Pollution Project
Pollution Project
2. The combustion of fuels in automobiles, jet planes etc all cause the
release of several primary pollutants into the air. The burning of fossil fuels in big
cities which is seen at most factories, offices and even a large number of homes, it is
no wonder that air pollution is increasing at an alarming rate. The release of other
harmful gases all adds to the state that we see today. Although carbon dioxide plays
an important role in various other processes like photosynthesis, breathing an excess
of the same also causes harmful effects towards one’s health.
3. Carbon monoxide is another such gas which, although was present in the
atmosphere earlier, is now considered to be a major pollutant. An excess of the same
has a harmful effect on our system. There are many reasons why carbon monoxide
can be released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities. This is also
produced due to any fuel burning appliance and appliances such as gas water heaters,
fireplaces, woodstoves, gas stoves, gas dryers, yard equipments as well as
automobiles, which add to the increased proportion of this gas into the atmosphere.
4. Sulfur dioxide is yet another harmful pollutant that causes air pollution.
Sulfur dioxide is emitted largely to the excessive burning of fossil fuels, petroleum
refineries, chemical and coal burning power plants etc. Nitrogen dioxide when
combined with sulfur dioxide can even cause a harmful reaction in the atmosphere
that can cause acid rain.
5. Nitrogen dioxide is one more gas that is emitted into the atmosphere as a
result of various human activities. An excess of nitrogen dioxide mainly happens due
to most power plants seen in major cities, the burning of fuels due to various motor
vehicles and other such sources, whether industrial or commercial that cause the
increase in the levels of nitrogen dioxide.
EFFECTS
The effects of air pollution on humans are fatal and life threatening. WHO
statistics report that over 2 million people succumb to the fatalities attributed to air
pollution. Consistent exposure to the pollutants leads to the development of:
1. Premature mortality
2. Heart attack
3. Asthma
4. Difficulty in breathing
5. Wheezing and coughing
6. Cystic fibrosis
7. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
8. Chronic bronchitis
Poisonous gases get trapped into our atmosphere and cause Global Warming. Air
pollution has also caused a hole in our ozone layer that allows the ultra-violet rays of
the sun to enter the earth’s atmosphere that can cause diseases like skin cancer.
CAUSES
There are several causes of water pollution –
1. organic
2. inorganic as well
3. municipal
4. industrial
5. agricultural.
2) Diseases can spread via polluted water. Infectious diseases such as typhoid
and cholera can be contracted from drinking contaminated water. This is called
microbial water pollution. The human heart and kidneys can be adversely
affected if polluted water is consumed regularly. 3) Acid rain contains sulfate
particles, which can harm fish or plant life in lakes and rivers.
3) Pollutants in the water will alter the overall chemistry of the water, causing
changes in acidity, temperature and conductivity. These factors all have an affect
on the marine life.
4) Altered water temperatures (due to human actions) can kill the marine life and
affect the delicate ecological balance in bodies of water, especially lakes and
rivers.
Noise can be defined as an unwanted or undesired sound.
Decibel is the standard unit for measurement of sound.
Usually 80 db is the level at which sound becomes physically
painful. And can be termed as noise. Humans, animals, plants
and even inert objects like buildings and bridges have been
victims of the increasing noise pollution caused in the world.
Be it human or machine-created, noise disrupts the activity
and balance of life. While traffic dons the cap of being the
largest noise maker throughout the world, there are many
others that add to it, making our globe susceptible to its
effects. The effect of noise pollution is multi-faceted and inter-
related. In the following lines, we have provided some of the
causes and effects of noise pollution.
CAUSES
Traffic noise is the main source of noise pollution caused in urban areas. With
the ever-increasing number of vehicles on road, the sound caused by the cars
and exhaust system of autos, trucks, buses and motorcycles is the chief
reason for noise pollution.
People living beside railway stations put up with a lot of noise from
locomotive engines, horns and whistles and switching and shunting
operation in rail yards. This is one of the major sources of noise pollution.
Though not a prime reason, industrial noise adds to the noise pollution.
Machinery, motors and compressors used in the industries create a lot of
noise which adds to the already detrimental state of noise pollution.
Plumbing, boilers, generators, air conditioners and fans create a lot of noise
in the buildings and add to the prevailing noise pollution.
Household equipments, such as vacuum cleaners, mixers and some kitchen
appliances are noisemakers of the house. Though they do not cause too
much of problem, their effect cannot be neglected.
EFFECTS
Deafness, temporary or permanent, is one of the most prevalent effects of noise
pollution. Mechanics, locomotive drivers, telephone operators etc all have their
hearing impairment.
Fatigue caused is another effect of noise. Due to lack of concentration, people
need to devote more time to complete their task, which leads to tiredness and
fatigue.
Noise pollution acts as a stress invigorator, increasing the stress levels among
people.
