Annexure – I

1. Introduction to Environmental Pollution:

The systematic pollution of our environment is one of the biggest hazards
that humanity faces today. People are becoming increasingly aware of the
threat posed by pollution and governments are enacting legislations aimed
at protecting the environment.

During the last few decades, the global environment has gone through
serious challenges and changes. Population pressure has escaped rapidly
consequently resources have dwindled.

Pollution is an undesirable change in the physical and biological

operations of our air, land and water. They may be or will be harmful to
human life, species our industries process; living condition and culture assets
or deteriorate our material resources.

Human being can be exposed to pollutant in many ways through the air
they breathe, the water they drink, the food they eat and the cosmetics,
drugs and other products they use. The continuing discovery of previously
unsuspected hazards from various chemicals and other substances
underscore the point. The environmental and human health effect of even
those substances identified for priority consideration.

Scientific developments have been a growing concern about the links

between the health and environment and worldwide industrial, land and
resources management practices. Today there is a growing concern for
global scale environmental degradation brought by combinations of all
people on earth. Manufacturing plants, agriculture production and other
sources release pollutants into the air, water and soil, pollutants are
intentionally moved away through the management of waste including
residues removed from the air and water by pollution control equipment.
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 Pollutants also move among the media by changing into more, or less
hazardous substances as they move through environment. They may
accumulate in sinks for long period of time and people often are exposed to
the same pollutant through the one medium by breathing air, drinking water,
eating food or absorbing it through skin.

Generally new industrial plants reduce less waste than older ones. One
report estimates that new factories cut the amount of hazardous waste to
half. Dilution which increases the volume of waste, is now more common
than segregations.

Firms dilute waste to lower pollutant concentration for discharge into a

sewage treatment plant or directly into air or water, or to inject them more
easily into deep wells. To save money, small electroplating firms after mix
their organic waste with those containing metals and cyanide before
dumping them in the sewer rather than treating them independently.

The sewage treatment plant can degrade the organic waste but the
metal of cyanide accumulates in the plant’s sludge. A cross media approach
designed to avoid this problem might require the discharger to segregate
and treat separately the heavy metals and cyanide to prevent their release.

Once wastes are segregated, they are easy to recycle or treat. As a better
understanding of nature and extent of Cross media problem is gained, society
will also find better ways to improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of

pollution control policies.

2. Meaning of Environmental Pollution:

Ecosystem is a natural unit of living community (plants and animals)

and non-living environment. The biotic and abiotic community are
constantly interacting and exchanging materials and energy between
themselves.

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 The life in an ecosystem depends upon the environment which provides
energy in the form of sunlight and nutrients for the living components of the
ecosystem. Waste matter and energy produced by human beings through,
their irresponsible and wanting activities cause disturbance in the natural
environment or is the ecosystem is called environment pollution.

Environmental pollution is the result of increased production of waste

products by the industries, rapid urbanization, wanting and irresponsible.
Harnessing of the natural resources as well as unplanned sewage and waste
disposal from industries and cities etc. Thus, presence of any environment
pollutant called environment pollution.

Nature has provided the basic ingredients for living in abundance and
whatever is used up during normal course of living is recaptured through
natural cycle. Any effort to disturb this process is termed as Environment
pollution.

In a homeostatic ecosystem there is a balance between the living

organisms and the environment. Disturbance in any component of the
environment is likely to have a harmful effect on the ecosystem. Any change
in the environment which contributes to its deterioration is called pollution of
the environment and the agent which causes the pollution is called the
pollutant.

This change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of our

physical environment (air, water and land) is undesirable and harms human
life, other living organisms and cultural assets. The resulting impact on the
environment has been so massive with far-reaching consequences that the
very existence of life is threatened.

Pollution is an undesirable change in the physical and biological

operations of our air, land and water. They may be or will be harmful to

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human life, species our industries process; living condition and culture assets
or deteriorate our material resources.

The word environment connotes the whole gamat of physical

surroundings i.e., land, air and water along with the biotic components (all
living forms/which are responsible for the plant and animal kingdom to
survive and proferaterate Environmental segments are atmosphere,
hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.

Man is the main agent for polluting the environment Nature can cope

with certain degree of pollution because it has its own cleaning agents.

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3. Factors Affecting Environmental Pollution:

Some of the factors which are affecting environment and causes pollution
are described below:

i. Consequences of Population Growth:

Population growth is one of the prominent factors that affect the

degradation of the environment. Earlier, pestilence and famine kept the
population under control, but with the development of chemical compounds
to restore and enhance the soil fertility, and with reduction in the death
rate, there has been an explosive growth in population with inevitable
consequences.

