presentation on pollution and its types

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Gold Foil Experiment
Faraday Cage
Oil Drop Experiment
Magnetic Monopole
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Types of Blood Cells With Their Structure, and Functions
The Main Parts of a Plant With Their Functions
Parts of a Flower With Their Structure and Functions
Parts of a Leaf With Their Structure and Functions
Why Does Ice Float on Water
Why Does Oil Float on Water
How Do Clouds Form
What Causes Lightning
How are Diamonds Made
Types of Meteorites
Types of Volcanoes
Types of Rocks

Types of Pollution

Pollution is defined as introducing harmful substances (solid, liquid, or gas) or any form of energy (light, heat, sound, or radioactivity) into the environment. The harmful elements that damage air, water, and land quality and cause pollution are called pollutants.

Pollution is primarily human-made, but nature can have an adverse effect also sometimes acts as a source of pollution.

What are the Different Types of Pollution: Causes and Effects

The three major types of environmental pollution are air, water, and soil. Besides these three main types, there are noise, light, thermal, and radioactive pollutions.

1. Air Pollution

The air in our atmosphere has a roughly stable chemical composition consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. Any change in the air composition due to the addition of unwanted gases such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides, chemicals, particulate matter, and biological molecules is called air pollution.

Among all other types of pollution, air pollution is found to have the most diverse impact on Earth.

Sources/Causes

Air pollution can happen from both human-made (anthropogenic) and natural sources. Some of the significant sources of air pollution are given below:

Burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas
Exhaust from automobiles and industries
Indiscriminate cutting of trees (deforestation)
Wildfires resulting from burning stubble and farm residues
Release of methane from microbial decay
Excessive discharge of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) released from aerosols sprays, refrigerants, and air conditioners
Release volcanic ash and gases
Respiratory disorders in humans such as asthma, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, and other lung problems
Formation of smog that reduces visibility
Formation of acid rain
Depletion of the ozone layer
Global warming
Hazards to wildlife
Planting of trees (afforestation) purifies the air
Use of renewable energy such as sunlight and wind energy and reducing dependence on nonrenewable sources such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas
Increasing efficiency in energy usage
Use of eco-friendly vehicles
Cleaning of industry emissions before their release into the atmosphere
Reducing dependence on vehicles

2. Water Pollution

Water pollution occurs when toxic pollutants and particulate matter are introduced into water bodies such as oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds, and aquifers, making them impure and toxic. These contaminants are primarily generated by human activities and sometimes by natural disasters.

Among all other types of pollution, water pollution is found to have the maximum adverse consequences on the ecosystem.

Industrial and domestic sewage discharge
Oil spills and natural gas leakage into water bodies from underground sites called petroleum seeps
Social practices such as washing, bathing, and littering in water bodies and religious practices
Agricultural runoff containing pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, slurry, debris, and manures
Mining and drilling sometimes make underground water contaminated
Floods and storm carrying dust and debris to the water bodies
Algal bloom (eutrophication) caused due to an increase in nutrients of the water bodies
Reducing dissolved oxygen in the water bodies thus disrupting aquatic life
Disturbing the pH and salinity of the water bodies leading to loss of aquatic life
Increasing the risk of water-borne diseases such as hepatitis, cholera, diarrhea, and typhoid in humans
Increasing the level of toxins and pollutants at each successive level of the food chain (biomagnification)
Proper disposing of domestic, agricultural, and industrial wastes before releasing them into water bodies
Using sewage treatment methods such as precipitation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis , and coagulation
Reducing reusing, and recycling of water
Using plants such as water hyacinth that absorbs heavy metals in areas contaminated with radioactive pollutants

3. Soil Pollution

Sometimes called land pollution, it refers to the degradation of land quality due to unwanted chemicals and other factors in the soil. Such chemicals change the soil’s chemical and biological properties, thus affecting plant growth. Green plants, being the primary producer, absorb those pollutants, which are then passed through the food chain, affecting the whole ecosystem.

Soil pollution can seep into groundwater or run off to the nearest streams and lakes, creating a vicious pollution cycle.

Intensive farming leading to the overuse of agrochemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, slurry, debris, and manures
Improper disposal of wastes from paper mills, sugar factories, petroleum, and chemical industries
Dust particles such as silica dust
Urban wastes consisting of garbage and rubbish materials, dried sludge, and sewage from households and commercial bodies
Accidental oil spills from oil refineries
Radioactive pollutants such as radium, thorium, and uranium from power plants
Acid rain, increasing the acidity of the soil
Deforestation that increases soil erosion causing low soil fertility
Loss of soil fertility making it unfit for agriculture
Adverse effect on the growth of flora and fauna in the soil
Groundwater pollution
Increasing the salinity of the soil, making it unfit for agriculture
Causing respiratory problems, neuromuscular blockage, and various forms of cancer, especially lung cancer
Causing nausea, headache, eye irritation, skin rash, and depression
Use of organic matures instead of artificial fertilizers in agriculture
Planting of trees (Afforestation)
Treating solid wastes such as garbage, domestic refuse, and industrial materials before dumping them in landfills
Recovering and recycling of materials such as plastics, cloth, and glass before dumping

4. Other Types of Pollution

1. Light Pollution

Light pollution refers to the excessive amount of light in the night sky. It occurs due to excessive, misdirected, and inefficient lighting systems by humans. It is also called photo pollution that disrupts the ecosystem by reducing the distinction between night and day.

Although light pollution seems to have a lesser impact than any other form, it is expected to have consequences similar to air or water pollution.

Increased energy consumption through over-illumination from artificial light sources such as street lighting, domestic lighting, and garage
Poor planning by engineers while placing street lights and signage
Overpopulation increases electricity consumption, which increases glare
Smog and fog due to air pollution reflect light emitted by cities, making the surrounding look much brighter
Produce behavioral changes in animals. Nocturnal animals, who are active at night, venture out during the daytime. In contrast, diurnal animals, which are active during the day, remain active at night
Affecting migration pattern in seasonal birds
Difficulty for astronomers to see the stars properly
Affecting newly hatched turtles that rely on starlight to guide them from the beach to the ocean. They often head in the wrong direction.
Causing flowering and developmental patterns in plants
Inducing smog by destroying nitrate radicals, helping in the dispersion of smog, and causing air pollution
Inducing a delay in melatonin secretion in humans, which delays sleep at night
Reducing the use of decorative lightings that produce more light and consumes more energy
Use of covered bulbs or light that face downwards
Switching to an LED light that reduces luminance without compromising visibility
Proper planning during installation of street lights and signage
Switching off street lights during daytime
Using glare-free lighting in the outdoors
Stopping light-trespass

2. Noise Pollution

It refers to the excessive amount of sound in the surroundings disrupting the natural balance. The acceptable amount of sound is about 60 to 65 decibels, which is the same as our everyday conversation.

Sound levels above 85 decibels are harmful depending on the duration of exposure. Noise above 140 decibels can cause permanent hearing loss. Also, the duration of exposure to the sound is found to have negative health impacts.

Noise from heavy machines in factories, mills, and industries
Traffic noise from vehicles (trains and buses) and airplanes
Construction noises from boring and drilling machines
Noise from firecrackers and loudspeakers in social events
Household noises from television, mixer grinders, and music systems
Loss of hearing and behavioral disorders
Loss of focus on work leading to low work output
Stress and Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Lack of sleep and fatigue
Difficulty in speech and impairment
Hearing disorders like tinnitus
Songbirds, such as robins, fail to communicate and find food
Disrupting sonar, used by marine animals to communicate and locate food
Honking in public places like hospitals, academic institutions such as schools and colleges should be banned
Installing adequate soundproof systems in commercial buildings and hospitals
Afforestation as trees can absorb sound
Restricting the use of firecrackers during festivities and doing open public rallies

Apart from the types of pollution discussed, there are other forms of pollution called thermal or heat pollution and radioactive pollution .

