Pollution and Its Control
Pollution and Its Control
Pollution and Its Control
1. CONCEPT OF POLLUTION
• Pollution is any undesirable change in physical, chemical or biological characteristics of air,
land, water or soil. Agents that bring about such an undesirable change are called as
pollutants.
2. KINDS OF POLLUTION
• On the basis of place of occurrence
On the basis of part of environment where it occurs, it can be classified into three types –
➢ Air pollution
➢ Soil pollution
On the basis of physical nature of pollutants i.e. gases, particulate matters, temperature, noise,
radioactivity etc., it can be classified as –
➢ Gaseous pollution
➢ Dust pollution
➢ Thermal pollution
➢ Noise pollution
➢ Natural (e.g., volcanic eruptions which add tons of toxic gases and particulate matters.)
➢ Biodegradable
Those pollutants which can be broken down into simpler, harmless, substances in nature in due
course of time (by the action of micro-organisms like certain bacteria) are called biodegradable
pollutants. Domestic wastes (garbage), urine, faecal matter, sewage, agriculture residues, paper,
wood, cloth, cattle dung, animal bones, leather, wool, vegetable stuff or plants are biodegradable
pollutants.
➢ Non-biodegradable
Those pollutants which cannot be broken down into simpler, harmless substances in nature are
called non-biodegradable pollutants. DDT, plastics, polythene, bags, insecticides, pesticides,
mercury, lead, arsenic, metal articles like aluminium cans, synthetic fibers, glass objects, iron
products and silver foils are non-biodegradable pollutants.
Air pollution
Air pollution may be defined as the presence of any solid, liquid or gaseous substance including noise
and radioactive radiation in the atmosphere in such concentration that may be directly and indirectly
injurious to humans or other living organisms, plants, property or interferes with the normal
environmental processes.
• Mobile sources – such as cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains etc.
• Stationary sources – such as power plants, oil refineries, industrial facilities, and factories etc.
• Area sources – such as agricultural areas, cities, and wood burning fireplaces etc.
2. Gaseous pollutants like carbon dioxide (CO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) etc.
Primary Pollutants are injected into the atmosphere directly. Examples include:
NOTE: Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a toxic condition that results from inhaling and absorbing
carbon monoxide gas. Carbon monoxide gas can cause a frightening variation of the normal
haemoglobin-oxygen equilibrium. Carboxy-haemoglobin is produced opposed to haemoglobin which
appears redder thus one symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning is a red face. Haemoglobin and
oxygen have weaker bonds compared to carbon monoxide and haemoglobin where the bonds are
approximately 300 times stronger.
• Oxides of nitrogen (NOx): NO - nitric oxide emitted directly by automobiles and industry.
• Sulphur oxides (Sox): SO2 sulphur dioxide produced largely through coal burning and responsible
for acid rain problem.
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Highly reactive organic compounds release through
incomplete combustion and industrial sources.
Secondary Pollutants form in the atmosphere through chemical and photochemical reactions from
the primary pollutants. Examples are: Sulphur trioxide, nitrogen dioxide, aldehydes, ketones, ozone etc.
• Nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are two primary pollutants released from automobiles but in
the presence of sunlight, they react to form peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN) and ozone, two secondary
pollutants which are far more toxic than the primary pollutants from which they are derived. This
phenomenon of increased toxicity by chemical interaction among the pollutants is known as
Synergism.
• Examples include:
• Ozone O3 -a colourless gas, has a sweet smell, is an oxidizing agent - lung tissue to rubber products,
and irritates the eyes and damages plant leaf.
Acid rain:
• Acid rain refers to a mixture of deposited material, both wet and dry, coming from the atmosphere
containing more than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids. It is easily defined as rain, fog,
sleet or snow that has been made acidic by pollutants in the air as a result of fossil fuel and
industrial combustions that mostly emits Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2).
• Acidity is determined on the basis of the pH level of the water droplets. Normal rain water is slightly
acidic with a pH range of 5.3-6.0, because carbon dioxide and water present in the air react together
to form carbonic acid, which is a weak acid. When the pH level of rain water falls below this range,
it becomes acid rain.
• Acid rain generally leads to weathering of buildings, corrosion of metals, and peeling of paints on
surfaces.
• Erupting volcanoes contains some chemicals that can cause acid rain. Apart from this, burning of
fossil fuels, running of factories and automobiles due to human activities are few other reasons
behind this activity.