This dramatic growth coupled with the development of cheap sources of

energy like coal, petroleum, natural gas etc., and industrial revolution has
posed a grave threat to the environment because earth is a finite system in
which any further increase will be restricted by environmental constraints.

Pollution increases not only because the people multiply and the space
available to each person becomes smaller but also because the demands per
person are continuously increasing and each throws away more and more
every year. Pollutants are the residues of the things we make, use and throw
away.

An intimate relationship is found between human number (population)

and environment. The impact of any human group in environment can be
conceptually resolved into three factors; Pollution, Affluence i.e. material
aspects of per capita consumption of goods and resources and technology
of production.

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As shown in Table 2.1, the world population has grown dramatically over
the last 350 years. Control measures should be implemented successfully or
else the biosphere will collapse under the weight of the rapidly growing
population.

ii. Pollution of Indian Lakes:

Among the surface water bodies, lakes and reservoirs are considered to
be most valuable water resources. These surface water bodies are currently
under serious pollution threat not only in India but also globally considered
to be an important issue.

Over past couple of decades national and international programmes

on lake water quality assessment and their management in the
perspective of conservation were attempted.

Considerable studies were made in Himalayan lakes of J & K (Dal &

Nagin Lake), Kumaun (Naimtal and Bhimtal Lake), Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal
Lake), Odissa (Chilka Lake), Manipore (Loktak Lake) and so on. In almost
all cases lake water is highly polluted with silts, agrochemicals, fertilizer,
organic wastes and industrial discharges etc.

As a result, considerable biotic changes along with loss of productivity

is noticed. In most of limnological studies of the lake system thus revealed
the fact that most of the lakes slowly transformed into swampy marsh
without any proper management for conservation. Since 1990s there is a
national lake conservation policy adopted by the Ministry of Environment
and Forest, Govt. of India.

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 iii. Pollutants:

According to “The Indian Environment Protection Act 1980” a pollutant

has been defined as any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such
concentration as may be or tend to be injurious to environment.

Any substance present in the environment in such concentration which

adversely effects the environment by damaging the growth rate of a species
and by interfering with the food chains, and affects the health, comfort and
property etc. is considered as a pollutant.

Smoke from industries and automobiles, domestic and commercial

sewage, radioactive substances from nuclear plants and discarded household
articles (tins, bottles, broken crockery etc.) come under the category of
pollutants.

Classification of Pollutants:
The classification of pollutants is done from different points of view.

Depending upon their existence in nature pollutants are of

two types, namely:

(i) Quantitative and

(ii) Qualitative pollutants.

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(i) Quantitative Pollutants:
These are those substances normally occurring in the environment, who
acquire the status of a pollutant when their concentration gets increased
due to the unmindful activities of man. For example, carbon dioxide, if
present in the atmosphere in concentration greater than normal due to
automobiles and industries, causes measurable effects on humans,
animals, plants or property, then it is classified as a quantitative pollutant.

(ii) Qualitative Pollutant:

These are those substances which do not normally occur in nature but
are added by man, for example, insecticides. Depending upon the form in
which they persist after being released into the environment, the pollutants
are categorized into two types, namely (a) primary and (b) secondary
pollutants.

(a) Primary Pollutants:

These are those which are emitted directly from the source and persist
in the form in which they were added to the environment. Typical examples
of pollutants included under this category are ash, smoke, fumes, dust,
nitric oxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrocarbons etc.

(b) Secondary Pollutants:

These are those which are formed from the primary pollutants by
chemical interaction with some constituent present in the atmosphere.

Examples are:

Sulphur trioxide, nitrogen dioxide, aldehydes, ketones, ozone etc.

Nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are two primary pollutants released from
automobiles but in the presence of sunlight, they react to form peroxyacyl
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nitrate (PAN) and ozone, two secondary pollutants which are far more toxic
than the primary pollutants from which they are derived.

4. Types of Environmental Pollution:

Pollution is of five mains types:

(a) Atmospheric or Air pollution

(b) Water pollution

(c) Land and soil pollution

(d) Noise pollution

(e) Radioactive pollut

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(a) Atmospheric or Air Pollution:

It is an atmospheric condition in which certain substances (including the

normal constituents in excess) are present in concentrations which can cause
undesirable effects on man and his environment. These substances include
gases, particulate matter, radioactive substances etc.

Gaseous pollutants include oxides of sulphur (mostly SO2, SO3) oxides of

nitrogen (mostly NO and NO2 or NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile
organic compounds (mostly hydrocarbons) etc. Particulate pollutants
include smoke, dust, soot, fumes, aerosols, liquid droplets, pollen grains etc.
Radioactive pollutants include radon-222, iodine-131, strontium 90,
plutonium-239 etc.