Thermal pollution is caused due to excessive heat in the environment released from industrial power plants, deforestation, urban sprawl, and air pollution. It increases the Earth’s atmosphere causing drastic climate change and extinction of wildlife. In contrast, radioactive pollution results from accidental leakage from nuclear power plants and improper disposal of nuclear wastes. It can cause massive, long-lasting impacts such as cancer, infertility, blindness, and congenital disabilities.

Ans . Air pollution.

Ans . The seven types of pollution are air, water, soil, light, noise, thermal, and radioactive pollution.

Ans . Smog is a type of air pollution. It is a combination of fog and particulate matter that remain suspended in the air.

Ans . Carbon monoxide is a gaseous air pollutant.

Ans . Groundwater pollution can occur due to chemical spills from industries, household runoff during transportation, illegal dumping of wastes, mining operations, and atmospheric depositions.

Pollution – Nationalgeographic.org
Pollution: Types, Sources and Characteristics – Open.edu
Pollution Facts & Types of Pollution – Livescience.com
Pollution: Sources & Types – Geo.libretexts.org
How Many Types Of Pollution Are There? – Worldatlas.com

Article was last reviewed on Friday, February 17, 2023

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Air pollution.

Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings.

Biology, Ecology, Earth Science, Geography

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Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings. Pollutants in the air take many forms. They can be gases , solid particles, or liquid droplets. Sources of Air Pollution Pollution enters the Earth's atmosphere in many different ways. Most air pollution is created by people, taking the form of emissions from factories, cars, planes, or aerosol cans . Second-hand cigarette smoke is also considered air pollution. These man-made sources of pollution are called anthropogenic sources . Some types of air pollution, such as smoke from wildfires or ash from volcanoes , occur naturally. These are called natural sources . Air pollution is most common in large cities where emissions from many different sources are concentrated . Sometimes, mountains or tall buildings prevent air pollution from spreading out. This air pollution often appears as a cloud making the air murky. It is called smog . The word "smog" comes from combining the words "smoke" and " fog ." Large cities in poor and developing nations tend to have more air pollution than cities in developed nations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , some of the worlds most polluted cities are Karachi, Pakistan; New Delhi, India; Beijing, China; Lima, Peru; and Cairo, Egypt. However, many developed nations also have air pollution problems. Los Angeles, California, is nicknamed Smog City. Indoor Air Pollution Air pollution is usually thought of as smoke from large factories or exhaust from vehicles. But there are many types of indoor air pollution as well. Heating a house by burning substances such as kerosene , wood, and coal can contaminate the air inside the house. Ash and smoke make breathing difficult, and they can stick to walls, food, and clothing. Naturally-occurring radon gas, a cancer -causing material, can also build up in homes. Radon is released through the surface of the Earth. Inexpensive systems installed by professionals can reduce radon levels. Some construction materials, including insulation , are also dangerous to people's health. In addition, ventilation , or air movement, in homes and rooms can lead to the spread of toxic mold . A single colony of mold may exist in a damp, cool place in a house, such as between walls. The mold's spores enter the air and spread throughout the house. People can become sick from breathing in the spores. Effects On Humans People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution. Effects can be broken down into short-term effects and long-term effects . Short-term effects, which are temporary , include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis . They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea . Bad smells made by factories, garbage , or sewer systems are considered air pollution, too. These odors are less serious but still unpleasant . Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease , lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema . Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people's nerves , brain, kidneys , liver , and other organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects . Nearly 2.5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution. People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma , heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors. Effects On The Environment Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze , like smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds. Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil . This can kill crops or reduce their yield . It can kill young trees and other plants. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles . When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition ; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay . Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects, diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been attributed to air pollution. Global Warming Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earths atmosphere. (Usually, more of Earths heat escapes into space.) Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels (coal, gasoline , and natural gas ). Humans have come to rely on fossil fuels to power cars and planes, heat homes, and run factories. Doing these things pollutes the air with carbon dioxide. Other greenhouse gases emitted by natural and artificial sources also include methane , nitrous oxide , and fluorinated gases. Methane is a major emission from coal plants and agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories, agriculture, and the burning of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons , are emitted by industry. Fluorinated gases are often used instead of gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in many places because they deplete the ozone layer . Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol , first adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has not signed that treaty . Regulation In addition to the international Kyoto Protocol, most developed nations have adopted laws to regulate emissions and reduce air pollution. In the United States, debate is under way about a system called cap and trade to limit emissions. This system would cap, or place a limit, on the amount of pollution a company is allowed. Companies that exceeded their cap would have to pay. Companies that polluted less than their cap could trade or sell their remaining pollution allowance to other companies. Cap and trade would essentially pay companies to limit pollution. In 2006 the World Health Organization issued new Air Quality Guidelines. The WHOs guidelines are tougher than most individual countries existing guidelines. The WHO guidelines aim to reduce air pollution-related deaths by 15 percent a year. Reduction Anybody can take steps to reduce air pollution. Millions of people every day make simple changes in their lives to do this. Taking public transportation instead of driving a car, or riding a bike instead of traveling in carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles are a couple of ways to reduce air pollution. Avoiding aerosol cans, recycling yard trimmings instead of burning them, and not smoking cigarettes are others.

Downwinders The United States conducted tests of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site in southern Nevada in the 1950s. These tests sent invisible radioactive particles into the atmosphere. These air pollution particles traveled with wind currents, eventually falling to Earth, sometimes hundreds of miles away in states including Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Washington. These areas were considered to be "downwind" from the Nevada Test Site. Decades later, people living in those downwind areascalled "downwinders"began developing cancer at above-normal rates. In 1990, the U.S. government passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. This law entitles some downwinders to payments of $50,000.

Greenhouse Gases There are five major greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere.

water vapor
carbon dioxide
nitrous oxide

London Smog What has come to be known as the London Smog of 1952, or the Great Smog of 1952, was a four-day incident that sickened 100,000 people and caused as many as 12,000 deaths. Very cold weather in December 1952 led residents of London, England, to burn more coal to keep warm. Smoke and other pollutants became trapped by a thick fog that settled over the city. The polluted fog became so thick that people could only see a few meters in front of them.

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Related Resources

Plastic Pollution

A global overview from our world in data.

These slides provide a global overview of plastics production, waste, and pollution of our oceans. They are designed to provide a summary of the plastics challenge and what this tells us about how to address it. A more detailed exploration of this topic can be found at our topic page on Plastic Pollution

How much plastic does the world produce?
What is the fate of our plastics?
How much plastic waste do we produce & how much ends up in the ocean?
Where does plastic waste come from?
How much plastic waste is traded?
How do we tackle plastic pollution?

Annual global production of plastics has increased more than 200-fold since 1950.

In 2019 the world produced more than 450 million tonnes of plastic.

By 2019 cumulative plastic production was around 9.5 billion tonnes.

This is equivalent to more than one tonne of plastic for every person alive today.

Of the global plastic produced over the period from 1950 to 2015:

55% straight to landfill
30% was still in use
8% was incinerated
6-7% was recycled

Of 5.8 billion tonnes of plastic no longer in use, ~9% was recycled.

You can explore how the trend in global recycling, incineration and landfill has changed over time here .

Whilst recycling is preferable to incineration or landfill by displacing new plastic production, most plastic can be recycled only once or twice .

This means that most recycled plastic eventually ends up in landfill or incineration.

"Recycling delays, rather than avoids, final disposal" (Geyer et al. 2017)

The world produces around 350 million tonnes of plastic waste each year.

Estimates vary, but studies suggest that 1 to 2 million tonnes enter the oceans annually.

That means 0.5% of plastic waste ends up in the ocean.

We can answer this in multiple ways:

By land-based and marine sources
By country or region

Packaging is the largest contributor to plastic waste.

Plastic waste can arise from land (via coastlines and rivers) and from marine sources (such as fishing nets, ropes, lines and abandoned vessels).

How significant is each source for ocean plastics?

However, in certain locations, marine sources can be more significant. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has more than half (52%) from marine sources due to intensive fishing activity in the Pacific Ocean.

