Environmental Pollution

UNIT II

Chapter – 2

Environmental Pollution

Syllabus   

Causes, Effects and Preventive measures of Water, Soil, Air and Noise Pollutions. Solid, Hazardous and E-Waste management. Case studies on Occupational Health and Safety Management system (OHASMS). Environmental protection, Environmental protection acts.

Contents

2.1 Environmental Pollution

2.2 Water Pollution

2.3 Noise Pollution

2.4 Soil Pollution

2.5 Air Pollution

2.6 Biomedical Waste : Management and Handling Rules

2.7 Solid Waste Management

2.8 Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S)

2.9 Environmental Protection Act

2.10 Two Marks Questions with Answers

Environmental Pollution

• Pollution is defined as any substance introduced into the environment that adversely affects the usefulness of a resource.

• Pollution can be in the form of solid, liquid or gaseous substance. Pollution causes damage to human, plant and animal life. The nature and concentration of pollutant determine the severity of effect of pollution.

Pollution is defined as the excess discharge of any substance into the environment which affects adversely quality of environment and causing damage to humans, plants and animals.

• Terms used to describe pollution concentration are as under -

Examples : Industry pollution, automobile pollution, agriculture pollution, thermal pollution etc.

1. Definition of Pollution

• Ecologically, pollutants can be divided into three types :

1. Bio-degradable or non-persistent pollutants

2. Slowly degradable or persistent pollutants

3. Non-degradable pollutants.

1. Bio-degradable pollutants:

• The pollutants that can be rapidly decomposed by natural processes is called bio-degradable or non-persistent pollutants.

Examples : Domestic sewage, discarded vegetables etc.

2. Slowly degradable pollutants :

• Some pollutants remain in environment for longer time because they decompose very slowly by the natural processes.

Examples : Plastics, pesticides, etc.

3. Non-degradable pollutants :

• Some pollutants can not be decomposed by natural processes are called non-degradable pollutants.

Example : Lead, mercury, nuclear wastes etc. 

2. Classification of Pollution

• The pollutants that pollute the environment is divided into following types.

1. Air pollution

2. Water pollution

3. Soil pollution

4. Marine pollution

5. Noise pollution

6. Thermal pollution

7. Nuclear hazards