The problem of air pollution and health hazards in an industrial area
Answers
Industries and factories give off various pollutants into the environment including the land, air, and waters.
Below are some of the prime effects of industrial pollution.
- Air Pollution
Based on the increased counts of factories and manufacturing processes, both large and small scale, gaseous emissions have continued to compound. This makes industrial pollution one of the main causes of air pollution. The emissions from different industries contain gaseous contaminants such as sulfur, carbon dioxide (CO2), oxides of nitrogen, methane, and so on.
These gases, when too much in the atmosphere, frequently results in several illnesses and environmental hazards. Formation of acid rains, the presence of smog, and heightened incidences of respiratory disorders among humans are some of the implications of air pollution.
- Effect on Human Health
The world Health Organization (WHO) revealed that outdoor air pollution accounts for about 2% of all lung and heart diseases. WHO also underscores, around 5% of all lung cancers and 1% of all chest infections are implications of outdoor air pollution.
In brief, these statistics indicate just how industrial air pollution depreciates human health. For instance, one of the worst industrial disasters of all times that took place in Bhopal, India, in 1984 claimed the lives of more than 8,000 people and the effects were still being felt more than two decades later. This means, industrial air pollution may not manifest immediately but takes several years.
Industrial toxic and chemical wastes that are disposed into water bodies or landfills are also responsible for cancers and human cell poisoning. For instance, exposure to inorganic arsenic causes tumours to form. Above all, industrial pollutants are responsible for thousands of illnesses and premature deaths across the globe.