The topic of environmental pollution is the most pressing. Types of environmental pollution affecting the quality of life and human health

Environmental pollution should be understood as “a change in the properties of the environment (chemical, mechanical, physical, biological and related information) occurring as a result of natural or artificial processes and leading to a deterioration in the functions of the environment in relation to any biological or technological object.” Using various elements of the environment in his activities, a person changes its quality. Often these changes are expressed in an unfavorable form of pollution.

Environmental pollution- this is the entry into it of harmful substances that can harm human health, inorganic nature, flora and fauna, or become an obstacle to one or another human activity.

Due to the large amounts of human waste entering the environment, the environment's ability to cleanse itself is at its limit. A significant part of this waste is alien to the natural environment: it is either toxic to microorganisms that destroy complex organic substances and transforms them into simple inorganic compounds, or they are not destroyed at all and therefore accumulate in various parts of the environment.

Human influence on nature is felt almost everywhere.

Air pollution

There are two main sources of air pollution: natural and anthropogenic.

Natural source- these are volcanoes, dust storms, weathering, forest fires, decomposition processes of plants and animals.

Anthropogenic, are mainly divided into three main sources of air pollution: industry, domestic boiler houses, and transport. The contribution of each of these sources to total air pollution varies greatly depending on location.

It is now generally accepted that industrial production produces the most air pollution. Sources of pollution are thermal power plants, which emit sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide into the air along with smoke; metallurgical enterprises, especially non-ferrous metallurgy, which emit nitrogen oxides, hydrogen sulfide, chlorine, fluorine, ammonia, phosphorus compounds, particles and compounds of mercury and arsenic into the air; chemical and cement plants. Harmful gases enter the air as a result of burning fuel for industrial needs, heating homes, operating transport, burning and processing household and industrial waste.

According to scientists (1990), every year in the world as a result of human activity, 25.5 billion tons of carbon oxides, 190 million tons of sulfur oxides, 65 million tons of nitrogen oxides, 1.4 million tons of nitrogen oxides enter the atmosphere. chlorofluorocarbons (freons), organic lead compounds, hydrocarbons, including carcinogenic ones (causing cancer).

The most common air pollutants enter the atmosphere mainly in two forms: either in the form of suspended particles (aerosols) or in the form of gases. By weight, the lion's share - 80-90 percent - of all emissions into the atmosphere due to human activities are gaseous emissions. There are 3 main sources of gaseous pollution: combustion of combustible materials, industrial production processes and natural sources.

Let's consider the main harmful impurities of anthropogenic origin.

— Carbon monoxide . It is produced by incomplete combustion of carbonaceous substances. It enters the air as a result of the combustion of solid waste, exhaust gases and emissions from industrial enterprises. Every year, at least 1250 million tons of this gas enter the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide is a compound that actively reacts with components of the atmosphere and contributes to an increase in temperature on the planet and the creation of a greenhouse effect.

— Sulfur dioxide . It is released during the combustion of sulfur-containing fuel or the processing of sulfur ores (up to 170 million tons per year). Some sulfur compounds are released during the combustion of organic residues in mining dumps.

— Sulfuric anhydride . Formed by the oxidation of sulfur dioxide. The final product of the reaction is an aerosol or solution of sulfuric acid in rainwater, which acidifies the soil and aggravates diseases of the human respiratory tract. The fallout of sulfuric acid aerosol from smoke flares of chemical plants is observed under low clouds and high air humidity. Pyrometallurgical enterprises of non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy, as well as thermal power plants, annually emit tens of millions of tons of sulfuric anhydride into the atmosphere.

— Hydrogen sulfide and carbon disulfide . They enter the atmosphere separately or together with other sulfur compounds. The main sources of emissions are enterprises producing artificial fiber, sugar, coke plants, oil refineries, and oil fields. In the atmosphere, when interacting with other pollutants, they undergo slow oxidation to sulfuric anhydride.

— Nitrogen oxides . The main sources of emissions are enterprises producing nitrogen fertilizers, nitric acid and nitrates, aniline dyes, nitro compounds, viscose silk, and celluloid. The amount of nitrogen oxides entering the atmosphere is 20 million tons per year.

— Fluorine compounds . Sources of pollution are enterprises producing aluminum, enamels, glass, ceramics, steel, and phosphate fertilizers. Fluorine-containing substances enter the atmosphere in the form of gaseous compounds - hydrogen fluoride or sodium and calcium fluoride dust. The compounds are characterized by a toxic effect. Fluorine derivatives are strong insecticides.

— Chlorine compounds . They come into the atmosphere from chemical plants producing hydrochloric acid, chlorine-containing pesticides, organic dyes, hydrolytic alcohol, bleach, and soda. In the atmosphere they are found as impurities of chlorine molecules and hydrochloric acid vapors. In the metallurgical industry, when smelting cast iron and processing it into steel, various heavy metals and toxic gases are released into the atmosphere. Thus, per 1 ton of pig iron, in addition to 12.7 kg of sulfur dioxide and 14.5 kg of dust particles are released, which determine the amount of compounds of arsenic, phosphorus, antimony, lead, mercury vapor and rare metals, resin substances and hydrogen cyanide.

In addition to gaseous pollutants, large amounts of particulate matter are released into the atmosphere. This is dust, soot and soot. Pollution of the natural environment with heavy metals poses a great danger. Lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, nickel, zinc, chromium, and vanadium have become almost constant components of the air in industrial centers.

Aerosols - These are solid or liquid particles suspended in the air. In some cases, solid components of aerosols are especially dangerous for organisms and cause specific diseases in people. In the atmosphere, aerosol pollution is perceived as smoke, fog, haze or haze. A significant portion of aerosols are formed in the atmosphere through the interaction of solid and liquid particles with each other or with water vapor. The average size of aerosol particles is 1-5 microns. About 1 cubic meter enters the Earth's atmosphere annually. km of dust particles of artificial origin.

The main sources of artificial aerosol air pollution are thermal power plants that consume high-ash coal, washing plants, metallurgical, cement, magnesite and soot factories. Aerosol particles from these sources have a wide variety of chemical compositions. Most often, compounds of silicon, calcium and carbon are found in their composition, and less often - metal oxides.

Constant sources of aerosol pollution are industrial dumps - artificial embankments of redeposited material, mainly overburden rocks formed during mining or from waste from processing industry enterprises, thermal power plants.

Massive blasting operations serve as a source of dust and toxic gases. Thus, as a result of one average-mass explosion (250-300 tons of explosives), about 2 thousand cubic meters are released into the atmosphere. m. of carbon monoxide and more than 150 tons of dust.

The production of cement and other building materials is also a source of dust pollution. The main technological processes of these industries - grinding and chemical processing of semi-finished products and resulting products in streams of hot gases - are always accompanied by emissions of dust and other harmful substances into the atmosphere.

The main atmospheric pollutants today are carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide.