To identify the main geographical contributors to plastic pollution, we need to explore these figures in several steps:

How much total plastic waste is generated by country
How much plastic waste is generated by coastal populations - this is plastic which is most at risk of entering the ocean
How much of coastal plastic waste is mismanaged (open, dumped or not enclosed) and can therefore enter waterways.

This interactive map shows the total plastic waste generation by country in 2010.

Here we see that the largest producers (China, USA, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Pakistan, Nigeria) span all continents.

But to understand the largest contributors to plastic pollution, we must correct for:

coastal populations (taken as populations within 50km of a coastline)
how much of this plastic is 'mismanaged'

Mismanaged plastic waste is waste which is inadequately managed (seen in the chart opposite), plus littered waste (seen here ).

High-income countries tend to have effective waste management systems and therefore low levels of inadequately managed waste.

Once we correct for these factors we can understand the geographical distribution of plastic waste at high risk of entering the ocean.

Here we see very strong regional dominance particularly across Asia.

When we aggregate by region we see the majority of plastic at risk of entering the ocean arises from Asia and Africa, with the Americas playing a notable role.

Global trade of plastics has changed a lot in the last few years.

Historically, China has been the largest plastic importer. But in 2017, it banned imports of non-industrial plastic waste.

A number of other middle-income countries have done the same.

We can see this income group's share of global plastic imports has fallen dramatically

You can also see that the amount of plastic waste that rich countries export has fallen.

This is because middle-income countries are less willing to trade.

“If we all do a little, we’ll only achieve a little”

David mackay (sustainable energy without the hot air), high-impact immediate priorities:, development of effective waste management infrastructure in all countries.

Most ocean plastic arises from countries with poor waste management infrastructure.

Cease plastic trade from rich to low or middle-income countries without sufficient investment in waste management infrastructure

The largest plastic exporters are some of the world's richest countries.

Rich countries should handle waste domestically & cease trade of plastic trade unless sufficient infrastructure is in place. A tax for exporting countries is one suggested method of raising funds for waste management services.

Strict legislation and management of fishing activity and waste

Marine plastics can be a major source of ocean pollution (most notably the Great Pacific Garbage Patch ).

Fishing activity should be better-regulated and managed to limit these sources.

Longer-term shifts in consumption models

How essential plastic is in many aspects (e.g. preventing food losses & waste, sterile environments, construction, medical supplies)
Plastic alternatives often have other environmental impacts . There are usually trade-offs
To be globally effective, must be scalable and cheap

Explore this topic in detail at our:

Main topic on plastic pollution.

About the author: Hannah Ritchie is a scientist at the University of Oxford. She is a Researcher at the Oxford Martin Programme on Global Development . About Our World in Data: Our World in Data is an online publication that shows how living conditions are changing. The aim is to give a global overview and to show changes over the very long run, so that we can see where we are coming from, where we are today, and what is possible for the future. www.ourworldindata.org | @HannahRitchie02

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Water Pollution: Everything You Need to Know

Our rivers, reservoirs, lakes, and seas are drowning in chemicals, waste, plastic, and other pollutants. Here’s why―and what you can do to help.

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What is water pollution?

What are the causes of water pollution, categories of water pollution, what are the effects of water pollution, what can you do to prevent water pollution.

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms—contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment.

This widespread problem of water pollution is jeopardizing our health. Unsafe water kills more people each year than war and all other forms of violence combined. Meanwhile, our drinkable water sources are finite: Less than 1 percent of the earth’s freshwater is actually accessible to us. Without action, the challenges will only increase by 2050, when global demand for freshwater is expected to be one-third greater than it is now.

Water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution. Known as a “universal solvent,” water is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid on earth. It’s the reason we have Kool-Aid and brilliant blue waterfalls. It’s also why water is so easily polluted. Toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories readily dissolve into and mix with it, causing water pollution.

Here are some of the major sources of water pollution worldwide:

Agricultural

A small boat in the middle of a body of water that is a deep, vibrant shade of green

Toxic green algae in Copco Reservoir, northern California

Aurora Photos/Alamy

Not only is the agricultural sector the biggest consumer of global freshwater resources, with farming and livestock production using about 70 percent of the earth’s surface water supplies , but it’s also a serious water polluter. Around the world, agriculture is the leading cause of water degradation. In the United States, agricultural pollution is the top source of contamination in rivers and streams, the second-biggest source in wetlands, and the third main source in lakes. It’s also a major contributor of contamination to estuaries and groundwater. Every time it rains, fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste from farms and livestock operations wash nutrients and pathogens—such bacteria and viruses—into our waterways. Nutrient pollution , caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water or air, is the number-one threat to water quality worldwide and can cause algal blooms , a toxic soup of blue-green algae that can be harmful to people and wildlife.

Sewage and wastewater

Used water is wastewater. It comes from our sinks, showers, and toilets (think sewage) and from commercial, industrial, and agricultural activities (think metals, solvents, and toxic sludge). The term also includes stormwater runoff , which occurs when rainfall carries road salts, oil, grease, chemicals, and debris from impermeable surfaces into our waterways

More than 80 percent of the world’s wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused, according to the United Nations; in some least-developed countries, the figure tops 95 percent. In the United States, wastewater treatment facilities process about 34 billion gallons of wastewater per day . These facilities reduce the amount of pollutants such as pathogens, phosphorus, and nitrogen in sewage, as well as heavy metals and toxic chemicals in industrial waste, before discharging the treated waters back into waterways. That’s when all goes well. But according to EPA estimates, our nation’s aging and easily overwhelmed sewage treatment systems also release more than 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater each year.

Oil pollution

Big spills may dominate headlines, but consumers account for the vast majority of oil pollution in our seas, including oil and gasoline that drips from millions of cars and trucks every day. Moreover, nearly half of the estimated 1 million tons of oil that makes its way into marine environments each year comes not from tanker spills but from land-based sources such as factories, farms, and cities. At sea, tanker spills account for about 10 percent of the oil in waters around the world, while regular operations of the shipping industry—through both legal and illegal discharges—contribute about one-third. Oil is also naturally released from under the ocean floor through fractures known as seeps.

Radioactive substances

Radioactive waste is any pollution that emits radiation beyond what is naturally released by the environment. It’s generated by uranium mining, nuclear power plants, and the production and testing of military weapons, as well as by universities and hospitals that use radioactive materials for research and medicine. Radioactive waste can persist in the environment for thousands of years, making disposal a major challenge. Consider the decommissioned Hanford nuclear weapons production site in Washington, where the cleanup of 56 million gallons of radioactive waste is expected to cost more than $100 billion and last through 2060. Accidentally released or improperly disposed of contaminants threaten groundwater, surface water, and marine resources.

To address pollution and protect water we need to understand where the pollution is coming from (point source or nonpoint source) and the type of water body its impacting (groundwater, surface water, or ocean water).

Where is the pollution coming from?

Point source pollution.

When contamination originates from a single source, it’s called point source pollution. Examples include wastewater (also called effluent) discharged legally or illegally by a manufacturer, oil refinery, or wastewater treatment facility, as well as contamination from leaking septic systems, chemical and oil spills, and illegal dumping. The EPA regulates point source pollution by establishing limits on what can be discharged by a facility directly into a body of water. While point source pollution originates from a specific place, it can affect miles of waterways and ocean.

Nonpoint source

Nonpoint source pollution is contamination derived from diffuse sources. These may include agricultural or stormwater runoff or debris blown into waterways from land. Nonpoint source pollution is the leading cause of water pollution in U.S. waters, but it’s difficult to regulate, since there’s no single, identifiable culprit.

Transboundary

It goes without saying that water pollution can’t be contained by a line on a map. Transboundary pollution is the result of contaminated water from one country spilling into the waters of another. Contamination can result from a disaster—like an oil spill—or the slow, downriver creep of industrial, agricultural, or municipal discharge.

What type of water is being impacted?

Groundwater pollution.