Smog and photochemical smog: Smog is a kind of air pollution, originally named for the mixture of
smoke and fog in the air. Classic smog results from large amounts of coal burning in an area and is
caused by a mixture of smoke and sulfur dioxide. In the 1950s a new type of smog, known as
Photochemical Smog, was first described.
• Photochemical smog.
Sulfurous smog, which is also called “London smog,” results from a high concentration of sulfur oxides
in the air and is caused by the use of sulphur-bearing fossil fuels, particularly coal. This type of smog is
aggravated by dampness and a high concentration of suspended particulate matter in the air.
Photochemical smog, which is also known as “Los Angeles smog,” occurs most prominently in urban
areas that have large numbers of automobiles and requires neither smoke nor fog. This type of smog
has its origin in the nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon vapours emitted by automobiles and other
sources, which then undergo photochemical reactions in the lower atmosphere.
The main components of photochemical smog are nitrogen oxides, Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs), tropospheric ozone, and PAN (peroxyacetyl nitrate). All of these substances are
very chemically reactive and are irritating to humans and other living things. They tend to smell bad,
degrade materials, cause respiratory problems and illnesses, and irritate the eyes and other mucous
membranes.
Issue of Fly ash: Fly ash is one of the residues generated in the combustion of coal. Fly ash is generally
captured from the chimneys of coal-fired power plants, and is one of two types of ash that jointly are
known as coal ash; the other, bottom ash, is removed from the bottom of coal furnaces.
In the past, fly ash was generally released into the atmosphere, but pollution control equipment
mandated in recent decades now requires that it be captured prior to release.
• ASH TRACK a Web based monitoring System and mobile app for fly ash.
• Maharashtra Fly Ash Utilisation Policy, 2016-policy to convert fly ash for use in green building. The
fly ash will be used in laying roads and making construction material, bricks and wall panels.
Indoor air pollution: ‘Indoor air’ is air within a building such as your home, classroom, office, shopping
center, hospital or gym. We say ‘Indoor Air Pollution’ if indoor air is contaminated by smoke,
chemicals, smells or particles. Poor ventilation due to faulty design of buildings leads to pollution of the
confined space.
Paints, carpets, furniture, etc. in rooms may give out volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Use of
disinfectants, fumigants, etc. may release hazardous gases. In hospitals, pathogens present in waste
remain in the air in the form of spores. This can result in hospital acquired infections and is an
occupational health hazard.
In congested areas, slums and rural areas burning of firewood and biomass results in lot of smoke.
Children and ladies exposed to smoke may suffer from acute respiratory problems which include
running nose, cough, sore throat, lung infection, asthma, difficulty in breathing, noisy respiration and
wheezing.
Urban heat island: An urban heat island, or UHI, is a metropolitan area that's a lot warmer than the
rural areas surrounding it. Heat is created by energy from all the people, cars, buses, and trains in big
cities like New York, Paris, and London.
When houses, shops, and industrial buildings are constructed close together, it can create a UHI.
Building materials are usually very good at insulating, or holding in heat. This insulation makes the areas
around buildings warmer.
"Waste heat" also contributes to a UHI. People and their tools, such as cars and factories, are always
burning off energy, whether
they’re jogging, driving, or just
living their day-to-day lives. The
energy people burn off usually
escapes in the form of heat. And if
there are a lot of people in one
area, that's a lot of heat.
All this construction means waste
heat — and heat that escapes
insulation has nowhere to go. It
lingers in and between buildings in
the UHI.
Night-time temperatures in UHIs
remain high. This is because
buildings, sidewalks, and parking
lots block heat coming from the
ground from rising into the cold
night sky. Because the heat is
trapped on lower levels, the temperature is warmer.
Water quality also suffers. When warm water from the UHI ends up flowing into local streams, it stresses
the native species that have adapted to life in a cooler aquatic environment.
Categorization of Industries based on pollution: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) has developed the criteria of categorization of industrial sectors based on the
Pollution Index which is a function of the emissions (air pollutants), effluents (water pollutants),
hazardous wastes generated and consumption of resources.
The Pollution Index PI of any industrial sector is a number from 0 to 100 and the increasing value of PI
denotes the increasing degree of pollution load from the industrial sector.
Based on the series of brain storming sessions among CPCB, SPCBs and MoEFCC, the following criteria
on ‘Range of Pollution Index ‘for the purpose of categorization of industrial sectors is finalized.
• Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score of 60 and above – Red category
• Industrial Sectors having Pollution Index score include & up to 20 – White category
The objectives of the N.A.M.P. are to determine status and trends of ambient air quality; to ascertain
whether the prescribed ambient air quality standards are violated; to Identify Non-attainment Cities; to
obtain the knowledge and understanding necessary for developing preventive and corrective measures
and to understand the natural cleansing process undergoing in the environment through pollution
dilution, dispersion, wind based movement, dry deposition, precipitation and chemical transformation
of pollutants generated.
Under N.A.M.P., four air pollutants viz. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Oxides of Nitrogen as NO2, Respirable
Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM / PM10) and Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) have been
identified for regular monitoring at all the locations. The monitoring of meteorological parameters such
as wind speed and wind direction, relative humidity (RH) and temperature were also integrated with
the monitoring of air quality.
SAFAR system for the air quality is developed by the Indian institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM),
Pune and weather information and forecasting is done by India Meteorological Department (IMD)
during commonwealth games in New Delhi 2010.
NAQI (National air quality index): ‘One Number- One Colour-One Description’: The proposed AQI
will consider eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (up to
24-hourly averaging period) National Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed.
There are six AQI categories, namely Good, Satisfactory, moderately polluted, Poor, Very Poor, and
Severe.
Based on the measured ambient concentrations, corresponding standards and likely health impact, a
sub-index is calculated for each of these pollutants.
WATER POLLUTION
• Water pollution is caused by a variety of human activities such as industrial, agricultural and
domestic.
• Agricultural runoff laden with excess fertilizers and pesticides, industrial effluents with toxic
substances and sewage water with human and animal wastes pollute our water thoroughly.
• Natural sources of pollution of water are soil erosion, leaching of minerals from rocks and decaying
of organic matter. Rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, estuaries and ground water sources may be polluted
by point or non-point sources.
• When pollutants are discharged from a specific location such as a drain pipe carrying industrial
effluents discharged directly into water body it represents point source pollution.
• In contrast non-point sources include discharge of pollutants from diffused sources or from a larger
area such as run off from agricultural fields, grazing lands, construction sites, abandoned mines
and pits, roads and streets.
• The amount of oxygen required for such biochemical decomposition is called the biological oxygen
demand.
• The quantity of oxygen utilized by the bacteria for the degradation of organic substance is called
BOD. Thus, BOD value can be used as an indicator of water pollution.
• Along with BOD, the quantity of dissolved oxygen in a water body (DO), indicates the quality of
aquatic life in a water system. Micro-organisms involved in biodegradation of organic matter in the
receiving water body consume a lot of oxygen, and as a result there is a sharp decline in dissolved
oxygen downstream from the point of sewage discharge
• Most of the algal blooms do not seem to be utilized as food by the invertebrates or zooplankton,
thereby, minimizing the predatory control. Biological decomposition of such algal masses in turn
leads to oxygen depletion. In a poorly oxygenated condition, fish and other animal die and clean
river is turned into a stinking drain.
SPREAD OF INFECTIONS/DISEASES
• Micro-organisms, usually viruses, bacteria, some protozoans and helminths occur in water bodies
as a result of sewage disposal. Consumption of contaminated water causes water borne infectious
diseases.
Industry is a huge source of water pollution; it produces pollutants that are extremely harmful to people
and the environment. Many industrial facilities use freshwater to carry away waste from the plant and
into rivers, lakes and oceans. Pollutants from industrial sources include:
• Asbestos: This pollutant is a serious health hazard and carcinogenic. Asbestos fibres can be
inhaled and cause illnesses such as asbestosis, lung cancer, intestinal cancer and liver cancer.
• Lead: This is a metallic element and can cause health and environmental problems. It is a non-
biodegradable substance so is hard to clean up once the environment is contaminated. Lead is
harmful to the health of many animals, including humans, as it can inhibit the action of bodily
enzymes.
• Mercury: This is a metallic element and can cause health and environmental problems. It is a non-
biodegradable substance so is hard to clean up once the environment is contaminated. Mercury is
also harmful to animal health as it can cause illness through mercury poisoning.
• Nitrates: The increased use of fertilisers means that nitrates are more often being washed from
the soil and into rivers and lakes. This can cause eutrophication, which can be very problematic to
marine environments.
• Phosphates: The increased use of fertilisers means that phosphates are more often being washed
from the soil and into rivers and lakes. This can cause eutrophication, which can be very
problematic to marine environments.