We must not forget about freons, or chlorofluorocarbons. Freons are widely used in production and in everyday life as refrigerants, foaming agents, solvents, and also in aerosol packaging. Namely, doctors associate an increase in the number of skin cancers with a decrease in ozone content in the upper layers of the atmosphere. It is known that atmospheric ozone is formed as a result of complex photochemical reactions under the influence of ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Ozone, by absorbing ultraviolet radiation, protects all life on earth from death. Freons, when entering the atmosphere, under the influence of solar radiation, decompose into a number of compounds, of which chlorine oxide most intensively destroys ozone.

Soil pollution

Almost all pollutants that are initially released into the atmosphere eventually end up on the surface of land and water. Settling aerosols may contain toxic heavy metals - lead, cadmium, mercury, copper, vanadium, cobalt, nickel. They are usually inactive and accumulate in the soil. But acids also enter the soil with rain. By combining with them, metals can turn into soluble compounds available to plants. Substances that are constantly present in soils also turn into soluble forms, which sometimes leads to the death of plants. An example is aluminum, which is very common in soils, the soluble compounds of which are absorbed by tree roots. Aluminum disease, which damages the structure of plant tissues, is fatal to trees.

On the other hand, acid rain washes away the nutritional salts containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium necessary for plants, which reduces soil fertility. An increase in soil acidity due to acid rain destroys beneficial soil microorganisms, disrupts all microbiological processes in the soil, makes it impossible for a number of plants to exist, and sometimes proves favorable for the development of weeds.

All this can be called unintentional soil pollution.

But we can also talk about deliberate soil pollution. Let's start with the use of mineral fertilizers applied to the soil specifically to increase crop yields.

It is clear that after the harvest, the soil needs to restore its fertility. But excessive use of fertilizers brings harm. It turned out that with an increase in the dose of fertilizers, the yield initially increases rapidly, but then the increase becomes less and less and there comes a moment when a further increase in the dose of fertilizers does not give any increase in yield, and in an excessive dose, mineral substances can be toxic to plants. The fact that the increase in yield sharply decreases indicates that the plants do not absorb excess nutrients.

Excess fertilizer it is leached and washed away from the fields by melt and rainwater (and ends up in bodies of water on land and in the sea). Excess nitrogen fertilizers in the soil break down, and nitrogen gas is released into the atmosphere, and the organic matter of humus, which forms the basis of soil fertility, decomposes into carbon dioxide and water. Because organic matter is not returned to the soil, humus is depleted and soils degrade. Large grain farms that do not have livestock waste suffer especially hard (for example, in the former virgin lands of Kazakhstan, the Urals and Western Siberia).

In addition to disrupting the structure and impoverishment of soils, excess nitrates and phosphates lead to a serious deterioration in the quality of human food. Some plants (for example, spinach, lettuce) are capable of accumulating nitrates in large quantities. “Eating 250 grams of lettuce grown in an overfertilized garden bed can provide a dose of nitrates equivalent to 0.7 grams of ammonium nitrate. In the intestinal tract, nitrates are converted into toxic nitrites, which can subsequently form nitrosamines - substances with strong carcinogenic properties. In addition, in the blood, nitrites oxidize hemoglobin and deprive it of its ability to bind oxygen necessary for living tissue. The result is a special type of anemia - methemoglobinemia."

Pesticide - insecticides against harmful insects in agriculture and in everyday life, pesticides against various pests of agricultural plants, herbicides against weeds, fungicides against fungal plant diseases, defoliants for dropping leaves in cotton, zoocides against rodents, nematicides against worms, limacides against slugs have become widely used since the end of the Second World War.

All these substances are poisonous. These are very stable substances, and therefore they can accumulate in the soil and persist for decades.

The use of pesticides has undoubtedly played a significant role in increasing crop yields. Sometimes pesticides save up to 20 percent of the crop.

But soon Very negative consequences of the use of pesticides were also discovered. It turned out that their effect is much broader than their purpose. Insecticides, for example, act not only on insects, but also on warm-blooded animals and humans. By killing harmful insects, they also kill many beneficial insects, including those that are natural enemies of pests. The systematic use of pesticides began to lead not to the eradication of pests, but to the emergence of new races of pests that are not susceptible to the action of this pesticide. The destruction of competitors or enemies of one or another of the pests led to the appearance of new pests in the fields. It was necessary to increase the doses of pesticides by 2-3 times, and sometimes by ten or more times. This was also driven by the imperfection of pesticide application technology. According to some estimates, because of this, up to 90 percent of pesticides in our country are wasted and only pollute the environment, harming human health. There are often cases when, due to the negligence of chemicalizers, pesticides literally fall on the heads of people working in the fields.

Some plants (particularly root vegetables) and animals (for example, common earthworms) accumulate pesticides in their tissues in much higher concentrations than soil. As a result, pesticides enter the food chain and reach birds, wild and domestic animals, and humans. According to 1983 estimates, in developing countries, 400,000 people fell ill and about 10,000 died annually from pesticide poisoning.

Water pollution

Everyone understands how great the role of water is in the life of our planet and especially in the existence of the biosphere.

The biological need of humans and animals for water per year is 10 times greater than their own weight. Even more impressive are the domestic, industrial and agricultural needs of humans. Thus, “to produce a ton of soap requires 2 tons of water, sugar - 9, cotton products - 200, steel 250, nitrogen fertilizers or synthetic fiber - 600, grain - about 1000, paper - 1000, synthetic rubber - 2500 tons of water.”

Water used by humans ultimately returns to the natural environment. But, apart from the evaporated water, this is no longer pure water, but domestic, industrial and agricultural wastewater, usually not treated or not treated sufficiently. Thus, freshwater bodies of water - rivers, lakes, land and coastal areas of the seas - are polluted.

Modern methods of water purification, mechanical and biological, are far from perfect. almost 100 percent salts of toxic heavy metals.”

There are three types of water pollution- biological, chemical and physical.

Biological contamination created by microorganisms, including pathogens, as well as organic substances capable of fermentation. The main sources of biological pollution of land waters and coastal sea waters are domestic wastewater, which contains feces, food waste, wastewater from food industry enterprises (slaughterhouses and meat processing plants, dairy and cheese factories, sugar factories, etc.), pulp and paper and chemical plants. industry, and in rural areas - wastewater from large livestock complexes. Biological pollution can cause epidemics of cholera, typhoid, paratyphoid and other intestinal infections and various viral infections, such as hepatitis.

Chemical pollution is created by the entry of various toxic substances into water. The main sources of chemical pollution are blast furnace and steel production, non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises, mining, chemical industry and, to a large extent, extensive agriculture. In addition to direct discharges of wastewater into water bodies and surface runoff, it is also necessary to take into account the ingress of pollutants onto the surface of water directly from the air.