When rain falls and seeps deep into the earth, filling the cracks, crevices, and porous spaces of an aquifer (basically an underground storehouse of water), it becomes groundwater—one of our least visible but most important natural resources. Nearly 40 percent of Americans rely on groundwater, pumped to the earth’s surface, for drinking water. For some folks in rural areas, it’s their only freshwater source. Groundwater gets polluted when contaminants—from pesticides and fertilizers to waste leached from landfills and septic systems—make their way into an aquifer, rendering it unsafe for human use. Ridding groundwater of contaminants can be difficult to impossible, as well as costly. Once polluted, an aquifer may be unusable for decades, or even thousands of years. Groundwater can also spread contamination far from the original polluting source as it seeps into streams, lakes, and oceans.

Surface water pollution

Covering about 70 percent of the earth, surface water is what fills our oceans, lakes, rivers, and all those other blue bits on the world map. Surface water from freshwater sources (that is, from sources other than the ocean) accounts for more than 60 percent of the water delivered to American homes. But a significant pool of that water is in peril. According to the most recent surveys on national water quality from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, nearly half of our rivers and streams and more than one-third of our lakes are polluted and unfit for swimming, fishing, and drinking. Nutrient pollution, which includes nitrates and phosphates, is the leading type of contamination in these freshwater sources. While plants and animals need these nutrients to grow, they have become a major pollutant due to farm waste and fertilizer runoff. Municipal and industrial waste discharges contribute their fair share of toxins as well. There’s also all the random junk that industry and individuals dump directly into waterways.

Ocean water pollution

Eighty percent of ocean pollution (also called marine pollution) originates on land—whether along the coast or far inland. Contaminants such as chemicals, nutrients, and heavy metals are carried from farms, factories, and cities by streams and rivers into our bays and estuaries; from there they travel out to sea. Meanwhile, marine debris— particularly plastic —is blown in by the wind or washed in via storm drains and sewers. Our seas are also sometimes spoiled by oil spills and leaks—big and small—and are consistently soaking up carbon pollution from the air. The ocean absorbs as much as a quarter of man-made carbon emissions .

On human health

To put it bluntly: Water pollution kills. In fact, it caused 1.8 million deaths in 2015, according to a study published in The Lancet . Contaminated water can also make you ill. Every year, unsafe water sickens about 1 billion people. And low-income communities are disproportionately at risk because their homes are often closest to the most polluting industries.

Waterborne pathogens, in the form of disease-causing bacteria and viruses from human and animal waste, are a major cause of illness from contaminated drinking water . Diseases spread by unsafe water include cholera, giardia, and typhoid. Even in wealthy nations, accidental or illegal releases from sewage treatment facilities, as well as runoff from farms and urban areas, contribute harmful pathogens to waterways. Thousands of people across the United States are sickened every year by Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia contracted from water sources like cooling towers and piped water), with cases cropping up from California’s Disneyland to Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

A woman washes a baby in an infant bath seat in a kitchen sink, with empty water bottles in the foreground.

A woman using bottled water to wash her three-week-old son at their home in Flint, Michigan

Todd McInturf/The Detroit News/AP

Meanwhile, the plight of residents in Flint, Michigan —where cost-cutting measures and aging water infrastructure created a lead contamination crisis—offers a stark look at how dangerous chemical and other industrial pollutants in our water can be. The problem goes far beyond Flint and involves much more than lead, as a wide range of chemical pollutants—from heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury to pesticides and nitrate fertilizers —are getting into our water supplies. Once they’re ingested, these toxins can cause a host of health issues, from cancer to hormone disruption to altered brain function. Children and pregnant women are particularly at risk.

Even swimming can pose a risk. Every year, 3.5 million Americans contract health issues such as skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections, and hepatitis from sewage-laden coastal waters, according to EPA estimates.

On the environment

In order to thrive, healthy ecosystems rely on a complex web of animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi—all of which interact, directly or indirectly, with each other. Harm to any of these organisms can create a chain effect, imperiling entire aquatic environments.

When water pollution causes an algal bloom in a lake or marine environment, the proliferation of newly introduced nutrients stimulates plant and algae growth, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in the water. This dearth of oxygen, known as eutrophication , suffocates plants and animals and can create “dead zones,” where waters are essentially devoid of life. In certain cases, these harmful algal blooms can also produce neurotoxins that affect wildlife, from whales to sea turtles.

Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater contaminate waterways as well. These contaminants are toxic to aquatic life—most often reducing an organism’s life span and ability to reproduce—and make their way up the food chain as predator eats prey. That’s how tuna and other big fish accumulate high quantities of toxins, such as mercury.

Marine ecosystems are also threatened by marine debris , which can strangle, suffocate, and starve animals. Much of this solid debris, such as plastic bags and soda cans, gets swept into sewers and storm drains and eventually out to sea, turning our oceans into trash soup and sometimes consolidating to form floating garbage patches. Discarded fishing gear and other types of debris are responsible for harming more than 200 different species of marine life.

Meanwhile, ocean acidification is making it tougher for shellfish and coral to survive. Though they absorb about a quarter of the carbon pollution created each year by burning fossil fuels, oceans are becoming more acidic. This process makes it harder for shellfish and other species to build shells and may impact the nervous systems of sharks, clownfish, and other marine life.

With your actions

We’re all accountable to some degree for today’s water pollution problem. Fortunately, there are some simple ways you can prevent water contamination or at least limit your contribution to it:

Learn about the unique qualities of water where you live . Where does your water come from? Is the wastewater from your home treated? Where does stormwater flow to? Is your area in a drought? Start building a picture of the situation so you can discover where your actions will have the most impact—and see if your neighbors would be interested in joining in!
Reduce your plastic consumption and reuse or recycle plastic when you can.
Properly dispose of chemical cleaners, oils, and nonbiodegradable items to keep them from going down the drain.
Maintain your car so it doesn’t leak oil, antifreeze, or coolant.
If you have a yard, consider landscaping that reduces runoff and avoid applying pesticides and herbicides .
Don’t flush your old medications! Dispose of them in the trash to prevent them from entering local waterways.
Be mindful of anything you pour into storm sewers, since that waste often won’t be treated before being released into local waterways. If you notice a storm sewer blocked by litter, clean it up to keep that trash out of the water. (You’ll also help prevent troublesome street floods in a heavy storm.)
If you have a pup, be sure to pick up its poop .

With your voice

One of the most effective ways to stand up for our waters is to speak out in support of the Clean Water Act, which has helped hold polluters accountable for five decades—despite attempts by destructive industries to gut its authority. But we also need regulations that keep pace with modern-day challenges, including microplastics, PFAS , pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants our wastewater treatment plants weren’t built to handle, not to mention polluted water that’s dumped untreated.

Tell the federal government, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and your local elected officials that you support water protections and investments in infrastructure, like wastewater treatment, lead-pipe removal programs, and stormwater-abating green infrastructure. Also, learn how you and those around you can get involved in the policymaking process . Our public waterways serve every one of us. We should all have a say in how they’re protected.

This story was originally published on May 14, 2018, and has been updated with new information and links.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can’t resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can’t republish our material wholesale or automatically—you need to select stories individually; you can’t republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when you’ve used one of our stories.

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Pollution and Its Types, Effects, Causes, Controlling Measures

Pollution is the accumulation of contaminants in the environment that is harmful to humans, the environment, and natural resources. Check the detailed article on Pollution and Its Types.

Table of Contents

Pollution is the accumulation of contaminants in the environment that is harmful to humans, the environment, and natural resources. The environment is what surrounds an organism and is made up of various elements that support life, such as air, water, land, soil, etc. For the organism to thrive, these basic components must exist in a certain proportion and keep the environment in a rhythmic balance. There are several different categories of pollution, including air, water, soil, noise, land, thermal, and light pollution. Check the detailed article on Pollution and Its Types.

Any unfavorable modification or alteration in this ratio of the biological components constitutes pollution. Physical, economic, and social emergencies are caused by numerous types of pollution that result from rising pollution levels. The essential characteristics of pollution, including its types, causes, effects, and control measures will be highlighted in this article.

