared the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction on first January, 1990.
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act) Act, 1991 has recommended shifting of industries from Urban areas, the obtainment of clearance from State Pollution Control Board for industries which are proposed to be set up and it is binding on the part of industries to follow the air quality measurements as per state/central pollution boards and provide for replacement of pollution generating machinery.
The Centre and State Pollution Central Board advises the government on matters relating to control of air pollution, publishes data on environment pollution and lays down effluent standards. Another weapon to fight the battle of air pollution is the provision of research guidance to pollution control boards both at centre and state levels.
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 and the Motor vehicles Act, 1988 covers air pollution generated by automobiles. The state government implements the Act.
Environmental Awareness at Primary school level aims to impart elementary knowledge about environmental issues. Management of natural resource at senior secondary level school seeks to tackle management aspect of natural resources. At college level efforts may be directed to experiment on conservation of natural resources.
Efforts may be made to embark on the path of plantation to abate air pollution. Plan endeavour may strive to discover alternative sources of energy like wind, and solar energy. Another instrument in the tool box of air pollution is pollution check of vehicles.
With regard to refined natural gas, it may be stated that use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) may be encouraged on massive scale. It can be pleaded that, the use of electric trains may be of much use for commuters from suburban areas and it may reduce local rush in local buses.
Establishment of Automatic traffic control Areas involves reservation of some roads exclusively for automobiles traffic. On the other hand, congested roads and lanes may be declared as automatic traffic central areas.
To combat air pollution, the use of bicycles for local purposes needs a big boost. China has marched on the path.
Above all, environmental impact Assessment should be carried out regularly by scientific personnel and researchers.
It needs recognition that strict government action be taken against industries, which discharge higher quality of pollutants than prescribed by the state pollution controlling Board. Industries may be shifted from residential areas to industrial areas. Further, use of cow dung and bio-fertilizer may be encouraged in agriculture.
Essay # 14. Conclusion to Air Pollution:
The central conclusion that emerges from the study is that, we should develop a biocentric conscience that involves a recovery of a sense of kinship between man and nature. The world conference on environment and development commission held in Tokyo on February 27, 1987 has pleaded for a kind of growth with its components of sustainability, equity, Justice and security, sustainable population growth and conservation of the resource base of the world.
Some learned bodies like, OECD have suggested that, firms discharging effluents to the environment should be made to pay a price for such discharges related to amount of environmental damage caused. (The polluter pays principle). Luxurious life style may be substituted by simple life style.
Jambeswar has already set in notion the train of Chipko movement in the country. Protection of nature’s precious resources is a collective responsibility of one and all, individuals, Government, society, NGO’s Youth and Women, and Corporations. The scale of endeavor may be speeded up to create public awareness to protect environment. The Vedas declare “Aum Prudhivi Santhi, Vanaspathi Santi, Apoh Santhi, Sarve Bhabantu Sukhinah”.
Air pollution is a significant risk factor for multiple health conditions including respiratory infections, heart diseases and lung cancer. According to the WHO (World Health Organisation). The human health effects of poor air quality are really dangerous, but principally it effects the body’s respiratory system and the cardiovascular system.
As “Prevention is better than cure” we must take all preventive measures for air pollution as discussed in the text. The state and the central government authorities must take strict measures against the pollution control board of such authorities who neglect their duties in preventing air pollution.
These authorities must frame strict rules to accord temporary or permanent permissions to different factories and industries for installation near the township or other habitats. Forest departments must be alert enough to eradicate deforestations and regular cutting of the logs of wood by the people to get rid of the hazards of the air pollution and save the lives of human beings, animals, plants, crops, insects etc. in future days.