In recent years, the flow of nitrates into land surface waters has increased significantly due to the irrational use of nitrogen fertilizers, as well as due to increased emissions into the atmosphere from vehicle exhaust gases. The same applies to phosphates, for which, in addition to fertilizers, the source is the increasingly widespread use of various detergents. Dangerous chemical pollution is created by hydrocarbons - oil and its refined products, which enter rivers and lakes both with industrial discharges, especially during oil production and transportation, and as a result of being washed off from the soil and falling out of the atmosphere.

To make wastewater more or less suitable for use, it is subjected to repeated dilution. But it would be more correct to say that in this case, clean natural waters, which could be used for any purpose, including drinking, become less suitable for this and become polluted.

Wastewater dilution reduces the quality of water in natural bodies of water, but usually does not achieve its main goal of preventing harm to human health. The fact is that harmful impurities contained in water in negligible concentrations accumulate in some organisms that people eat. First, toxic substances enter the tissues of the smallest planktonic organisms, then they accumulate in organisms that, in the process of breathing and feeding, filter large amounts of water (molluscs, sponges, etc.) and ultimately both through the food chain and in the process of respiration concentrated in fish tissues. As a result, the concentration of poisons in fish tissues can become hundreds and even thousands of times greater than in water.

Dilution of industrial wastewater, and especially solutions of fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural fields, often occurs in natural reservoirs themselves. If the reservoir is stagnant or weakly flowing, then the discharge of organic matter and fertilizers into it leads to an excess of nutrients and overgrowing of the reservoir. First, nutrients accumulate in such a reservoir and algae grow rapidly. After they die, the biomass sinks to the bottom, where it mineralizes and consumes large amounts of oxygen. Conditions in the deep layer of such a reservoir become unsuitable for the life of fish and other organisms that require oxygen. When all the oxygen is exhausted, oxygen-free fermentation begins with the release of methane and hydrogen sulfide. Then the entire reservoir is poisoned and all living organisms die (except for some bacteria). Such an unenviable fate threatens not only lakes into which household and industrial wastewater is discharged, but also some closed and semi-enclosed seas.

Physical pollution water is created by dumping heat or radioactive substances into it. Thermal pollution is mainly due to the fact that the water used for cooling at thermal and nuclear power plants (and, accordingly, about 1/3 and 1/2 of the energy generated) is discharged into the same body of water. Some industrial enterprises also contribute to thermal pollution

With significant thermal pollution, the fish suffocate and die, as its need for oxygen increases and the solubility of oxygen decreases. The amount of oxygen in water also decreases because, with thermal pollution, rapid development of unicellular algae occurs: the water “blooms,” followed by rotting of the dying plant mass. In addition, thermal pollution significantly increases the toxicity of many chemical pollutants, in particular heavy metals.

Pollution of oceans and seas occurs as a result of the entry of pollutants with river runoff, their fall out from the atmosphere and, finally, due to human economic activities directly on the seas and oceans.

With river flow, the volume of which is about 36-38 thousand cubic kilometers, a huge amount of pollutants enters the oceans and seas in suspended and dissolved form. According to some estimates, more than 320 million tons of iron and up to 200 thousand tons of lead enter the ocean annually this way , 110 million tons of sulfur, up to 20 thousand tons of cadmium, from 5 to 8 thousand tons of mercury, 6.5 million tons of phosphorus, hundreds of millions of tons of organic pollutants.

Atmospheric sources of ocean pollution are comparable to river runoff for some types of pollutants.

A special place is occupied by ocean pollution with oil and petroleum products.

Natural pollution occurs as a result of oil seepage from oil-bearing layers, mainly on the shelf.

The largest contribution to ocean oil pollution is made by seaborne oil transportation. Of the 3 billion tons of oil currently produced, about 2 billion tons are transported by sea. Even with accident-free transport, oil losses occur during loading and unloading, the discharge of washing and ballast water into the ocean (with which tanks are filled after unloading oil), as well as during the discharge of so-called bilge water, which always accumulates on the floor of the engine rooms of any ships.

But the greatest damage to the environment and the biosphere is caused by sudden spills of large quantities of oil during tanker accidents, although such spills account for only 5-6 percent of total oil pollution.

In the open ocean, oil is found mainly in the form of a thin film (with a minimum thickness of up to 0.15 micrometers) and tar lumps, which are formed from heavy fractions of oil. If resin lumps primarily affect plant and animal marine organisms, then oil film, in addition, affects many physical and chemical processes occurring at the ocean-atmosphere interface and in the layers adjacent to it:

• First of all, the oil film increases the share of solar energy reflected from the ocean surface and reduces the share of absorbed energy. Thus, the oil film influences the processes of heat accumulation in the ocean. Despite the decrease in the amount of incoming heat, the surface temperature in the presence of an oil film increases the more, the thicker the oil film.
• The ocean is the main supplier of atmospheric moisture, on which the degree of continental humidification largely depends. The oil film makes it difficult for moisture to evaporate, and with a sufficiently large thickness (about 400 micrometers) it can reduce it to almost zero.
• By smoothing out wind waves and preventing the formation of water spray, which, when evaporating, leaves tiny particles of salt in the atmosphere, the oil film changes the salt exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere. This can also affect the amount of precipitation over the ocean and continents, since salt particles make up a large part of the condensation nuclei needed to form rain.

Many countries with access to the sea carry out marine dumping of various materials and substances (dumping), in particular soil removed during dredging, drilling slag, industrial waste, construction waste, solid waste, explosives and chemicals, and radioactive waste. The volume of burials amounted to about 10% of the total mass of pollutants entering the World Ocean.

The basis for dumping at sea is the ability of the marine environment to process large quantities of organic and inorganic substances without much damage to the water. However, this ability is not unlimited.

During the discharge and passage of material through a column of water, some of the pollutants go into solution, changing the quality of the water, while others are sorbed by suspended particles and pass into bottom sediments. At the same time, the turbidity of the water increases. The presence of organic substances often leads to the rapid consumption of oxygen in water and often to its complete disappearance, dissolution of suspended matter, accumulation of metals in dissolved form, and the appearance of hydrogen sulfide.

When organizing a control system over waste discharges into the sea, the determination of dumping areas and the dynamics of pollution of sea water and bottom sediments are of decisive importance. To identify possible volumes of discharge into the sea, it is necessary to carry out calculations of all pollutants in the material discharge.

Impact of environmental pollution on human health

In recent decades, the problem of preventing the adverse effects of environmental factors on human health has risen to one of the first places among other global problems.

This is due to the rapid increase in the number of factors that are different in nature (physical, chemical, biological, social), the complex spectrum and mode of their influence, the possibility of simultaneous (combined, complex) action, as well as the variety of pathological conditions caused by these factors.

Among the complex of anthropogenic (technogenic) impacts on the environment and human health, a special place is occupied by numerous chemical compounds widely used in industry, agriculture, energy and other areas of production. Currently, more than 11 million chemical substances are known, and in economically developed countries over 100 thousand chemical compounds are produced and used, many of which have a real impact on humans and the environment.