What is Pollution?

The biological elements of the planet are contaminated by pollution, which has a negative effect on typical ecological processes. Pollution is defined as any unnatural and harmful changes in any dimension (such as the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of any ecosystem component) that have the potential to have dangerous repercussions on a variety of life forms and property.

One of the main problems facing civilization is pollution, which affects both people and other living things and is getting worse every day. Human activities harm the environment because they contaminate the soil we use to grow plants, the water we drink, and the air we breathe.

Types of Environmental Pollution

There are primarily 7 types of pollution that can arise on Earth. The sources, impacts, and preventative actions for each of the pollution categories mentioned in this article are detailed below.

Air Pollution

Air pollution is brought on by several pollutants, including carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), dust, mold spores, nitrogen oxides, pollen, and sulfur dioxide. Gases and solid particles in the atmosphere contribute to air pollution. In communities, hazardous gases are also produced through the use of coal, dry grass, dry farm waste, and leaves as home fuels. Some additional sources of Air Pollution are:

Automobile pollution
Burning of garbage
Decayed plants and animals
Indoor air pollution
Industrial air pollution
Radioactive elements.

The main impacts of air pollution are disorders of the lungs and respiratory systems and an increase in the risk of heart disease in people. Additionally, it might cause bronchitis and asthma. The environment may also be impacted since it produces more greenhouse emissions. To reduce air pollution, households and businesses should run on better-designed machinery and smokeless fuels.

To keep the ecosystem in balance and control the impact of the rising greenhouse gases, afforestation—the planting of additional trees—should be promoted.
The National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the National Air Quality Monitoring Program (NAMP) are two more actions the government took to reduce air pollution.

Water Pollution

When hazardous substances, such as chemical contaminants, untreated waste discharges, and sewage, are dumped into rivers, lakes, and seas, water pollution results. Farming practices that use excessive amounts of fertilizers and pesticides, which can harm water bodies, are among the origins of water pollution. Environmental Pollution of water has the following causes:

Agricultural pollutants are dumped into the water bodies.
Disposal of radioactive substances into seawater.
Industrial effluents enter oceans.
Trading of marine.
Offshore oil rigs.
Recreational sports.
Sewage is disposed of into the sea by rivers.

When the amount of mercury in the water grows, water pollution has the potential to lead to both dropsy illness in fish and Minamata disease in people. Additionally, it causes eutrophication (an oversupply of nutrients) and biological amplification (an increase in the concentration of harmful substances).

By changing the methods used to prevent water pollution from the environment, water usage must be controlled or decreased. For reuse, wastewater needs to undergo thorough treatment.

Soil Pollution

When levels of pollutants or harmful compounds rise and build up on the soil surface, it results in environmental pollution of the soil. Salinity and decreased soil fertility are two impacts of soil contamination. Drains become blocked as a result, which causes the release of unpleasant scents and gases. The contaminants that cause soil pollution are:

Inorganic ions and metals
Salts (e.g., carbonates, nitrates, phosphates, sulfates)
Organic compounds (such as alcohols, DNA, fatty acids, hydrocarbons, lipids, proteins, PAHs, etc.).

We need to cease using plastic if we want to reduce soil pollution. To prevent soil pollution, plastic use should be decreased, and sewage should be properly treated before being used as fertilizer on planted areas.

Thermal Pollution

Thermal pollution is the loss of water quality caused by any procedure that raises the temperature of the water around it. Thermal pollution is the loss of water quality caused by any procedure that raises the temperature of the water around it.

When industrial enterprises and power plants use water as a coolant, environmental contamination results. Some of the sources of thermal pollution are industrial boilers, coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, nuclear and electric power plants, and steel-melting companies.

The repercussions of thermal pollution include a reduction in the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, the extinction of numerous fish and invertebrate species, and the destruction of their eggs that have been laid in the water bodies.

There are certain scientific methods for preventing thermal environmental pollution, such as building cooling ponds or buildings and creating artificial lakes. These lakes are created by humans and offer a potential substitute for natural water supplies for cooling power plants.

Noise Pollution

Unwanted sound, or noise pollution, causes excruciating ear agony. Decibels (dB) are used to measure sound levels; noise levels about 90 dB produce auricular weakening, while sound levels beyond 100 dB might result in permanent hearing loss. The sound of the ship’s water contributes to noise pollution by interfering with whales’ ability to navigate and even destroying aquatic animals.

The machinery in the industries makes noises like grinding and thunder.
This kind of pollution is brought on by exploding rocks and soil, drilling tube wells, large earth-moving equipment, and ventilation fans at construction sites.
The loud sound of loudspeakers and the horns on cars are other sources of this environmental pollution.

Noise pollution can lead to high blood pressure, stress-related illnesses, speech impediment, hearing loss, unbalanced sleep patterns, and decreased productivity.

By keeping roadside cars in good condition and employing soundproof technology in busy areas, noise pollution can be reduced. Horn usage on roads should be kept to a minimum. Silencers must be installed on industrial machinery and automobiles to prevent excessive noise.

Light Pollution

Light pollution, also known as photo pollution and frequently seen in urban areas, is caused by the additional light in the night sky. Because it ruins the ecology, this kind of environmental pollution makes it difficult to discern between day and night.

Artificial indoor or outdoor light, street lighting, display and advertisement lighting, security lights, luminous athletic arenas, etc. are the culprits. The effects of light pollution on ecosystems, the night sky, astronomical research, astronomical observations, energy waste, and the health of living things are all negative.

Light pollution has an adverse effect on wildlife rhythms, increases carbon dioxide levels, disrupts sleep cycles, and distorts the appearance of stars in the night sky. Control Measures for light pollution are:

Lights should be turned off whenever unused, especially at night.
The overutilization of indoor lights should be minimized.
Lights should be pointed towards the ground whenever you are going outside your home.

Radioactive Pollution

The deposition or introduction of radioactive materials into an environment when their presence is unplanned or the levels of radioactivity are unwanted is known as radioactive contamination. Due to the ionizing radiation it emits, this kind of pollution is dangerous to human health. Radiation of this kind has enough power to harm DNA in genes and cells. Radioactivity can occur in one of two ways:

Naturally occurring radioactivity
Man-made radioactivity

One of the most infamous cases that resulted in radioactive pollution was the Chernobyl disaster. Other examples include:

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster
Nuclear fallout (after atmospheric nuclear explosions)
Criticality accidents

Effects of Environmental Pollution

All living things are susceptible to the dangers of environmental contamination. Wheezing, coughing, respiratory problems, and other conditions can all be brought on by air pollution. It can also irritate the skin, nose, and throat.

Asthma, heart attacks, and other respiratory issues can all be brought on by air pollution.
Acid rain, ozone layer degradation, and global warming are further effects of air pollution.
When consumed by people, environmental pollution of water can kill aquatic life and possibly result in diseases like typhoid and jaundice.
Water that has been contaminated has very little dissolved oxygen (DO), making it unsafe to consume.
The quality of plants cultivated can be impacted by soil or land contamination, which might interfere with the subsurface life of microorganisms.

Environmental Pollution Control Measures

Different types of environmental contamination can be controlled by implementing some appropriate actions. For the protection of people and other living things, pollution management is necessary.

Given that plastic takes years to disintegrate in the ecosystem, its usage should be outlawed.
Both interior and outdoor lighting should not be used needlessly. Crackers ought to be prohibited since they significantly harm the environment.
Reusable materials can help reduce environmental pollution, and they should be vigorously promoted and recycled for use in the future.
More people should choose public transportation because it consumes less energy and gas.
Since fans consume less electricity and energy to run, they should be used more frequently than air conditioners.

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Pollution and Its Types FAQs

What are the causes of pollution.

The primary cause of pollution is a pollutant. It is a substance that causes various types of pollution.

What are the effects of pollution?

Different environmental pollutants impose different effects on human health. For instance, air pollution increases the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease etc.

Why is environmental pollution a global concern?