Fig 4.A (Air Pollution)

(b) Water Pollution:
Water is one of the most important biological components that sustain
life. Its great solvent power makes the creation of absolute pure water a
theoretical rather than a practical goal. Human population has the habit of
dumping their wastes into water. This has the effect of diluting the waste
and getting it dispersed if it is a running water system.

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 The term “water quality” is infinitely related to water pollution. The
water is said to be polluted when it has more “negative” qualities than
“positive” ones. Water quality refers to the physical, chemical and biological
characteristics of water. Thus, in simple words, we can say that polluted
water is that water which has been abused, defiled in some way, so that it is
no longer fit for use.

Water pollution can be defined as “the presence of too much of

undesirable substances in water which tend to degrade the quality of
water’s physical, chemical and biological characteristics, making it
unsuitable for beneficial use”.

Fig 4.B(Water Pollution) (c)

Land and Soil Pollution:

Soil is the loose mineral material and is the most important

component of the earth’s surface (lithosphere). It is the growth medium
for many microbes, plants and animals. The formation of soil is the result
of chemical, physical and biological weathering. Like air and water, soil is
also subjected to pollution. Soil contains many microbes.

Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants

or contaminants) in soil, in high enough concentrations to pose a risk to
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 human health and/or the ecosystem. In the case of contaminants which
occur naturally in soil, even when their levels are not high enough to pose
a risk, soil pollution is still said to occur if the levels of the contaminants
in soil exceed the levels that should naturally be present.

Fig 4.C (Land and Soil pollution)

(d) Noise Pollution

We hear various types of sounds every day. Sound is mechanical energy
from a vibrating source. A type of sound may be pleasant to someone and at
the same time unpleasant to others. The unpleasant and unwanted sound is
called noise.

Sound can propagate through a medium like air, liquid or solid. Sound
wave is a pressure perturbation in the medium through which sound travels.
Sound pressure alternately causes compression and rarefaction. The number
of compressions and rarefactions of the molecules of the medium (for
example air) in a unit time is described as frequency. It is expressed in Hertz
(Hz) and is equal to the number of cycles per second.

Noise pollution is generally defined as regular exposure to elevated sound

levels that may lead to adverse effects in humans or other living organisms.

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 According to the World Health Organization, sound levels less than 70 dB are
not damaging to living organisms, regardless of how long or consistent the
exposure is. Exposure for more than 8 hours to constant noise beyond 85 dB
may be hazardous. If you work for 8 hours daily in close proximity to a busy
road or highway, you are very likely exposed to traffic noise pollution around
85dB.

Fig 4. D (Noise Pollution)

(e) Radioactive Pollution:

The elements such as uranium, thorium etc. having unstable nuclei emit
radiations such as alpha, beta and gamma in nature to acquire stability.
These elements are called radioactive elements.

Some ordinary elements like zinc, calcium, chlorine etc. can be

converted into radioactive by bombardment with neutron or other particles.
This bombardment is called disintegration and the disintegration rate is
measured in curie (Ci) named on the discoverer, of radioactive elements.

The radioactive pollution is defined as the physical pollution of living

organisms and their environment as a result of release of radioactive
substances into the environment during nuclear explosions and testing of
nuclear weapons, nuclear weapon production and decommissioning, mining
of radioactive ores, handling and disposal of radioactive waste, and
accidents at nuclear power plants

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 Fig. 4.E(Radioactive Pollution

Annexure – II

5. Sources of Environmental Pollution:

There are two main sources of environmental

pollution: i. Natural sources, and ii. Man-made or

Anthropogenic sources.

i. Natural Sources of Environmental Pollution:

(a) Volcanic eruptions release gases and volcanic ash.

(b) Forest fires produce smoke and trace gases.
(c) Dust storms increase the wind-blown dust into the environment.
(d) Bacteria, spores, cysts and pollens are all natural pollutants.
(e) Decay of organic matter in marshy places releases marsh gas (methane—
CH4) which is a light, colourless, inflammable hydrocarbon.

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 ii. Man-Made or Anthropogenic Sources of Environmental
Pollution:
Anthropogenic source cover a wide spectrum of types as man has
aggravated the problem of pollution by his innumerable activities like,

1. Domestic sources

2. Industries

3. Agriculture activities

4. Radioactive waste

5. Thermal power stations

(a) Industrialisation

(b) Invention of automobiles

(c) Over population

(d) Deforestation: Destruction of natural habitat

(e) Nuclear explosions

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 (f) Over-exploitation of natural resources

(g) Construction of buildings, roads and dams

(h) Explosives used in wars (i) Use of fertilizers and pesticides (j)

Quarrying and mining.

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 6. Effect of Pollution on the Environment:

The term “environment” refers to the immediate surroundings in which man

lives. It comprises of living and non-living constituents that support life and
sustain various human activities. Pollution affects both the living as well as the
non-living components of the environment.