Exposure to chemical compounds can cause almost all pathological processes and conditions known in general pathology. Moreover, as knowledge about the mechanisms of toxic effects deepens and expands, more and more new types of adverse effects are revealed (carcinogenic, mutagenic, immunotoxic and other types of effects).

There are several fundamental approaches to preventing the adverse effects of chemicals:

• a complete ban on production and use, a ban on release into the environment and any impact on humans,
• replacing a toxic substance with a less toxic and dangerous one,
• limitation (regulation) of content in environmental objects and levels of impact on workers and the population as a whole.

Due to the fact that modern chemistry has become a determining factor in the development of key areas in the entire system of productive forces, the choice of a prevention strategy is a complex, multi-criteria task, the solution of which requires analysis as the risk of developing immediate and long-term adverse effects of a substance on the human body and its offspring , the environment, and the possible social, economic, medical and biological consequences of a ban on the production and use of a chemical compound.

The determining criterion for choosing a prevention strategy is the criterion of preventing (preventing) a harmful action. In our country and abroad, the production and use of a number of dangerous industrial carcinogens and pesticides is prohibited.

Water pollution. Water is one of the most important life-supporting natural environments formed as a result of the evolution of the Earth. It is an integral part of the biosphere and has a number of anomalous properties that affect the physical, chemical and biological processes occurring in ecosystems. Such properties include very high and maximum heat capacity of liquids, heat of fusion and heat of evaporation, surface tension, solvent power and dielectric constant, transparency. In addition, water is characterized by an increased migration ability, which is important for its interaction with adjacent natural environments. The above properties of water determine the potential for the accumulation of very high quantities of a wide variety of pollutants, including pathogenic microorganisms. Due to the continuously increasing pollution of surface waters, groundwater is becoming practically the only source of household and drinking water supply for the population. Therefore, their protection from pollution and depletion, and rational use are of strategic importance.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that potable groundwater lies in the uppermost, most susceptible to pollution part of artesian basins and other hydrogeological structures, and rivers and lakes make up only 0.019% of the total water volume. Good quality water is required not only for drinking and cultural needs, but also for many industries. The danger of groundwater pollution lies in the fact that the underground hydrosphere (especially artesian basins) is the ultimate reservoir for the accumulation of pollutants of both surface and deep origin. Pollution of drainless water bodies on land is long-term, and in many cases irreversible. Of particular danger is contamination of drinking water by microorganisms that are pathogenic and can cause outbreaks of various epidemic diseases among the population and animals.

The most important anthropogenic processes of water pollution are runoff from industrial, urban and agricultural areas, precipitation of products of anthropogenic activity. This process pollutes not only surface waters, but also the underground hydrosphere and the World Ocean. On continents, the greatest impact is on the upper aquifers (ground and pressure), which are used for domestic and drinking water supply. Accidents of oil tankers and oil pipelines can be a significant factor in the sharp deterioration of the environmental situation on sea coasts and water areas, in inland water systems. There has been a tendency for these accidents to increase in the last decade. On the territory of the Russian Federation, the problem of pollution of surface and groundwater with nitrogen compounds is becoming increasingly urgent. Ecological and geochemical mapping of the central regions of European Russia has shown that the surface and ground waters of this territory are in many cases characterized by high concentrations of nitrates and nitrites. Regular observations indicate an increase in these concentrations over time.

A similar situation arises with the pollution of groundwater by organic substances. This is due to the fact that the underground hydrosphere is not capable of oxidizing the large mass of organic matter entering it. The consequence of this is that the contamination of hydrogeochemical systems gradually becomes irreversible.

Lithosphere pollution. As you know, land currently makes up 1/6 of the planet, the part of the planet where humans live. That is why the protection of the lithosphere is very important. Protecting soils from humans is one of the most important tasks of humans, since any harmful compounds found in the soil sooner or later enter the human body. Firstly, there is a constant leaching of contaminants into open water bodies and groundwater, which can be used by humans for drinking and other needs. Secondly, these contaminants from soil moisture, groundwater and open water bodies enter the bodies of animals and plants that consume this water, and then again enter the human body through food chains. Thirdly, many compounds harmful to the human body have the ability to accumulate in tissues, and, above all, in bones. According to researchers, about 20-30 billion tons of solid waste enter the biosphere annually, of which 50-60% are organic compounds, and about 1 billion tons in the form of acidic gas or aerosol agents. And all this is less than 6 billion people! Various soil pollution, most of which are anthropogenic, can be divided according to the source of these pollutants entering the soil.

Precipitation: many chemical compounds (gases - oxides of sulfur and nitrogen) that enter the atmosphere as a result of the operation of the enterprise, then dissolve in droplets of atmospheric moisture and fall into the soil with precipitation. Dust and aerosols: Solid and liquid compounds in dry weather usually settle directly as dust and aerosols. With direct absorption of gaseous compounds by the soil. In dry weather, gases can be directly absorbed by the soil, especially wet soil. With plant litter: various harmful compounds, in any state of aggregation, are absorbed by leaves through stomata or deposited on the surface. Then, when the leaves fall, all these compounds enter the soil. Soil contaminants are difficult to classify; different sources give different divisions. If we generalize and highlight the main thing, then the following picture of soil pollution is observed: garbage, emissions, dumps, sludge; heavy metals; pesticides; mycotoxins; radioactive substances.

Thus, we see that the protection of the natural environment is one of the most pressing and pressing issues today. The solution to this problem can no longer be postponed; measures to eliminate it must be urgently taken.

Also read with this:

The main sources of environmental pollution are artificial and man-made. Speaking in facts, here are just some of the consequences of a thoughtless attitude towards nature:

• Thermal pollution of the environment and harmful gases from cars have led to the fact that about 250 thousand people in Europe alone die annually from diseases associated with this phenomenon;
• Every year, about 11 million hectares of tropical forests are cut down on Earth, while the rate of restoration of forest cover is ten times lower;
• 9 million tons of waste are dumped annually into the Pacific Ocean, and more than 30 million tons into the Atlantic;
• Over 40 years, the amount of drinking water per capita of the planet's population has decreased by 60%;
• Discarded glass will take 1,000 years to decompose, plastic – 500 years.

Consequences of oil spills

In recent years, environmental pollution has only been gaining momentum and many scientists around the world have begun to pay attention to this problem. Until recently, nothing like this was observed, since the level of consumption of goods by the population of the entire planet was at a low level. But with the constant increase in the standard of living, the purchasing power of people, and the construction of more and more dangerous industries, the issue of preserving nature began to become more and more acute.

Today, the problem of environmental pollution is acute - humans have a negative impact on the whole world in many ways, and there are no clear solutions for this situation yet. In progressive countries they are already trying to combat this by creating advanced waste processing plants, but in most countries culture has not yet reached this level.

Interesting fact. One passenger car produces in a year an amount of carbon dioxide equal to its own weight. This gas contains about 300 substances hazardous to people and nature.