Pollution is among the most severe challenge worldwide. Various types of pollution occur due to increased pollutant levels on the Earth’s atmosphere, water, land, soil, etc.

How can environmental pollution be controlled?

Some measures individuals and communities can adopt to manage environmental pollution are:

1. Families and industrial enterprises should function with better-design machines and smokeless fuels to lessen air pollution. 2. Adequately maintaining roadside vehicles and using soundproof instruments in loud places can help to bring down noise pollution. 3. The usage of plastic should be reduced to control soil pollution.

What are the types of environmental pollution?

Seven types of environmental pollution are known. These include air, water, soil, thermal, noise, light, and Radioactive pollution.

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Types of Pollution PPT | PowerPoint Presentation | PDF

Types of Pollution PPT PowerPoint Presentation

Distinct types of pollution are classified depending on the affected part of an environment. Each and every type of pollution has its own consequences and its own causes. Study of pollution aids in understanding basics of pollution and also helps to generate set of rules for each and every type of pollution.

Also See: General Topics For Presentation (Ppt)

Well, important types of pollution are explained in the below diagram:

Fig1: Types of Pollution

Water pollution

From the name itself, we can understand that water pollution is a type of pollution which involves contamination of many water bodies. Many creatures which live in these water bodies are totally dependent on these water bodies.

Also See: Non Technical Topics with PPT and PDF

Air pollution

Pollutants of air present in atmosphere are called as air pollution. Respiration is a vital life process which needs air. If we breathe the air which has pollutants then it will have bad effects on our health. Air is comprised of below gases:

Fig2: Content of Gases Present in Air

Disruptions are caused when the above content of gases are disturbed.

Also See: Greenhouse Effect PPT and PDF

Soil pollution

Soil pollution is nothing but stripping soil from its natural fertility by availing artificial chemicals like ripening agents, insecticides, and pesticides. Normally, plants are dependent on nitrogenous compound for the purpose of their nutrition which is present in soil. Use of artificial chemicals like ripening agents, insecticides, pesticides absorbs the nitrogen which is present in soil and makes that soil unfit for plant’s growth. Plants hold soil very firmly and when there is no growth of plants then it results in splitting of soil and at last causes to soil erosion.

Thermal pollution

Thermal pollution is the increase in temperature because of high amount of release of heat energy by unnatural methods or techniques and natural disasters. The heat energy released by manufacturing industries is transferred to water bodies and air. Outcome of thermal pollution is rise in temperature and this is an important cause for melting of polar ice caps.

Radioactive pollution

Radioactive pollution happens when radioactive metals release harmful beta rays. These beta rays have the ability to cause mutative diseases and cancer. This type of pollution happens because of following reasons:

Damage to nuclear reactors which results in radioactive contamination
Dumping of radioactive waste into water bodies which are produced from nuclear plants

Noise pollution

We have distinct qualities of sound and the sounds which are unpleasant to hear are known as noises. Thus, more noise in outdoors results to noise pollution . This kind of pollution has more physiological effects than physical effects. Noise pollution is caused because of the reasons mentioned below:

Many vehicles honking at roads
Overpopulated crowds
If a heavy machinery is operated in an open area

Light pollution

Very bright lighting in big cities, functions and much more causes pollution called as light pollution. Bright lighting on retina not only causes discomfort to eyes but also results in straining of eyes and migraine.

Content of the for Types of Pollution PPT

Definition of Pollution
Types of Pollution
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Noise Pollution
Land Pollution
Radio Active Pollution

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Hi this is Sachin , actually I was searching some topics . Then I got this if it is possible can you tell me where can I get PDF of all types topics.

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Pollution PPT | 30+ Best Pollution PPT Collection Download Free

Pollution ppt.

Air Pollution PPT
Water Pollution PPT
Environmental Pollution PPT
Marine Pollution PPT
Thermal Pollution PPT
Types of Pollution PPT
Land Pollution PPT
Plastic Pollution PPT
Control of Air pollution PPT
Air prevention and control of Pollution act 1981 PPT
Industrial Pollution PPT
Water Act 1974 PPT
Groundwater pollution PPT
Types of air pollution PPT
Air pollution case study PPT

Noise Pollution PPT

Photochemical Smog PPT
Causes of Water Pollution PPT
Indoor Air Pollution PPT
Light Pollution PPT
Prevention of Noise Pollution PPT
Noise Pollution Act of 2000 PPT
Visual Pollution PPT
Air Quality PPT
Effects of water pollution on human health PPT
Soil Pollution PPT
Oil Pollution PPT
Ganga River Pollution PPT
Ocean Pollution PPT
Yamuna Pollution PPT
Microplastic Pollution PPT

Pollution PPT

DEFINITION OF POLLUTION
Types of Pollution
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Noise Pollution
Land Pollution
Radio Active Pollution
thermal pollution
What is Atmosphere
Pollution In Facts and Figures
Pollution Control Measures
The PPC Division
Enforcement Mechanisms
Causes of air pollution
Effects of air pollution
How to avoid air pollution
Definition and causes and effects of water pollution
Water pollution pictures
How to avoid water pollution
Noise pollution (causes, effects, and prevention)
How to avoid noise pollution
Definition, causes, and prevention of land pollution
Land pollution pictures

Air pollution PPT

What is air
List of major air pollutants
Sources and effects of air pollutants
What is air pollutants?
Six major air pollutants
Major sources of pollutants
Greenhouse gases
What is air pollution
Wildlife affected by air pollution
Ozone layer
Greenhouse effect
Global warming
Air problems caused by incineration of waste materials
Controlling air pollution

Water pollution PPT

Human and natural pollutants
Sources of water pollution
How do we measure water quality?
Quantitative water quality tests
Qualitative water tests
What are some indicator species of water pollution
Is the water safe to drink?
What have developed countries done to reduce stream pollution
What have developed countries done to reduce stream pollution
Who reports on drinking water
Clean water act 1972
Safe water drinking act 1974
Water purification
What is water pollution?
Types of water pollution
Causes of water pollution
Effects of water pollution
What you can do
Classification of water pollutant
Common water-borne diseases

Water act 1974 PPT

Introduction
Salient provisions of water act (1974)
Objectives & scope
Powers and functions of boards
Prevention and control of water pollution
Penalties and procedure
Miscellaneous
Application and commencement
Functions of the central board (sec. 16)
Functions of the state board
Ganga action plan ( gap)
Water quality board actions

Environmental pollution PPT

Degradable pollution
Non-degradable pollution
Types of pollution ( noise,air,water,land ,soil,thermal,nuclear)
Air pollution
Composition of air
Types of pollutants
Sources of air pollution
Ozone depletion
Water pollution ( meaning, types, definition, sources, causes and control and measures)
Soil pollution
Causes of soil degradation
Marine pollution
Causes, effects, control, and measure of marine pollution
Control measures for oil pollution
Noise pollution
Levels of noise and vibration
Decibel levels of common sounds DB
Ambient noise levels DB
Safe time exposure in DB
Effects of noise pollution
Control techniques
Thermal pollution
Nuclear hazards
Effects of nuclear pollution
Control measures
Role of an individual in prevention of pollution

Environmental pollution PPT 2

Types of pollution
Water pollution
Municipal wastewater
Industrial waste
Inorganic pollutants
Organic pollutants
Agricultural wastes
Consequences of air pollution
Land pollution
Causes of land pollution
Sources of noise pollution
Solutions for noise pollution
Ways to stop pollution
Global warming and the greenhouse effect
Difference between global warming and the greenhouse effect
Some proof of global warming

Light pollution PPT

What is light pollution?
Types of light pollution
Consequences
Causes effect solution

Photochemical smog PPT

Photochemical smog
Air pollutant
How photochemical smog is formed
The process involving the formation of photochemical smog
Effect on human health and plants
Sources and effect of photochemical smog
Factors affecting the formation of photochemical smog
Mitigation measures for photochemical smog
How to save the environment by preventing smog

Plastic pollution ppt

What is pollution?
What is plastic?
What is plastic pollution?
History of plastic
Plastic pollution
Chemicals in plastic
Types of plastic products
Sources of plastic pollution
Causes of plastic pollution
Effects of plastic pollution
Solutions to plastic pollution
Steps taken by govt
Initiatives on plastic pollution
Case studies
Ways to mitigate plastic pollution
Scary facts about plastic

Marine pollution PPT

Types of marine pollution
Causes & effects of marine pollution
Prevention and control
What is a pollution?
What is marine pollution??
Causes of marine pollution
Major impacts of marine pollution
The health of marine life
Some examples of marine pollution
Ways of pollutant inputs
Human impacts on marine environments
How to protect marine life?
Oil pollution
Garbage pollution
Accidental loss or discharge of fishing gear
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Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes First-Ever National Drinking Water Standard to Protect 100M People from PFAS Pollution

As part of the Administration’s commitment to combating PFAS pollution, EPA announces $1B investment through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to address PFAS in drinking water

April 10, 2024

WASHINGTON - Today, April 10, the Biden-Harris Administration issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children. This final rule represents the most significant step to protect public health under EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap . The final rule will reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses. Today’s announcement complements President Biden’s government-wide action plan to combat PFAS pollution.

Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA is also making unprecedented funding available to help ensure that all people have clean and safe water. In addition to today’s final rule, EPA is announcing nearly $1 billion in newly available funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help states and territories implement PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems and to help owners of private wells address PFAS contamination. This is part of a $9 billion investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help communities with drinking water impacted by PFAS and other emerging contaminants – the largest-ever investment in tackling PFAS pollution. An additional $12 billion is available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for general drinking water improvements, including addressing emerging contaminants like PFAS.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan will join White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory to announce the final standard today at an event in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 2017, area residents learned that the Cape Fear River, the drinking water source for 1 million people in the region, had been heavily contaminated with PFAS pollution from a nearby manufacturing facility. Today’s announcements will help protect communities like Fayetteville from further devastating impacts of PFAS.

“Drinking water contaminated with PFAS has plagued communities across this country for too long,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan . “That is why President Biden has made tackling PFAS a top priority, investing historic resources to address these harmful chemicals and protect communities nationwide. Our PFAS Strategic Roadmap marshals the full breadth of EPA’s authority and resources to protect people from these harmful forever chemicals. Today, I am proud to finalize this critical piece of our Roadmap, and in doing so, save thousands of lives and help ensure our children grow up healthier.”

“President Biden believes that everyone deserves access to clean, safe drinking water, and he is delivering on that promise,” said Brenda Mallory, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality . “The first national drinking water standards for PFAS marks a significant step towards delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to advancing environmental justice, protecting communities, and securing clean water for people across the country.”

“Under President Biden’s leadership, we are taking a whole-of-government approach to tackle PFAS pollution and ensure that all Americans have access to clean, safe drinking water. Today’s announcement by EPA complements these efforts and will help keep our communities safe from these toxic ‘forever chemicals,’” said Deputy Assistant to the President for the Cancer Moonshot, Dr. Danielle Carnival . “Coupled with the additional $1 billion investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help communities address PFAS pollution, the reductions in exposure to toxic substances delivered by EPA’s standards will further the Biden Cancer Moonshot goal of reducing the cancer death rate by at least half by 2047 and preventing more than four million cancer deaths — and stopping cancer before it starts by protecting communities from known risks associated with exposure to PFAS and other contaminants, including kidney and testicular cancers, and more.”

EPA is taking a signature step to protect public health by establishing legally enforceable levels for several PFAS known to occur individually and as mixtures in drinking water. This rule sets limits for five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as “GenX Chemicals”). The rule also sets a limit for mixtures of any two or more of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX chemicals.” By reducing exposure to PFAS, this final rule will prevent thousands of premature deaths, tens of thousands of serious illnesses, including certain cancers and liver and heart impacts in adults, and immune and developmental impacts to infants and children.

This final rule advances President Biden’s commitment to ending cancer as we know it as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot, to ensuring that all Americans have access to clean, safe, drinking water, and to furthering the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to environmental justice by protecting communities that are most exposed to toxic chemicals.

EPA estimates that between about 6% and 10% of the 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to this rule may have to take action to reduce PFAS to meet these new standards. All public water systems have three years to complete their initial monitoring for these chemicals. They must inform the public of the level of PFAS measured in their drinking water. Where PFAS is found at levels that exceed these standards, systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their drinking water within five years.

The new limits in this rule are achievable using a range of available technologies and approaches including granular activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange systems. For example, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, serving Wilmington, NC – one of the communities most heavily impacted by PFAS contamination – has effectively deployed a granular activated carbon system to remove PFAS regulated by this rule. Drinking water systems will have flexibility to determine the best solution for their community.

EPA will be working closely with state co-regulators in supporting water systems and local officials to implement this rule. In the coming weeks, EPA will host a series of webinars to provide information to the public, communities, and water utilities about the final PFAS drinking water regulation. To learn more about the webinars, please visit EPA’s PFAS drinking water regulation webpage . EPA has also published a toolkit of communications resources to help drinking water systems and community leaders educate the public about PFAS, where they come from, their health risks, how to reduce exposure, and about this rule.

“We are thankful that Administrator Regan and the Biden Administration are taking this action to protect drinking water in North Carolina and across the country,” said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper . “We asked for this because we know science-based standards for PFAS and other compounds are desperately needed.”

“For decades, the American people have been exposed to the family of incredibly toxic ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS with no protection from their government. Those chemicals now contaminate virtually all Americans from birth. That’s because for generations, PFAS chemicals slid off of every federal environmental law like a fried egg off a Teflon pan — until Joe Biden came along,” said Environmental Working Group President and Co-Founder Ken Cook . “We commend EPA Administrator Michael Regan for his tireless leadership to make this decision a reality, and CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory for making sure PFAS is tackled with the ‘whole of government’ approach President Biden promised. There is much work yet to be done to end PFAS pollution. The fact that the EPA has adopted the very strong policy announced today should give everyone confidence that the Biden administration will stay the course and keep the president’s promises, until the American people are protected, at long last, from the scourge of PFAS pollution.”

“We learned about GenX and other PFAS in our tap water six years ago. I raised my children on this water and watched loved ones suffer from rare or recurrent cancers. No one should ever worry if their tap water will make them sick or give them cancer. I’m grateful the Biden EPA heard our pleas and kept its promise to the American people. We will keep fighting until all exposures to PFAS end and the chemical companies responsible for business-related human rights abuses are held fully accountable,” said Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear.

More details about funding to address PFAS in Drinking Water

Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is making an unprecedented $21 billion available to strengthen our nation’s drinking water systems, including by addressing PFAS contamination. Of that, $9 billion is specifically for tackling PFAS and emerging contaminants. The financing programs delivering this funding are part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative , which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that have been historically marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Additionally, EPA has a nationwide Water Technical Assistance program to help small, rural, and disadvantaged communities access federal resources by working directly with water systems to identify challenges like PFAS; develop plans; build technical, managerial, and financial capacity; and apply for water infrastructure funding. Learn more about EPA’s Water Technical Assistance programs .

More details about the final PFAS drinking water standards:

For PFOA and PFOS, EPA is setting a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, a non-enforceable health-based goal, at zero. This reflects the latest science showing that there is no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts, including certain cancers.
EPA is setting enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels at 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, individually. This standard will reduce exposure from these PFAS in our drinking water to the lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation.
For PFNA, PFHxS, and “GenX Chemicals,” EPA is setting the MCLGs and MCLs at 10 parts per trillion.
Because PFAS can often be found together in mixtures, and research shows these mixtures may have combined health impacts, EPA is also setting a limit for any mixture of two or more of the following PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX Chemicals.”

EPA is issuing this rule after reviewing extensive research and science on how PFAS affects public health, while engaging with the water sector and with state regulators to ensure effective implementation. EPA also considered 120,000 comments on the proposed rule from a wide variety of stakeholders.