• Oils: Oil does not dissolve in water; instead, it forms a thick layer on the water surface. This can
stop marine plants receiving enough light for photosynthesis. It is also harmful for fish and marine
birds.
• Petrochemicals – This is formed from gas or petrol and can be toxic to marine life.
➢ Agricultural runoff contains dissolved salts such as nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and other
nutrients, and toxic metal ions and organic compounds.
➢ Fertilizers contain major plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
➢ Excess fertilizers may reach the ground water by leaching or may be mixed with surface water
of rivers, lakes and ponds by runoff and drainage.
➢ The animal excreta such as dung, wastes from poultry farms, piggeries and slaughter houses
etc. reach the water though run off and surface leaching during rainy season.
Main sources: Runoff from barnyards, feedlots and cropland carries away manure, fertilizers,
ammonia, pesticides, livestock waste, oil, toxins from farm equipment, soil and sediment.
Agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is the leading source of water quality impacts to rivers and
lakes. Nitrogen from fertilizers, manure, waste and ammonia turns into nitrite and nitrate.
High levels of these toxins deplete waters of oxygen, killing all of the animals and fish.
Nitrates also soak into the ground and end up in drinking water. Health problems can occur as a result
of this and they contribute to methemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome which causes death in
infants.
Oil Spills:
• The most common cause of oil spill is leakage during marine transport and leakage form
underground storage tanks. Oil spill could occur during off shore oil production as well.
• Oil being lighter than water covers the water surface as a thin film cutting off oxygen to floating
plants and other producers.
• Within hours of oil spill, the fishes, shellfish, plankton die due to suffocation and metabolic
disorders.
• Birds and sea mammals that consume dead fishes and plankton die due to poisoning. Death of
these organisms severely damages marine ecosystems.
• Bays, estuaries, shores, reefs, beaches particularly near large coastal cities or at the mouth of rivers
are relatively more susceptible to the hazards of oil spills.
• A number of coastal activities, especially recreational such as bathing, boating, angling, diving,
rafting is affected. As a result, tourism and hotel business in the coastal areas suffers seriously.
• Clean up and recovery from an oil spill is difficult and depends upon many factors, including the
type of oil spilled, the temperature of the water (affecting evaporation and biodegradation), and
the types of shorelines and beaches involved.
In situ bioremediation:
• Bioventing: supply of air and nutrients through wells to contaminated soil to stimulate the growth
of indigenous bacteria. It is used for simple hydrocarbons and can be used where the
contamination is deep under the surface.
• Biosparging: Injection of air under pressure below the water table to increase groundwater oxygen
concentrations and enhance the rate of biological degradation of contaminants by naturally
occurring bacteria
• Using bioremediation techniques, TERI has developed a mixture of bacteria called ‘Oil zapper and
Oilivorous-S’ which degrades the pollutants of oil contaminated sites, leaving behind no harmful
residues. This technique is not only environment friendly, but also highly cost-effective.
Ex situ bioremediation:
• Land farming: contaminated soil is excavated and spread over a prepared bed and periodically
tilled until pollutants are degraded. The goal is to stimulate indigenous biodegrading
microorganisms and facilitate their aerobic degradation of contaminants.
• Biopiles: it is a hybrid of land farming and composting. Essentially, engineered cells are constructed
as aerated composted piles. Typically used for treatment of surface contamination with petroleum
hydrocarbons.
• Bioreactors: it involves the processing of contaminated solid material (soil, sediment, sludge) or
water through an engineered containment system.
• Composting: Composting is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich
soil known as compost.
• Controlled burning can effectively reduce the amount of oil in water, if done properly. But it can
only be done in low wind, and can cause air pollution.
Ground Water Pollution: Groundwater contamination occurs when man-made products such as
gasoline, oil, road salts and chemicals get into the groundwater and cause it to become unsafe and unfit
for human use. Materials from the land's surface can move through the soil and end up in the
groundwater.
For example, pesticides and fertilizers can find their way into groundwater supplies over time. Road
salt, toxic substances from mining sites, and used motor oil also may seep into groundwater. In
addition, it is possible for untreated waste from septic tanks and toxic chemicals from underground
storage tanks and leaky landfills to contaminate groundwater.
Drinking contaminated groundwater can have serious health effects. Diseases such as hepatitis and
dysentery may be caused by contamination from septic tank waste. Poisoning may be caused by toxins
that have leached into well water supplies. Wildlife can also be harmed by contaminated groundwater.
