Urbanization and Industrialization: Environmental Implications

Introduction

Apart from many social and economic benefits of urban environments, there are also environmental problems that come along with it. The city is characterized by its ‘brightlights’ theory, which is a pull factor from the rural areas to the urban environments. Pollution has been related to the process of urbanization which is encouraged by economic growth and city expansion of industrial revolution. Urbanisation has been seen as a process of movement of people from rural areas to urban areas as industrial economies grow. The edge for a better life, economic development and civilization pushes for urbanization and industrialization to expand in order to satisfy the growing population. This creates urban growth and

industrialization,

The main pollutants of air pollution are sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (Holman, 1999). The main causes of air pollution are the smoke from power plants, motor vehicles, wildfire and fumes from paint and spray. According to Holman

(1999), some pollutants are emitted directly into the atmospheres which are primary and others are formed in the air as a result of chemical reactions with other pollutants and atmospheric gases which are secondary pollutants. Carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide are examples of primary pollutants, while ozone is an example of a secondary pollutant (Holman

1999). Some pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) and some particulate matter, are both primary and secondary pollutants. They are both emitted directly into the atmosphere, and formed from other (Holman, 1999).6

For an example, according to Tongwene et al (2015), road transport is a major source