why is it said that pollution control in environment ?
Answers
Over the course of the twentieth century, growing recognition of the environmental and public health impacts associated with anthropogenic activities (discussed in the chapter Environmental Health Hazards) has prompted the development and application of methods and technologies to reduce the effects of pollution. In this context, governments have adopted regulatory and other policy measures (discussed in the chapter Environmental Policy) to minimize negative effects and ensure that environmental quality standards are achieved.
The objective of this chapter is to provide an orientation to the methods that are applied to control and prevent environmental pollution. The basic principles followed for eliminating negative impacts on the quality of water, air or land will be introduced; the shifting emphasis from control to prevention will be considered; and the limitations of building solutions for individual environmental media will be examined. It is not enough, for example, to protect air by removing trace metals from a flue gas only to transfer these contaminants to land through improper solid waste management practices. Integrated multimedia solutions are required.
The Pollution Control Approach
The environmental consequences of rapid industrialization have resulted in countless incidents of land, air and water resources sites being contaminated with toxic materials and other pollutants, threatening humans and ecosystems with serious health risks. More extensive and intensive use of materials and energy has created cumulative pressures on the quality of local, regional and global ecosystems.
Before there was a concerted effort to restrict the impact of pollution, environmental management extended little beyond laissez-faire tolerance, tempered by disposal of wastes to avoid disruptive local nuisance conceived of in a short-term perspective. The need for remediation was recognized, by exception, in instances where damage was determined to be unacceptable. As the pace of industrial activity intensified and the understanding of cumulative effects grew, a pollution control paradigm became the dominant approach to environmental management.
Two specific concepts served as the basis for the control approach:
· the assimilative capacity concept, which asserts the existence of a specified level of emissions into the environment which does not lead to unacceptable environmental or human health effects
· the principle of control concept, which assumes that environmental damage can be avoided by controlling the manner, time and rate at which pollutants enter the environment
Under the pollution control approach, attempts to protect the environment have especially relied on isolating contaminants from the environment and using end-of-pipe filters and scrubbers. These solutions have tended to focus on media-specific environmental quality objectives or emission limits, and have been primarily directed at point source discharges into specific environmental media (air, water, soil).
Applying Pollution Control Technologies
Application of pollution control methods has demonstrated considerable effectiveness in controlling pollution problems - particularly those of a local character. Application of appropriate technologies is based on a systematic analysis of the source and nature of the emission or discharge in question, of its interaction with the ecosystem and the ambient pollution problem to be addressed, and the development of appropriate technologies to mitigate and monitor pollution impacts.
In their article on air pollution control, Dietrich Schwela and Berenice Goelzer explain the importance and implications of taking a comprehensive approach to assessment and control of point sources and non-point sources of air pollution. They also highlight the challenges - and opportunities - that are being addressed in countries that are undergoing rapid industrialization without having had a strong pollution control component accompanying earlier development.
Marion Wichman-Fiebig explains the methods that are applied to model air pollutant dispersion to determine and characterize the nature of pollution problems. This forms the basis for understanding the controls that are to be put into effect and for evaluating their effectiveness. As the understanding of potential impacts has deepened, appreciation of effects has expanded from the local to the regional to the global scale.
Hans-Ulrich Pfeffer and Peter Bruckmann provide an introduction to the equipment and methods that are used to monitor air quality so that potential pollution problems can be assessed and the effectiveness of control and prevention interventions can be evaluated.
John Elias provides an overview of the types of air pollution controls that can be applied and the issues that must be addressed in selecting appropriate pollution control management options.
“The architect of the cosmos is not a common man but He is supernatural, super-heroic and un-earthly”
The above dialogue light-footedly tells us that the maker of the entire universe is The Fabricator and we all are mere janitors of it. But do we truly live up to this…? In today’s world of crime, animosity, hatred, destruction, etc., do we really follow this….??? It’s a thought to ponder upon.
Industrialization took birth around the 18th century. This is when man became self-absorbed and started the exploitation of the nature. The need for the sustenance of the biotic world marred the abiotic world. Industrialization gave nativity to urbanization and this in turn forced people from villages to move towards the cities in search of livelihood. All this led to ecological imbalance and thus resulted in environmental pollution.
Environmental pollution is categorized into three viz. air, water and land. The emission from industries and manufacturing activities, burning of fossil fuels, household and farming chemicals, etc. are the root causes of air pollution. Common air pollutants are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, so on and so forth. Government should invest in wind energy and solar energy, as well as other renewable energy, to minimize burning of fossil fuels, which cause heavy air pollution. We should encourage our family to use the bus, train or bike when commuting. If we all do this, there will be fewer cars on road and less fumes. Recycle and re-use things. This will minimize the dependence of producing new things. Remember manufacturing industries create a lot of pollution, so if we can re-use things like shopping plastic bags, clothing, paper and bottles, it can help. Wise usage of energy will cut down the amount of pollution we create.
We call water a life giving source. But do we ever think of it when we pollute it…? Industrial waste containing asbestos, phosphates, nitrates, sulphur, etc., sewage and waste water, oils, ocean and marine dumping, underground storage and tube leakage are the primary agents of water pollution. The control of water pollution requires each individual’s participation and involvement. We should not litter the beaches, pools, riversides with garbage. We should use environmentally safe cleaning liquids for the use at home and other public places. They are less dangerous to the environment. Water should be used wisely and one should never keep the tap running. Proper treatment of chemicals and medicines should be ensured before letting them into the lakes and rivers. Over-use of pesticides and fertilizers should be stopped. In many developed cities, waste or sewage treatment is very efficient, and designed to minimize pollution of water bodies.