Environmental pollution - what does it mean?

Due to deforestation, many animals are losing their homes and becoming extinct - like this koala

Pollution of nature is usually understood as such human behavior, as a result of which dangerous and harmful substances and materials, chemical compounds and biological agents are introduced into nature. The consequences of environmental pollution affect not only the properties of soil, water, vegetation, and air quality, but can also affect a host of other factors, including the overall quality of people’s lives.

The release of hazardous substances into nature can occur through natural, artificial or anthropogenic means. Examples of the first option include volcanic eruptions, when dust and magma covers the earth, destroying all living things, disruption of the population of any animals in a certain area, which leads to problems in the existing food chain, increased solar activity, provoking droughts and similar phenomena.

Artificial ways of negative impact on the environment are inextricably linked with humans: the constantly growing number of hazardous industries, the accumulation of non-recyclable garbage and household waste, vehicle exhaust, deforestation and urbanization. It is difficult to even list all the negative factors that affect the normal state of nature as a result of human actions.

Classification of types of environmental pollution

Penguin caught in dirty water after oil spill

In addition to the above division into artificial and natural, types of environmental pollution are also divided into the following categories:

• Disruption of normal biocenosis or biological impact. Occurs as a result of uncontrolled fishing or hunting of certain types of animals, negative impact on animals due to anthropogenic activities. The uncontrolled activity of hunters and fishermen, poachers leads to forced or spontaneous migration of a large number of animals to other habitats, etc. As a result of such processes, the normal biocenosis is disrupted, which sometimes provokes catastrophic problems. This can also include deforestation, drying up rivers or changing their flow, developing huge quarries, large forest and steppe fires;
• Mechanical, implying the release into nature of a huge amount of waste resulting from human activity, which negatively affects both the inhabitants of the region and the physical and chemical structure and properties of the soil, groundwater, etc.;
• Physical pollution of the environment is a complex of impact factors, as a result of which some physical parameters change: its temperature, the level of radioactive, light, and noise conditions. This also includes electromagnetic influence from satellites and antennas;
• Chemical negative impact, which manifests itself in a change in the normal chemical composition in the earth, water, air, which provokes destructive processes in it and deprives organisms of normal, habitual conditions for their life.

Interesting fact. Due to excessive electromagnetic radiation in some developed countries, the number of insects has changed dramatically. A negative effect of electromagnetic radiation on bees has been noticed, which prefer to migrate to places that are cleaner from radiation.

Environmental tax payment

Many countries, especially in the civilized world, have come to the conclusion that companies must pay certain taxes for polluting the environment through their activities. The money collected in this way goes to combat the consequences of the problem in one area or another, for example, in the country’s water sector.

Pollution of the natural environment occurs everywhere, so it is reasonable for the state to develop a unified approach and a general tax in this matter. However, at the moment there is still no clear definition of environmental tax.

Typically, government interaction with the owners of hazardous production occurs like this: the facility is checked for compliance with environmental safety standards and, if the established standards are exceeded, it undertakes to pay a certain tax, for example, on each ton of hazardous substances generated.

Therefore, it is worth talking rather not about some kind of general tax for the entire state, but about various types of payments from the manufacturer to the state in the event that the facility generates harmful substances. Let's take a closer look at the situations in which this happens.

What taxes are considered environmental?

• Transport tax. In 2016, it must be paid if it is proven that the vehicle is harmful to the environment.
• Mineral extraction tax. For example, when extracting natural resources, including coal and oil, which are exhaustible.
• Water tax. In Russia it is paid for introducing an imbalance into the environment when using water resources.
• Fee for the exploitation of aquatic biological resources in Russia, objects of the animal world. This tax is paid if damage to nature is caused as a result of hunting or other types of catching animals.
  Land.

How does all this affect the human body?

A wave of garbage on the island of Java - the most populous island on the planet

Many people treat the issue under consideration rather superficially and do not take any action to protect the environment from pollution, believing that the problem does not concern them. In fact, this is a completely wrong and unconscious approach.

The result of a changed environment affects people very much, since they are an inseparable part of nature. We can highlight the most important areas that, due to the negative influence of humans, have undergone changes that pose a danger:

Climate. A constant increase in temperature, melting glaciers, changes in some global currents in the world's oceans, the presence of dangerous chemical compounds in the air - this is only a small part of what everyone faces. Even the most minimal changes in climate: temperature, pressure, precipitation level or strong gusts of wind can bring with them a lot of problems of a very different nature: from acute rheumatism to destroyed crops, drought and hunger strike (see);

Biological and chemical factors. Harmful substances enter the soil, penetrate into groundwater, into the air in the form of evaporation, and are absorbed into plants, which animals and people then feed on. Dangerous chemicals can, even in small concentrations, provoke allergies, coughs, illnesses, rashes on the body and even mutations. With chronic poisoning, a person becomes weaker and tired;

Nutrition has no less impact on human health. Crops grown on unclean soil, soaked in large amounts of chemical fertilizers and poisons, lose many positive properties, becoming a real poison. Bad food causes obesity, loss of taste and appetite, and a lack of essential vitamins and microelements in the body.

Environmental pollution, as defined above, can have a very negative impact on the health of millions of people.

Genetic danger

Mutations in animals caused by environmental change

One of the most important nuances of the issue under consideration is the so-called genetic danger. It lies in the fact that under the influence of harmful chemicals, various mutations can accumulate in the body, which can provoke cancerous tumors and introduce serious defects into future generations, sometimes even incompatible with life.

The manifestation of mutations and changes in the body and its descendants does not appear immediately. This may take years or decades. That is why eating GMO food, being exposed to radiation and strong radiation, smoking, which also causes cell mutations, manifest themselves in the form of the same cancer and other pathologies not immediately, but after 10-20 years.

Fighting the problem

Spittelau waste treatment plant in Vienna, Austria

Anthropogenic environmental pollution, the causes and consequences of which have already been discussed in general terms above, is of serious concern to many thinking people around the world. It is enough to visit a land where there is no end in sight at least once to understand that the situation is going too far and it needs not to be hidden in abandoned quarries, but to be radically resolved.

Since nature has no borders, the fight against the problem of its pollution is international. Now there are many organizations in the world that are trying to influence manufacturers, governments and people in order to instill in them a more conscious attitude towards nature and their actions. In some countries, green energy sources are being actively promoted; popular automobile companies are starting to produce electric cars, which should replace gasoline and diesel engines.

Important components of the fight for nature conservation:

Promoting the abandonment of the consumer lifestyle and the constant purchase of things that can easily be discarded and which will quickly end up in the nearest trash heap;

Construction of waste processing plants capable of producing new materials from recycled materials that will be reused in production;

Garbage sorting. In cultural countries, this issue has already been practically resolved and people throw different types of garbage into different containers. This simplifies the process of their disposal and recycling.