Sometimes, being surrounded by too much of noise, people can be victims of
certain diseases like blood pressure, mental illness, etc.
Noise pollution indirectly affects the vegetation. Plants require cool & peaceful
environment to grow. Noise pollution causes poor quality of crops.
Animals are susceptible to noise pollution as well. It damages the nervous
system of the animals.
Noise indirectly weakens the edifice of buildings, bridges and monuments. It
creates waves, which can be very dangerous and harmful and put the building in
danger condition.
Land pollution the action of environmental
contamination with man-made waste on land.
Americans generate five pounds of solid waste
every day, furthermore creating one ton of solid
waste each year. In an average day in the United
States, people throw out 200,000 tons of edible
food and throw 1 million bushels of litter out of
their automobiles. The main human contributor
to pollution are landfills. Approximately half of
our trash is disposed in landfills. Only 2% of our
waste is actually recycled.
CAUSES
Increase in urbanization. More constructions means increase in demand
for raw materials like timber. This leads to the exploitation and destruction of
forests. There is more demand for water.
Domestic waste. Every single day, tons and tons of domestic waste is
dumped ranging from huge pieces of rubbish such as unused refrigerator to fish
bones. If all these wastes are not disposed of properly, the damage they can do
to the environment and humankind can be devastating.
Agricultural activities. Besides domestic waste, pesticides and herbicides
used by farmers to increase crop yields also pollute the land when they are
washed into the soil.
Industrial activities. Industrial activities also are a contributing factor to
land pollution. For example, in open cast mining, huge holes are dug in the
ground and these form dangerously deep mining pools. Heaps of mining waste
are left behind and these waste often contain several poisonous substances that
will contaminate the soil.
EFFECTS
1. exterminates wildlife
More than 18 persons per one lakh people in Kolkata fall victim to lung cancer every
year, compared to the next highest 13 per one lakh in Delhi.
Environmentalists feel that nearly 80 per cent of the buses and trucks and nearly half
of the taxis and auto-rickshaws will have to be pulled off the roads to clean the city's
air, which is not an easy task to accomplish.
2.SO2 (Microgram/m3)
Ahmedabad 2
bangalore 15
Chandigar 7
Chennai --
Delhi 8
Guwahati 18
Hyderabad --
Kolkata 4
Lucknow 11
Mumbai 5
NO2 (Microgram/M3)
Ahmedabad 31
bangalore 17
Chandigar 19
Chennai --
Delhi 24
Guwahati 23
Hyderabad --
Kolkata 46
Lucknow 27
Mumbai 8
1. Auto rickshaws running on adulterated fuel or katatel
2. Buses which are more than 15 years old
3. Taxis which don’t meet standards set in kolkata
4. Usage of cheap fuel which is a mixture of katatel and diesel
• People of slums doing their daily chores in ponds
• Neglecting of maintenance of water bodies
• Pouring of waste of factories into the Hooghly
1. No place to dump waste ,which is why it lies open and pollutes everywhere
2. Failure to implement ban on plastic bags
Katatel is an adulterated fuel for auto rickshaws. It
comprises of petrol, kerosene and naphtha. In spite of high
court injunction and State Government ban it is still being
sold across the city and auto's use the same as a fuel
which is contributing significantly to city's pollution levels.
Pollution has a big impact on earth and in our every day lives. Many products and
activities we do are involved in the soiling or saving of our planet and each person
acting responsibly can make a difference. Finding ways to stop pollution as a
personal everyday goal can add up if each person tried at least one everyday.
Start small, recycling trash by sorting it out and re-use items. Newspapers,
magazines and cardboard can be recycled to make new paper products. Plastic
bags and plastic water or soda bottles can also be recycled; these can be made
into cloth like products such as tote bags and even t-shirts.
Use empty coffee cans, coffee jars, baby food jars and other assorted jars for
garage item storage like nails, screws nuts and bolts or even clothes pins.
Our organic trash, that is mostly biodegradable like egg shells, leftover foods,
vegetable peels, and fallen tree leaves can be stored in special containers to be turned
into compost to later be used as a fertilizing agent for the garden. This greatly reduces
the amount of trash you throw away each and every day.
Among the ways to stop pollution there are things we may not think make a big
difference but really do. For the sake of water and electricity, take shorter showers,
wash bigger loads of laundry and occasionally air dry clothes instead of using a dryer.
Hot summer days are heavy with air conditioning use; why not air dry clothes to save
some money and our planet. Turn off the lights, computers and fans when not home
and set the energy saving modes on some of your electrical appliances that may have
that option.
Some of our electronic devices come with special telephone numbers or websites to
inform us as to how to recycle these when we no longer need or use them. Pollution
and ways to stop pollution come in many ways but it takes each person to make a
difference.
Made By -: