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The effect of air pollution on our life
Air pollution effects on the environment
Air pollution effects on the environment
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Recommended: The effect of air pollution on our life
Air pollution is found in cities where constant emissions of harmful gasses are introduced into the atmosphere by chemical processes of factories, landfill, waste incinerator, etc. This pollution causes an undesirable environment to residents, which are constantly in contact with this type of pollution that can cause health consequences in the short and long term. The city of Doral located in Miami-Dade county of Florida is threatened by the air pollution induced by waste incineration and landfill, near the urban area. Covanta is an incinerator that burns solid waste to ash while at the same time it creates energy. On the other hand, Medlay Landfill buries waste and covers it with soil. The pollution that these waste management plants produced …show more content…
This method, according to Palmioto et al. produces landfill gas emissions that are created by the biodegradation of accumulative waste (Palmiotto, Fattore and Paiano). The unpleasant odor that landfills release is formed by different gases like methane, carbon dioxide, sulfur, and volatile organic compounds known to be carcinogens or teratogens (Rushton). An interesting fact comes when talk about the reproductive health outcomes for people near a landfill compared to a waste incineration. The cases of congenital malformations and low birth weight in newborns arise when we assess the consequences of exposure to landfill gases. Filder et al. realized a study to a population near the Nant-y-Gwyddon landfill in South Wales, UK, in order to evaluate the reproductive health outcomes. It turned out that after the landfill was created the incidence of all congenital malformations and low weight arose (Fielder, Poon-King and Palmer). On the other hand, the constant unpleasant odor of medlay landfill can produce emotional disorders, besides, physical symptoms such as respiratory problems, eye irrigation, and nauseas to the residents of Doral (Palmiotto, Fattore and
The Lowry Landfill Superfund Site is located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, approximately 2 miles east of Aurora. It consists of approximately 507 acres of waste disposal area and is operated by Waste Management of Colorado, Inc. The land surrounding the site consists of native prairie grass and a wetland located along a local creek. Sections around the site are zoned for agricultural use including cattle grazing and non-irrigated wheat farms. 1 The area is home to numerous endangered species including the bald eagle and peregrine falcon. Due to the large amounts of wastes disposed on the site between 1965 and 1980, it became extremely contaminated with a variety of inorganic and organic contaminants. From 1984 to 1993, the EPA oversaw remedial investigation and feasibility studies that were performed by all responsible parties. Since its listing as a superfund site in 1984, multiple remedial actions have been performed in order to rehabilitate the site. These include clay barrier walls around the site, a groundwater collection system, a soil cover for the main landfill, as well as a landfill gas collection system. Groundwater that is collected on the site is treated at an onsite water treatment facility. In 2007, construction began on an onsite gas to energy plant that utilizes the methane produced by the landfill site. The electricity produced by the plant is enough to power 3000 households. 1 Today, use of land and groundwater on and near the site is still restricted by the state of Colorado.1
from solid or not. He is going to conduct an experiment that will tell him if
The Stewarts moved into a neighborhood near the previously established Los Lobos Landfill (“Landfill”). However, the Stewarts noticed an increasingly offensive odor from Landfill supported by the filing of over a thousand odor complaints in 1992. These complaints resulted in City ordering a halt to Landfill’s composting activities in March 1993. This order resulted in Landfill’s composting permits to be withheld until the California Waste Board resolved the issue. Citizens United for Responsible Environmentalism (CURE), begun by the Stewarts, conducted a study that correlated health issues, composting, and Aspergillus fumigatus (fungus) concentration increases. City convened an Advisory Panel (Panel) that determined that Landfill’s composting
Acid rain has been proven to have damage forests, fresh waters and soils, killing insect and aquatic life-forms. It also causes damage to buildings and impacts on human health. Many people do not know what acid rain actually is. Acid rain is any form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, low pH levels, higher than normal amounts of sulfuric and nitric acid, occurs naturally and from man made sources. Forms when gases react in the atmosphere with water, oxygen, and other chemicals (what is acid rain?). The only water that will not have some amount of acidity is pure water. Pure water has a pH of 7 which is neutral; regular, unpolluted rain water has a pH of around 5.6. The acidity in rain water comes from the presence of Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide, and Sulfur Dioxide. CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid. Nitrogen and water react during lightning storms, forming Nitric Oxide. NO is then oxidized to form N02. The NO2 reacts with water to form nitric acid. Due to this, the pH is lowered to be slightly acidic (Acid Rain). Acid rain can occur naturally in the environment, but the problem occurs when human interaction is the cause of the acidic levels.