One of the serious reasons for environmental pollution is the irresponsible attitude of ordinary people towards the problem and their reluctance to understand these issues.

How to prevent the problem

The fight against environmental pollution is a complex task that must be solved in the following complex:

• Bringing the attention of governments of all countries to the problem;
• Educating the masses in order to instill awareness in them on this issue;
• Impact on producers and their control. All this must be regulated by thoughtful and strict legislation;
• Prevention of environmental pollution must also be accompanied by the creation of a full-fledged infrastructure for the removal, disposal and processing of waste.

Only all these points together can produce a positive effect and reverse the current negative trend, making our world cleaner.

General consequences of environmental pollution

Garbage-filled areas of Bangladesh

At the moment, the consequences of the constant increase in consumption, industrial development and the corresponding amount of waste and garbage are already quite noticeable, and this applies to the whole world. Suffice it to recall the recent “garbage” riots that broke out in the suburbs of Moscow, when people began to complain en masse about the terrible smell from a landfill next to their houses and the deterioration of air and water quality.

Interesting fact. About 40 million Russians living in cities live in conditions where the level of air pollution is 10 times higher than prescribed by sanitary standards.

As a conclusion, it is worth noting that the environmental consequences of environmental pollution are catastrophic for every person on Earth. But only a conscious approach to the problem can change something.

The main factors of environmental pollution depend on people, so if all people unite to solve this problem, then you can be sure that a solution will be found. The only thing left to do is the strong-willed decision of the authorities of all countries to start moving in this direction.

Environmental pollution is a topic that is regularly discussed in the news and in scientific circles. Many international organizations have been created to combat the deterioration of natural conditions. Scientists have long been sounding the alarm about the inevitability of this in the very near future.

At the moment, a lot is known about environmental pollution - a large number of scientific papers and books have been written, numerous studies have been conducted. But humanity has made very little progress in solving the problem. Pollution of nature still remains an important and pressing issue, the postponement of which can turn tragic.

History of biosphere pollution

Due to the intensive industrialization of society, environmental pollution has become particularly acute in recent decades. However, despite this fact, natural pollution is one of the oldest problems in human history. Even in the primitive era, people began to barbarously destroy forests, exterminate animals and change the landscape of the earth to expand their territory of residence and obtain valuable resources.

Even then, this led to climate change and other environmental problems. The growth of the planet's population and the progress of civilizations was accompanied by increased mining, drainage of water bodies, as well as chemical pollution of the biosphere. The Industrial Revolution marked not only a new era in social order, but also a new wave of pollution.

With the development of science and technology, scientists have received tools with which an accurate and detailed analysis of the ecological state of the planet has become possible. Weather reports, monitoring of the chemical composition of air, water and soil, satellite data, as well as ubiquitous smoking pipes and oil spills on the water indicate that the problem is rapidly worsening with the expansion of the technosphere. It is not for nothing that the emergence of man is called the main environmental disaster.

Classification of nature pollution

There are several classifications of natural pollution based on their source, direction, and other factors.

So, the following types of environmental pollution are distinguished:

• Biological – the source of pollution is living organisms; it can occur due to natural causes or as a result of anthropogenic activities.
• Physical – leads to changes in the corresponding characteristics of the environment. Physical pollution includes thermal, radiation, noise and others.
• Chemical – an increase in the content of substances or their penetration into the environment. Leads to a change in the normal chemical composition of resources.
• Mechanical – pollution of the biosphere with garbage.

In reality, one type of pollution may be accompanied by another or several at once.

The gaseous shell of the planet is an integral participant in natural processes, determines the thermal background and climate of the Earth, protects against harmful cosmic radiation, and influences relief formation.

The composition of the atmosphere has changed throughout the historical development of the planet. The current situation is such that part of the volume of the gas shell is determined by human economic activity. The composition of the air is heterogeneous and differs depending on the geographical location - in industrial areas and large cities there is a high level of harmful impurities.

• chemical plants;
• enterprises of the fuel and energy complex;
• transport.

These pollutants cause the presence of heavy metals in the atmosphere, such as lead, mercury, chromium, and copper. They are permanent components of air in industrial areas.

Modern power plants emit hundreds of tons of carbon dioxide, as well as soot, dust and ash, into the atmosphere every day.

The increase in the number of cars in populated areas has led to an increase in the concentration of a number of harmful gases in the air, which are part of car exhaust. Anti-knock additives added to transportation fuels release large quantities of lead. Cars produce dust and ash, which pollute not only the air, but also the soil, settling on the ground.

The atmosphere is also polluted by very toxic gases emitted by the chemical industry. Wastes from chemical plants, for example, nitrogen and sulfur oxides, are the cause and are capable of reacting with components of the biosphere to form other dangerous derivatives.

As a result of human activity, forest fires regularly occur, during which colossal amounts of carbon dioxide are released.

Soil is a thin layer of the lithosphere, formed as a result of natural factors, in which most of the exchange processes between living and nonliving systems take place.

Due to the extraction of natural resources, mining operations, the construction of buildings, roads and airfields, large areas of soil are destroyed.

Irrational human economic activity has caused the degradation of the fertile layer of the earth. Its natural chemical composition changes and mechanical contamination occurs. Intensive agricultural development leads to significant land loss. Frequent plowing makes them vulnerable to flooding, salinity and wind, which causes soil erosion.

The abundant use of fertilizers, insecticides and chemical poisons to destroy pests and clear weeds leads to the release of toxic compounds that are unnatural for it into the soil. As a result of anthropogenic activities, chemical pollution of lands with heavy metals and their derivatives occurs. The main harmful element is lead, as well as its compounds. When processing lead ores, about 30 kilograms of metal are released from every ton. Car exhaust containing large amounts of this metal settles in the soil, poisoning the organisms living in it. Liquid waste discharges from mines contaminate the ground with zinc, copper and other metals.

Power plants, radioactive fallout from nuclear explosions, and research centers for the study of atomic energy cause radioactive isotopes to enter the soil, which then enter the human body with food.

Metal reserves concentrated in the bowels of the earth are dissipated as a consequence of human production activity. Then they concentrate in the top layer of soil. In ancient times, man used 18 elements found in the earth's crust, and today - all of them are known.

Today, the water shell of the earth is much more polluted than one can imagine. Oil slicks and bottles floating on the surface are just what can be seen. A significant part of pollutants is in a dissolved state.

Water spoilage can occur naturally. As a result of mudflows and floods, magnesium is washed out of the continental soil, which enters water bodies and harms fish. As a result of chemical transformations, aluminum penetrates into fresh waters. But natural pollution makes up a negligibly small proportion compared to anthropogenic pollution. Due to human fault, the following gets into the water:

• surfactants;
• pesticides;
• phosphates, nitrates and other salts;
• medicines;
• petroleum products;
• radioactive isotopes.

Sources of these pollutants include farms, fisheries, oil platforms, power plants, chemical plants, and sewage.