It brings about drastic changes in the physical environment causing

community wide problems by polluting the air, water and land; adversely
affecting the health of humans and animals, and damaging plants and
property. Besides there are effects of noise pollution and the hazards
associated with radiation pollution.

As environmental stress on the human body increases, many medical

scientists fear a terminal increase in infectious disorders not only because
of lower body resistance but because viruses and other disease organisms
will increasingly slip through water treatment and food processing plants
as the quality of water and food at the intake deteriorates.

Effect on plants, the adverse effects range from reduction in growth rate
to death of the plant. The damage caused to plants by pollution includes
necrosis (dead areas on a leaf structure), chlorosis (loss or reduction of
chlorophyll leading to yellowing of leaf), epinasty (downward curvature of
the leaf due to higher rate of growth on the upper surface) and abscission of
leaves (premature fall). Pollution also causes deterioration of structural
materials such as marble and lime stone.

Pollution has been changed the atmospheric conditions. An average

temperature has been increased due to increase in pollution. Effects of
pollution at international level are depletion of ozone layer, global warming
acid rain, rising sea level etc.

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7. Environmental Protection and Control of Pollution:

Over population and pollution are potent ecological forces impinging

upon man by affecting the quality of the environment. All efforts aimed at
bringing more and more people above the poverty line actually increase the
pressure on natural resources.

Careless management of natural resources is disrupting the ecological

processes so much so that earth’s life supporting capacity is being
substantially threatened. Unmindful exploitation of the finite resources of
the biosphere has a severe ecological backlash because no development is
sustainable unless it is environmentally compatible.

Pollution is the burning of the day at the global level. A combined effort
to control pollution has to be made by all government agencies,
technologists, industrialists, agriculturists and last but not the least the
common man.

Several measures were recommended by the scientists

participating in the conference, e.g..

i. The first step should be to identify those causes of pollution that have
global implications, and to devise protective measures to be adopted.

ii. The second step should be to find out the carrying capacity of the

environment and reduce the emission of the major sources of pollution. iii.

The third step should be to find a neutralizer for each type of pollutant.

iv. The fourth step should be to ensure that anti-pollution measures are
adopted by all industries.

v. The fifth step should be the identification of areas where the cause of
pollution is poverty and lack of environmental education. Contamination of
food and water are the basic causes of pollution in such areas.

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Environmental monitoring is urgently required for controlling pollution.

This involves:

i. Careful scrutinisation of the environmental characteristics.

ii. Laying down the standards of environmental quality.

iii. Regular assessment of the above-mentioned environmental

characteristics.

iv. Keeping track of the changes in the environmental characteristics and

educating people about the changes due to these changes.

v. Devising measures to combat the menace of pollution.

vi.Enacting environmental laws and taking legal action against

environmental offenders.
Efforts are required to the made by each individual to control pollution.
These efforts include:

i. Installation of proper sewage disposal methods.

ii. Dumping of non-biodegradable wastes in low lying areas.

iii. Installation of gobar gas plants in areas of high availability of cow dung.

iv. Reduction of smoke emission and treatment of chimney smoke to

remove solid carbon particles.

8. Methods Used to Minimize Environmental

Pollution:

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 9. Environmental Pollution Prevention:

Pollution is the creation of imbalances between nature and environment

life cycle by human beings and other living inhabitants on the earth due to
their day to day input output activities carrying unhealthy surrounding,
deforestation, ecological degradation. Soil erosion, depletion of natural
resources creation of industries slumps and ugly dwellings.

a. Maximum feasibility reduction of all wastes generated at production

sites.

b. Source reduction, energy efficiency, reuse of input materials during

production and reduced water consumption.

c. Change products and production processes to reduce pollution at the

source.

10. Conclusion

On the basis of coordinating with other related planning and analyzing

the current challenges in the environment, the present Environmental
Planning has proposed the planning vision and objectives, together with a
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preliminary scheme for environmental functional districts and
environmental functional district management. Under the three principal
themes of "Optimizing the Environment Suitable for Living and Tourism",
"Promoting a Conservation and Recyclingoriented Society" and "Integrating
into the Green and Quality Region", this planning has also established 11
green indicators for the Environmental Planning, proposed 15 areas of
concern and their strategic direction, formulated various major actions, and
established the implementation and supervision mechanisms, in order to
enhace the environmental management capability of the Macao SAR
Government and guarantee the execution of the planning.

11. References

To make this project we have taken help from, [1.]

Journal of Environmental Pollution
[2.] A Study of Environmental Studies on Pollution. www.
scribd.com/.../a-study-of- pollution.

[3.] WWW.GOOGLE.COM

[4.] WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM

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