Dockterman has stated that “the buildup of decomposing organic material accounts for 16% of environmentally harmful methane emissions in the U.S.;” these emissions go into the atmosphere that we breath our oxygen from (Dockterman). Not only does this practice affect people survival-wise, but also the earth that billions of people live
In recent years, the air pollution problems in China is becoming a frequent visitor of the trending topic list. Not only the air, the environment pollution is coming to hunt humans down in many different ways. It’s in the air, earth, water and even larger scale like the global warming. I know it is controversial regarding the global warming issue. Many big figure, Donald Trump for example, denies global warming as a problem we should pay attention to. However, I myself is a believer of such theory and I think we should act before it is too late. Regardless of global warming being real or not, it is better for us to act than doing nothing since the potential hazard could be catastrophic to the entire human race.
The air pollution in Russia is varied due to the size of the country. Because it is so large, Russia, has decent air quality in most parts while some other cities suffer a lot more from air pollution. The total air emissions last year were at 19.6 million tons, which is a slight increase from 2011’s at 19.2 million tons. About 200 cities exceed Russia’s pollution levels annually. Cities such as Moscow, Norilsk, St.Petersburg, Dzerzhinsk, and Rudnaya Pristan are some of the most polluted cities in Russia, causing most of the air pollution in the country. In fact, three of those cities, Norilsk, Rudnaya Pristan, and Dzerzhinsk made it onto the list of the most environmentally polluted cities on earth, according to Mercer consulting form. This is a
Asthma is a disease that currently has no cure and can only be controlled and managed through different treatment methods. If asthma is treated well it can prevent the flare up of symptoms such as coughing, diminish the dependence on quick relief medication, and help to minimize asthma attacks. One of the key factors to successful treatment of asthma is the creation of an asthma action plan with the help of a doctor that outlines medications and other tasks to help control the patient’s asthma ("How Is Asthma Treated and Controlled?"). The amount of treatment changes based on the severity of the asthma when it is first diagnosed and may be the dosage may be increased or decreased depending on how under control the patient’s asthma is. One of the main ways that asthma can be controlled is by becoming aware of the things that trigger attacks. For instance staying away from allergens such as pollen, animal fur, and air pollution can help minimize and manage the symptoms associated with asthma. Also if it is not possible to avoid the allergens that cause a patient’s asthma to flare up, they may need to see an allergist. These health professionals can help diagnosis what may need to be done in other forms of treatment such as allergy shots that can help decrease the severity of the asthma ("How Is Asthma Treated and Controlled?").
In 2007, the world consumed 5.3 billion tons of coal, 31.1 billion tons of oil, 2.92 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, and 65,000 tons of uranium. All of these energy needs could have been met with only 6,600 tons of thorium, an abundant, slightly radioactive element found in the Earth’s crust.
Until 10 years ago, air pollution was thought to be just an urban or local problem until it was discovered that the pollutants could move across continents and oceans. Air pollution is the fundamental factor that causes greenhouse gases, hence climate change and global warming. Air pollutants are the waste products generated from industrial and other processes. They usually come in gases, though aerosols (particles suspended in air, emitted as or formed by transformatio...
b. Another myth about landfills is that they are poisoning the soil and our water supply. Even the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, says modern landfills pose little to no risk to humans. Modern landfills are built on a thick foundation of clay and plastic liners. Also, the methane gas produced in biodegradation is often...
Air pollution is a type of pollution that can severely damage our environment as well as the earth’s atmosphere. Air pollution occurs all the time when the air contains many substances ...
Thermal pollution is harmful to aquatic ecosystems. They are caused when cool river water are drawn from the water source, run through a power plant, and then discharged back into the same source. This now heated water causes all kinds of mischief and damages to the health of the organisms in the aquatic environment and the environment itself. In an experiment, Gisela Lannig and Inna Sokolova of the University of North Carolina in Charlotte incubated oysters at one of three temperatures, 20°C, 24°C, and 28°C. The differing temperatures of the environment each group of oysters are exposed to in the incubator simulate thermal pollution in the oysters’ natural habitat. What they found was that "the rate of oxygen use, which can be an indicator of physical stress, was three times as high in oysters kept at the warmest temperature as it was in those kept at the coolest" (Raloff, 2005). This reveals that their environment could stress aquatic organisms with just a minute change in the temperature of the ecosystem. This stress could cause the health of an organism to deteriorate or even possibly death.
What is pollution? Pollution is a detrimental enemy to all species that walk on earth. It is a product of mankind carbon foot print on the environment. It consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. Pollution occurs when pollutants contaminate the natural surrounding; which brings about changes that affect our normal lifestyles adversely. Pollutants are the key elements of pollution which are generally waste materials of dissimilar forms. Pollution disturbs our ecosystem and the balance in the environment. With innovation and development in our lives pollution has reached its peaks; giving rise to global warming and human illness. When raw materials, water, energy and other resources
...or lakes (Weber 2). When people just dump waste products instead of recycling, it is a misuse of the soil and can contribute to serious health conditions in animals, plants and humans.