Acid rain, which is also the result of human activity, dissolves the soil and washes away heavy metals.

In addition to the chemical, there is the physical, namely thermal. The largest use of water is in the production of electricity. Thermal stations use it to cool turbines, and the heated waste liquid is discharged into reservoirs.

Mechanical deterioration of water quality due to household waste in populated areas leads to a reduction in the habitats of living beings. Some species are dying.

Polluted water is the main cause of most diseases. As a result of liquid poisoning, many living beings die, the ocean ecosystem suffers, and the normal course of natural processes is disrupted. The pollutants ultimately enter the human body.

Anti-pollution

To avoid environmental disaster, combating physical pollution must be a top priority. The problem must be solved at the international level, because nature has no state borders. To prevent pollution, it is necessary to impose sanctions on enterprises that discharge waste into the environment, and impose large fines for placing waste in the wrong place. Incentives to comply with environmental safety standards can also be achieved through financial methods. This approach has proven effective in some countries.

A promising direction to combat pollution is the use of alternative energy sources. The use of solar panels, hydrogen fuel and other energy-saving technologies will reduce the emission of toxic compounds into the atmosphere.

Other methods of combating pollution include:

• construction of treatment facilities;
• creation of national parks and reserves;
• increasing the amount of green space;
• population control in third world countries;
• attracting public attention to the problem.

Environmental pollution is a large-scale global problem, which can only be solved with the active participation of everyone who calls planet Earth home, otherwise an environmental disaster will be inevitable.

Environmental pollution refers to the entry of harmful substances into the external space, but this is not a complete definition. Environmental pollution also includes radiation, increased or decreased temperature.

In other words, global environmental pollution and environmental problems of humanity are caused by any material manifestations present in an undesirable place in an undesirable concentration.

Even beneficial substances of natural origin in excess concentration can cause harm. For example, if you eat 250 grams of ordinary table salt in one sitting, death will inevitably occur.

Let's consider the main types of pollution, their causes and consequences, as well as ways to solve the problem of environmental pollution.

Quick navigation through the article

Environmental pollution objects

A person and everything that surrounds him is exposed to harmful effects. Most often, the following environmental pollution objects are highlighted:

• air;
• soil layer;
• water.

Main types of environmental pollution

1. Physical pollution of the environment. It causes a change in the characteristics of the surrounding space. These include thermal, noise or radiation pollution.
2. Chemical. Provides for the ingress of foreign impurities that can change the chemical composition.
3. Biological. Pollutants are considered to be living organisms.
4. Mechanical pollution of the environment. This refers to garbage pollution.

All pollutants can be most generally divided into two groups:

• natural;
• anthropogenic.

The causes of environmental pollution may occasionally be part of natural phenomena. With rare exceptions, natural pollution does not lead to harmful consequences and is easily neutralized by the forces of nature itself. The remains of dead plants and animals rot, becoming part of the soil. The release of gases or polymetallic ores also does not have a significant destructive effect.

For many thousands of years, even before the advent of humanity, nature has developed mechanisms that help counteract such pollutants and deal effectively with them.

Of course, there are natural contaminants that create serious problems, but this is the exception rather than the rule. For example, the famous Death Valley in Kamchatka, located near the Kikhpinych volcano. The local ecology suffers greatly from it. Hydrogen sulfide emissions occur there periodically, causing environmental pollution. In calm weather, this cloud kills all living things.

Death Valley in Kamchatka

But still, the main cause of pollution is humans. It occurs most intensely as a result of human activity. It is called anthropogenic and requires more attention than natural. Most often, the concept of environmental pollution is associated with the anthropogenic factor.

Anthropogenic pollution of the external environment

Anthropogenic pollution of the environment, such as we see today, is often associated with industrial production. The point is that its avalanche-like growth began to occur when man chose the path of industrial development. Production factors of environmental pollution played a decisive role. Then there was a sharp jump in production and consumption. Human economic activity was inevitably accompanied by undesirable changes not only in its habitat, but also in the entire biosphere.

The intensity of environmental pollution has constantly increased over a number of historical eras. Initially, people did not think about the dangers of industrial emissions, but over time, the problem of environmental pollution acquired impressive proportions. Only then did we begin to realize the consequences of environmental pollution and think about how to solve these global problems, how to avoid turning our planet into a garbage dump, and what chances our descendants have to survive.

It cannot be said that humans have been polluting the environment since the advent of industry. The history of environmental pollution goes back tens of thousands of years. This happened in all eras, starting with the primitive communal system. When man began to cut down forests to build houses or plow, and to use open flames for heating and cooking, then he began to pollute the surrounding space more than any other biological species.

Today, more than ever, the relevance of environmental problems has increased, the main one of which is global human pollution.

Main types of environmental pollution associated with human activities

All biological species taken together that cause environmental pollution are not capable of causing such damage as is caused by human activity. To understand how humans pollute the environment, let's consider the main types of anthropogenic pollutants. It is worth considering that some main types of environmental pollution are difficult to classify into a specific category, since they have a complex impact. They come in the following types:

• aerosols;
• inorganic;
• acid rain;
• organics;
• thermal effects;
• radiation;
• photochemical fog;
• noises;
• soil pollutants.

Let's look at the listed categories in more detail.

Aerosols

Among the types listed, aerosol is perhaps the most common. Aerosol pollution and environmental problems of mankind are caused by production factors. This includes dust, fog and smoke.

The consequences of environmental pollution with aerosols can be disastrous. Aerosols disrupt the functioning of the respiratory system and have a carcinogenic and toxic effect on the human body.

Catastrophic air pollution is produced by metallurgical plants, heating plants, and the mining industry. The latter affects the surrounding space at a variety of technological stages. Blasting operations result in significant release of large amounts of dust and carbon monoxide into the air.

Rock dumps also cause air pollution. An example is the situation in coal mining areas. There, next to the mines, there are waste heaps, under the surface of which invisible chemical processes and combustion are constantly occurring, accompanied by the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere.

When burning coal, thermal power plants pollute the air with sulfur oxides and other impurities present in the fuel.

Another dangerous source of aerosol emissions into the atmosphere is road transport. The number of cars is increasing every year. The principle of their operation is based on the combustion of fuel with the inevitable release of combustion products into the air. If we briefly list the main causes of environmental pollution, then motor vehicles will be at the top of this list.

Photochemical fog

This air pollution is more commonly known as smog. It is formed from harmful emissions affected by solar radiation. It provokes chemical pollution of the environment with nitrogen compounds and other harmful impurities.

The resulting compounds negatively affect the respiratory and circulatory systems of the body. Significant air pollution from smog can even cause death.

Caution: increased radiation

Radiation emissions can occur during emergencies at nuclear power plants and during nuclear tests. In addition, small leaks of radioactive substances are possible during research and other work.

Heavy radioactive materials settle into the soil and, together with groundwater, can spread over long distances. Light materials rise upward, are carried along with air masses and fall to the earth's surface along with rain or snow.