Other long-term effects such as certain types of cancer may also result from exposure to polluted water.
2. Organic pollutants Automobile and machine waste, Disruption of marine life, aesthetic
• Oil and grease tanker spills, offshore oil leakage damage Toxic effects (harmful for
• Pesticides and Chemicals used for better yield from aquatic life), possible genetic defects
Acids and alkalies Mine drainage, industrial wastes, Kill fresh water organisms, unfit for
natural and urban runoff drinking, irrigation and industrial
use.
4. Radioactive materials Natural sources, uranium mining and Cancer and genetic defects
processing, hospitals and research
laboratories using radioisotopes
Eutrophication is a process by which a water body slowly becomes rich in plant nutrients such as
nitrates and phosphates due to soil erosion and run off from the surrounding land. Nutrients are
released from organic waste by aerobic (oxygen requiring) bacteria which start decomposing it.
Dissolved oxygen is consumed in this process. As more and more organic matter enters a water body,
more is the deoxygenation of the water body and larger is the production of nutrients. These nutrients
fertilize an abnormal growth of algae and other large water plants such as duckweed.
As more plants grow, some of them die also due to larger oxygen demand and therefore oxygen
deficiency in the water body (i.e., deoxygenation of the water body). Such a water body is said to be
eutrophic and the process is called eutrophication.
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD): The quality of oxygen used up by microorganisms at 27ºC and in
darkness during 3 days in breaking down organic wastes in a water body is called its biological oxygen
demand (BOD).
The BOD value of an aquatic system depends upon: the type and amount of organic waste, the
organisms acting on it, temperature and pH.
The greater the amount of organic waste in the water body, the greater is the amount of oxygen
required to break it down biologically and therefore higher is the BOD value of water. This value is a
good measure in evaluating the degree of pollution in a water body.
Bio-magnification:
• Increase in concentration of accumulated toxic chemicals as one goes higher in the food chain is
termed bio-magnification.
• Bio-magnification has at times threatened the reproduction and survival of carnivores (secondary
consumers) who occupy the highest level of the food chain.
• For example, DDT was sprayed in the U.S. to control mosquitoes at a concentration expected to be
harmless to non-target organisms like fish and birds. DDT accumulated in the marshes and
planktons. Planktons were eaten by fish and the fish had a higher concentration of DDT in its body.
Further, when birds ate the fish, they accumulated still higher concentration.
Some major disturbances in the ecosystem due to water pollution are –
Animal manure and plant Sewage, paper mills, food Oxygen deficiency Death of aquatic
residues processing wastes animals
Oil slick Leakage from oil ships Petroleum Death of marine life due to
non-availability of oxygen
dissolved in water
2. On Human Health
Lead pollution: Lead poisoning is a type of metal poisoning caused by lead in the body. The brain is
the most sensitive. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, constipation, headaches, irritability,
memory problems, inability to have children, and tingling in the hands and feet. It causes almost 10%
of intellectual disability of otherwise unknown cause and can result in behavioural problems. Some of
the effects are permanent.] In severe cases anaemia, seizures, coma, or death may occur.
Minamata disease was first discovered in Minamata City in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan in 1956.
Blue baby syndrome: "Blue baby syndrome" can be caused by methemoglobinemia. It is widely
believed to be caused by nitrate contamination in groundwater resulting in decreased oxygen carrying
capacity of haemoglobin in babies leading to death. The groundwater can be contaminated by leaching
of nitrate generated from fertilizers used in agricultural lands, waste dumps or pit latrines.
Itai-Itai (ouch-ouch): Itai-itai disease ("it hurts-it hurts disease") was the name given to the
mass cadmium poisoning of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, starting around 1912.
Black foot: Arsenic contamination of groundwater can occur by natural leaching of minerals and by
human activities. Inorganic arsenite is more toxic than arsenate which in turn is more toxic than
monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid.
• Presently the inland water quality-monitoring network is operated under a three-tier programme
i.e.
• Biomonitoring is also carried out on specific locations. In view of limited resources, limited numbers
of organic pollution related parameters are monitored i.e., micro pollutants (Toxic Metals & POPs)
are analysed once in a year to assess the water quality. The water quality data are reported in Water
Quality Status Year Book.
• Soil pollution is defined as the 'addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affect physical,
chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity.
• It is build-up of persistent toxic compounds, chemicals, salts, radioactive materials, or disease-
causing agents in soil which have adverse effects on plant growth, human and animal health.
Plastic bags:
• They accumulate in soil and prevent germination of seeds. They stay in soil for centuries without
decomposing (non-biodegradable).
• Burning of plastic in garbage dumps release highly toxic and poisonous gases like carbon
monoxide, carbon dioxide, phosgene, dioxins and other poisonous chlorinated compounds.
• Toxic solid residue left after burning remains in soil. The harmful gases enter soils through chemical
cycles.
Industrial sources:
• They include fly ash, metallic residues, mercury, lead, copper, zinc, cadmium, cyanides,
thiocyanates, chromates, acids, alkalies, organic substances, nuclear wastes etc.
• Large number of industrial chemicals soil and are known to create many health hazards including
cancer.
Pesticides:
• Pesticides are chemicals that include insecticides, fungicides, algicides, and rodenticides,
weedicides sprayed in order to improve productivity of agriculture, forestry and horticulture.
• Chlorohydrocarbons (CHCs) like DDT, endosulfan, heptachlor accumulate in soil and cause
biomagnification. Some of these pesticides like DDT and endosulfan are banned by most of the
countries.
• Excessive use of chemical fertilizers reduces the population of soil borne organisms and the
crumb structure of the soil, productivity of the soil and increases salt content of the soil.
Discarded materials:
• It includes concrete, asphalt, rungs, leather, cans, plastics, glass, discarded food, paper and
carcasses.
Radioactive wastes:
• Radioactive elements from mining and nuclear power plants, find their way into water and then
into the soil.
Other pollutants:
• Many air pollutants (acid rain) and water pollutants ultimately become part of the soil and the soil
also receives some toxic chemicals during weathering of certain rocks.
Agriculture:
• Reduced soil fertility due to increase in alkalinity, salinity or pH.
Health:
Environment:
• Ecological imbalance.
Control measures:
• To control soil pollution, it is essential to stop the use of plastic bags and instead use bags of
degradable materials like paper and cloth.
• The organic matter from domestic, agricultural and other waste should be segregated and
subjected to vermicomposting which generates useful manure as a byproduct.
• The industrial wastes prior to disposal should be properly treated for removing hazardous
materials.
3. E – WASTE
• The discarded and end-of-life electronic products ranging from computers, equipment, home
appliances, audio and video products and all of their peripherals are popularly known as electronic
waste (E-waste).
• E-waste is not hazardous if it is stocked in safe storage or recycled by scientific methods or
transported from one place to the other in parts or in totality in the formal sector. The e-waste can,
however, be considered hazardous if recycled by primitive methods.
Barium is a soft silvery-white metal that is Studies have shown that short-term exposure to
Barium used in computers in the front panel of a barium causes brain swelling, muscle weakness,
CRT, to protect users from radiation damage to the heart, liver, and spleen.
NOISE POLLUTION
• Noise by definition is “sound without value” or “any noise that is unwanted by the recipient”.
• W.H.O. (World Health Organization) has prescribed optimum noise level as 45 dB by day and 35 dB
by night. Anything above 80 dB is hazardous.
Effects of noise pollution on Human Health: Noise pollution leads to irritation, increased blood
pressure, loss of temper, mental depression and annoyance, decrease in work efficiency, loss of hearing
which may be first temporary but can become permanent in the noise stress continues.
Efforts to minimise Noise Pollution: Road traffic noise can be reduced by better designing and proper
maintenance of vehicles.
• Noise abatement measures include creating noise mounds, noise attenuation walls and well-
maintained roads and smooth surfacing of roads.
• Industrial noises can be reduced by sound proofing equipment like generators and areas producing
lot of noise.
• Power tools, very loud music and land movers, public functions using loudspeakers, etc. should not
be permitted at night. Use of horns, alarms, refrigeration units, etc. is to be restricted. Use of fire
crackers which are noisy and cause air pollution should be restricted.
Green Muffler: Green Muffler is a technique of reducing noise pollution by planting 4-6 rows around
the populated areas or noisy places like along roadsides, industrial areas, societies near highways, etc.
so that dense trees reduce noise pollution as they filter out the noise and obstruct it reaching the
citizens.
Under this technique Ashoka and Neem plants are planted near the house or resident localities to
reduce noise pollution. They control noise pollution. Even urban noises are muffled by trees just like
stone walls. An advantage of using plants as noise blockers is that they absorb sounds best in the high
frequencies that people find it annoying.