Background:

PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals,’ are prevalent in the environment. PFAS are a category of chemicals used since the 1940s to repel oil and water and resist heat, which makes them useful in everyday products such as nonstick cookware, stain resistant clothing, and firefighting foam. The science is clear that exposure to certain PFAS over a long period of time can cause cancer and other illnesses. In addition, PFAS exposure during critical life stages such as pregnancy or early childhood can also result in adverse health impacts.

Across the country, PFAS contamination is impacting millions of people’s health and wellbeing. People can be exposed to PFAS through drinking water or food contaminated with PFAS, by coming into contact with products that contain PFAS, or through workplace exposures in certain industries.

Since EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the PFAS Strategic Roadmap in October 2021, EPA has taken action – within the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach – by advancing science and following the law to safeguard public health, protect the environment, and hold polluters accountable. The actions described in the PFAS Strategic Roadmap each represent important and meaningful steps to protect communities from PFAS contamination. Cumulatively, these actions will build upon one another and lead to more enduring and protective solutions. In December 2023, the EPA released its second annual report on PFAS progress . The report highlights significant accomplishments achieved under the EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap.

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Biden administration sets first-ever limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

Logan Feeney pours a PFAS water sample into a container for research, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Cincinnati. The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced its first-ever limits for several common types of PFAS, the so-called “forever chemicals,” in drinking water. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Vials containing PFAS samples sit in a tray, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Cincinnati. The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced its first-ever limits for several common types of PFAS, the so-called “forever chemicals,” in drinking water. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

FILE - Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan speaks at the University of Maryland on May 11, 2023, in College Park, Md. The Environmental Protection Agency announced, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, its first-ever limits for several common types of PFAS, the so-called “forever chemicals,” in drinking water. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard, File)

Jackson Quinn brings PFAS water samples into a temperature controlled room, Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lab in Cincinnati. The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced its first-ever limits for several common types of PFAS, the so-called “forever chemicals,” in drinking water.(AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

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The Biden administration on Wednesday finalized strict limits on certain so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water that will require utilities to reduce them to the lowest level they can be reliably measured. Officials say this will reduce exposure for 100 million people and help prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancers.

The rule is the first national drinking water limit on toxic PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are widespread and long lasting in the environment.

Health advocates praised the Environmental Protection Agency for not backing away from tough limits the agency proposed last year . But water utilities took issue with the rule, saying treatment systems are expensive to install and that customers will end up paying more for water.

Water providers are entering a new era with significant additional health standards that the EPA says will make tap water safer for millions of consumers — a Biden administration priority. The agency has also proposed forcing utilities to remove dangerous lead pipes .

FILE - Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers speaks prior to President Joe Biden's appearance at an event about canceling student debt, Monday, April 8, 2024, at the Madison Area Technical College Truax campus in Madison, Wis. Evers vetoed a Republican bill Tuesday, April 9, that would have created grants to fight pollution from “forever chemicals” and took the unusual step of calling the GOP-controlled budget committee into meeting to approve spending $125 million to deal with contamination. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf, File)

Utility groups warn the rules will cost tens of billions of dollars each and fall hardest on small communities with fewer resources . Legal challenges are sure to follow.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan says the rule is the most important action the EPA has ever taken on PFAS.

“The result is a comprehensive and life-changing rule, one that will improve the health and vitality of so many communities across our country,” said Regan.

PFAS chemicals are hazardous because they don’t degrade in the environment and are linked to health issues such as low birth weight and liver disease, along with certain cancers. The EPA estimates the rule will cost about $1.5 billion to implement each year, but doing so will prevent nearly 10,000 deaths over decades and significantly reduce serious illnesses.

They’ve been used in everyday products including nonstick pans, firefighting foam and waterproof clothing. Although some of the most common types are phased out in the U.S., others remain. Water providers will now be forced to remove contamination put in the environment by other industries.

“It’s that accumulation that’s the problem,” said Scott Belcher, a North Carolina State University professor who researches PFAS toxicity. “Even tiny, tiny, tiny amounts each time you take a drink of water over your lifetime is going to keep adding up, leading to the health effects.”

PFAS is a broad family of chemical substances, and the new rule sets strict limits on two common types — called PFOA and PFOS — at 4 parts per trillion. Three other types that include GenEx Chemicals that are a major problem in North Carolina are limited to 10 parts per trillion. Water providers will have to test for these PFAS chemicals and tell the public when levels are too high. Combinations of some PFAS types will be limited, too.

Regan will announce the rule in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Wednesday.

Environmental and health advocates praised the rule, but said PFAS manufacturers knew decades ago the substances were dangerous yet hid or downplayed the evidence. Limits should have come sooner, they argue.

“Reducing PFAS in our drinking water is the most cost effective way to reduce our exposure,” said Scott Faber, a food and water expert at Environmental Working Group. “It’s much more challenging to reduce other exposures such as PFAS in food or clothing or carpets.”

Over the last year, EPA has periodically released batches of utility test results for PFAS in drinking water. Roughly 16% of utilities found at least one of the two strictly limited PFAS chemicals at or above the new limits. These utilities serve tens of millions of people. The Biden administration, however, expects about 6-10% of water systems to exceed the new limits.

Water providers will generally have three years to do testing. If those test exceed the limits, they’ll have two more years to install treatment systems, according to EPA officials.

Some funds are available to help utilities. Manufacturer 3M recently agreed to pay more than $10 billion to drinking water providers to settle PFAS litigation. And the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes billions to combat the substance. But utilities say more will be needed.

For some communities, tests results were a surprise. Last June, a utility outside Philadelphia that serves nearly 9,000 people learned that one of its wells had a PFOA level of 235 parts per trillion, among the highest results in the country at the time.

“I mean, obviously, it was a shock,” said Joseph Hastings, director of the joint public works department for the Collegeville and Trappe boroughs, whose job includes solving problems presented by new regulations.

The well was quickly yanked offline, but Hastings still doesn’t know the contamination source. Several other wells were above the EPA’s new limits, but lower than those the state of Pennsylvania set earlier. Now, Hastings says installing treatment systems could be a multi-million dollar endeavor, a major expense for a small customer base.

The new regulation is “going to throw public confidence in drinking water into chaos,” said Mike McGill, president of WaterPIO, a water industry communications firm.

The American Water Works Association, an industry group, says it supports the development of PFAS limits in drinking water, but argues the EPA’s rule has big problems.

The agency underestimated its high cost, which can’t be justified for communities with low levels of PFAS, and it’ll raise customer water bills, the association said. Plus, there aren’t enough experts and workers — and supplies of filtration material are limited.

Work in some places has started. The company Veolia operates utilities serving about 2.3 million people across six eastern states and manages water systems for millions more. Veolia built PFAS treatment for small water systems that serve about 150,000 people. The company expects, however, that roughly 50 more sites will need treatment — and it’s working to scale up efforts to reduce PFAS in larger communities it serves.

Such efforts followed dramatic shifts in EPA’s health guidance for PFAS in recent years as more research into its health harms emerged. Less than a decade ago, EPA issued a health advisory that PFOA and PFOS levels combined shouldn’t exceed 70 parts per trillion. Now, the agency says no amount is safe.

Public alarm has increased, too. In Minnesota, for example, Amara’s Law aims to stop avoidable PFAS use. It’s been nearly a year since the law’s namesake, Amara Strande, died from a rare cancer her family blames on PFAS contamination by 3M near her high school in Oakdale, although a connection between PFAS and her cancer can’t be proven. Biden administration officials say communities shouldn’t suffer like Oakdale. 3M says it extends its deepest condolences to Amara’s friends and family.

Losing Amara pushed the family towards activism. They’ve testified multiple times in favor of PFAS restrictions.

“Four parts per trillion, we couldn’t ask for a better standard,” Amara’s sister Nora said. “It’s a very ambitious goal, but anything higher than that is endangering lives.”

Associated Press data journalist Camille Fassett in San Francisco and reporter Matthew Daly in Washington D.C. contributed to this story.

The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

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