Radioactive impurities can accumulate in the human body and gradually destroy it, so they pose a particular danger.

Inorganic pollutants

Waste generated during the operation of plants, factories, mines, mines, and vehicles is released into the environment, polluting it. Home life is also a source of pollutants. For example, every day tons of detergents enter the soil through sewers, and then into water bodies, from where they are returned to us through the water supply.

Arsenic, lead, mercury and other chemical elements contained in household and industrial waste are likely to enter our body. From the soil they enter plants that animals and people feed on.

Harmful substances that do not enter the sewer system from reservoirs can enter the body along with sea or river fish consumed as food.

Some aquatic organisms have the ability to purify water, but due to the toxic effects of pollutants or changes in the pH of the aquatic environment, they can die.

Organic pollutants

The main organic pollutant is oil. As you know, it has a biological origin. The history of environmental pollution by petroleum products began long before the appearance of the first cars. Even before it began to be actively extracted and processed, oil from sources at the bottom of the seas and oceans could get into the water and pollute it. But some types of bacteria are able to quickly absorb and process small oil spills before they cause harm to marine fauna and flora.

Accidents of oil tankers and leaks during production lead to massive pollution of the water surface. There are numerous examples of such man-made disasters. Oil slicks form on the surface of the water, covering a wide area. Bacteria are not able to cope with this amount of oil.

This pollutant kills all plants and animals living in the coastal zone. Fish, waterfowl, and marine mammals are especially affected. Their bodies are covered with a thin, sticky film, clogging all pores and openings, disrupting metabolism. Birds lose their ability to fly because their feathers become stuck together.

In such cases, nature itself is not able to cope, so people must fight environmental pollution and eliminate the consequences of oil leaks themselves. This is a global problem, and solutions to it depend on international cooperation, because no state can find ways to cope with it alone.

Soil pollutants

The main soil pollutants are not landfills and industrial wastewater, although they also make a significant contribution. The main problem is the development of agriculture. To increase productivity and control pests and weeds, our farmers do not spare their habitat. A huge number of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers end up in the soil. Intensive farming, aimed at quickly obtaining maximum profits, leaves the soil poisoned and depleted.

Acid rain

Human economic activity has caused the phenomenon of acid rain.

Some harmful substances, when released into the atmosphere, react with moisture and form acids. Because of this, the water that falls as rain has increased acidity. It can poison the soil and even cause skin burns.

Harmful substances mix with groundwater, eventually entering our body and causing various diseases.

Thermal pollutants

Wastewater can be a pollutant even if it does not contain foreign matter. If the water performed the cooling function, it returns to the reservoir heated.

The increased temperature of wastewater can slightly increase the temperature in the reservoir. And even a slight increase can upset the balance of the ecosystem and even lead to the death of some species.

Negative effects of noise

Throughout history, humanity has been surrounded by a variety of sounds. The development of civilization has created noises that can cause serious damage to human health.

Sounds made by vehicles cause especially significant harm. It can interfere with sleep at night and irritate the nervous system during the day. People living near railways or highways are in a constant state of nightmare. And it can be almost impossible to live near airfields, especially those serving supersonic aviation.

Discomfort can be caused by noise produced by industrial equipment.

If a person is regularly exposed to loud noises, they are at high risk of premature aging and death.

Anti-pollution

No matter how strange it may sound, pollution and environmental protection are the work of the same hands. Humanity has brought the planet to a state of ecological disaster, but only man can save it. The main reason for the current state of the environment is various pollution. These problems and ways to solve them are in our hands.

Therefore, the fight against environmental pollution is our top priority.

Let's look at three ways to combat environmental pollution to help solve the problem:

1. construction of treatment facilities;
2. planting forests, parks and other green spaces;
3. control and regulation of population.

In fact, there are many more such ways and methods, but they will not lead to good results if you do not fight the cause. It is necessary not only to clean up, but also to solve the issue of how to prevent environmental pollution. As Russian folk wisdom states, it is clean not where they sweep, but where they do not litter.

Preventing environmental pollution is a top priority. To solve the problem and prevent further disfigurement of the planet, it is necessary, for example, to use financial leverage. Solving problems of environmental pollution will be more effective if we make it profitable to respect nature and provide tax benefits to enterprises that strictly comply with environmental safety standards. The application of substantial fines to violating enterprises will simplify the solution to the problem of environmental pollution.

Using cleaner energy sources also means preventing environmental pollution. It is easier to filter wastewater than to later clean a pond of impurities.

Making the planet clean and providing comfortable conditions for the existence of humanity are top-priority tasks, and the ways to solve them are known.

Environmental pollution. Report The world around us. 3rd grade.

During human economic activity, a lot of waste is generated that pollutes the environment. This is factory smoke that pollutes the atmosphere, wastewater from factories, institutions and homes, polluting rivers and seas, and much more. There are so many car exhaust gases in the atmosphere of large cities that it is difficult for people and animals to breathe.

Air pollution control

Now people are beginning to understand the harm they are causing to the environment and themselves. In order to reduce the emission of harmful gases into the air, special filters and chemical converters (catalysts) were invented. Researchers are thinking about creating new, even more modern options for protecting the atmosphere, but so far this is not enough.

Water pollution

Liquid household and industrial waste pollutes rivers. Harmful and toxic substances absorb oxygen from the water, which is fatal to all river inhabitants.

If environmental pollution continues at the same rate, then by the middle of the next century about half of all species of plants and animals on Earth may disappear.

Chemical compounds are released into the air along with factory smoke. Which leads to acid rain. This poisons the soil and kills trees.

Factories create huge amounts of waste. Cutting down trees leads to the destruction of forests and all their inhabitants. Liquid waste is dumped into rivers. And solid ones are taken to landfills, which reach enormous sizes. Car exhaust fumes make the air harmful to breathe.

Protection of Nature

Many animals and plants on Earth are on the verge of complete extinction. Their habitat was destroyed by pollution, predatory deforestation, or something else. Some animals with valuable fur have become victims of excessive hunting. To save the remaining living creatures, urgent environmental measures must be taken.

National parks

The last orchid

Some wild plants are so rare that they require special protection. So one of the types of orchids today remains only in Yorkshire (in England) and its exact location is carefully hidden.

Save the pandas

Empty seas

For thousands of years, the sea fed man. But today, modern fishing vessels catch more fish than can appear again. Even those species that used to be so abundant (for example, cod) are on the verge of complete destruction.

Saving trees

Forests are cut down to obtain timber and free up land for arable land and buildings. As a result, some forests were lost forever. But today, large-scale work is underway to grow new forests specifically designed to meet human economic needs.

We too can contribute to nature conservation. By collecting waste paper, we save trees from being cut down. In our city, various events are held in spring and autumn. For example, cleaning the Sura embankment and city streets from garbage, planting trees. All this allows us to keep our city clean and beautiful.