Types of Pollution: Causes, Effects & Controlling Strategies

The different types of pollution affect the environment adversely. Pollution is the act of adding any material (solid, liquid, or gas) or form of energy (such as heat, sound, or radioactivity) to the environment at a higher rate at which it can not be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored. It is also known as environmental pollution.

• Particular pollutant types, such as plastic, light, and noise pollution, are also of concern to modern society.
• Pollution of all kinds frequently has an adverse effect on the health and well-being of people as well as the environment and wildlife. 
• Types of pollution include pollution of water, land, air, noise etc.
• All this pollution has different causes, and effects on the environment and they can be minimised using some controlling strategies.

Keyword: Pollution, Environment, Pollutant, Smog, Soil, Water, Air, Noise, Land

Read More: Plastic Pollution

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What is pollution? 

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The unfavourable alteration of the physical, chemical, or biological properties of the air, water, or land is referred to as pollution. It can negatively impact the well-being, survival, or activities of people or other living things. 

• Pollutants are any substances that are introduced into the environment.
• It is any substance that has a negative impact on its physical, chemical, or biological qualities, as well as on the ecosystem as a whole.
• Air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and noise pollution are the four main categories of environmental pollution.

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Air pollution

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The term ‘air pollution’ refers to any circumstance in which pollutants are present in quantities that are higher than their average atmospheric levels. It affects people, animals, plants, or materials in a noticeable way.

• Any chemical compound that can be inhaled counts as a substance, whether it is organic or synthetic. 
• They could be gasses, liquids, droplets, solid particles, or anything in the atmosphere.

Causes of air pollution

The main causes of air pollution are:

• Burning of fossil fuels
• Industrial emission
• Wildfire
• Microbial decaying process 
• Burning of garbage waste 
• Demolition and construction
• Uses of chemical and synthetic products 
• Transportation
• Greenhouse effect

Effects of air pollution

 

Polluted air in the environment leads to the following effects

• Smog 
• Breathing problems
• Global warming
• Skin diseases

Control of air pollution

Controlling air pollution requires following these strategies.

• Burning of wood or other types of wood has to be minimized. 
• It may result in less emission of gasses that pollute the air. 
• Utilization of gasoline-powered machinery should be less. 
• It might have an impact on the ozone layer.
• Limit the use of the air conditioner. 
• The ozone layer may be damaged due to access to CFC.
• Take public transportation whenever possible.
• Also, consider carpooling, It will not only conserve a significant amount of fossil resources but also lessen automobile emissions. 
• When making a short trip, consider riding a bicycle to avoid adding to traffic pollution. 
• At home and at the office, use filters in the chimney. 
• By doing this, any dangerous gasses will not escape into the atmosphere.
• Consider utilizing safe paints and varnishes that don't release any toxic fumes.
• When purchasing any electrical equipment, always check the star rating and choose the one with the highest star rating to save the most energy.

Read More: Difference Between Air Pollution and Greenhouse Effect

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Water pollution

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Any alteration in a water body's physical, biological, or chemical composition that endangers the organisms and plants that depend on it as a habitat is referred to as water pollution. 

• Many factors can cause water contamination. 
• There are both diffuse and point sources of water contamination. 
• A point source is a single, localized source of water pollution that may be easily identified. 
• Municipal sewage treatment plant discharges and industrial facility discharges are examples of point sources of water contamination. 
• Non-point source pollution, also known as pollution from diffuse sources, typically refers to polluted runoff from forests, land development, mining, farms, and other activities.

Causes of water pollution

There are numerous natural and man-made factors that contribute to water contamination.

The principal causes of freshwater pollution are: industrial effluent, farmland drainage runoff, sewage and mines

• The main contributors to water contamination are pollutants produced by industrial and chemical activities. 
• The water becomes poisoned and the oxygen levels are diminished, which causes many aquatic organisms to die. 
• This happens when industries and manufacturers dump their inorganic and organic waste directly into streams and rivers.

Effects of water pollution

Water contamination has devastating effects on both humans and animals. 

• Aquatic life is destroyed by polluted water, which also affects its capacity to reproduce.
• Water that has been contaminated cannot be used for drinking, recreation, farming, or industry. 
• This causes a water shortage.
• It lessens the scenic value of rivers and lakes.

Control of water pollution

Some strategies that can be applied to control water pollution are:

• After effective waste treatment, wastes should be disposed of appropriately.
• Instead of using artificial fertilizers, one could utilize natural insecticides.
• Chemical procedures like the ion exchange method, coagulation, reverse osmosis, etc. can be used to measure the level of water contamination.
• Reusing water or cutting back on water waste can help reduce overall water pollution.
• Bregoli, a product of the paper industry, is necessary to clean up oil spills in water since it contains oil zapper, bacteria, and sawdust.
• More eucalyptus trees should be planted next to water bodies because they absorb extra sewage and release pure water vapour into the environment.
• Cardium and mercury, which are regarded as harmful chemicals in water bodies, are absorbed by plants like water hyacinths.

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Soil pollution

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When soil loses its structure, biological, and chemical qualities as a result of numerous man-made substances and other natural changes in the soil environment, this condition is referred to as soil pollution or soil contamination. 

• The level of industrialization and the intensity of chemical use are both connected to the occurrence of soil pollution. 
• Soil pollution is a result of numerous human activities.

Causes of soil pollution

Soil or land pollution is caused by the following factors.

• Deposition of oxides of sulfur and nitrogen
• Uses of pesticides, insecticides and herbicides
• Release of swage matters and use of chemical fertilizers
• Deposition of industrial effluents and solid wastes
• Radioactive pollutants

Effects of soil pollution

Contaminated soil can have the following impact.

• Crop quality is inferior.
• Negative impact on human health
• Negative impact on ecosystem and biodiversity 
• Sources of water contamination

Control of soil pollution

The following strategies can be applied to control soil pollution.

• Safer land use, planned urbanization, controlled development activities, management of disposal of solid waste from industry and human habitation, as well as afforestation and reforestation are crucial for controlling soil pollution.
• Solid waste management entails gathering and classifying waste.
• Recovering resources like scrap metal and plastic for recycling and reuse.

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Noise pollution

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Noise is an annoying sound that is unpleasant. Large-scale noise can disturb the harmony of the environment and cause noise pollution.

Causes of noise pollution

Noise pollution is mainly caused due to the following factors.

Traffic noise 

The most noxious noise in cities is typically generated by traffic. For instance, a bus horn produces 100 dB, while a car horn produces 90 dB.

Noise from aircraft

Compared to the number of cars on the road, there are fewer aeroplanes flying over cities, but their impact is larger because each aircraft emits 130 dB of noise.

Development projects

Construction activities for parking lots, roads, and buildings generate a lot of noise. As an illustration, a pneumatic drill makes 110 dB.

Nightlife and catering

When the weather is nice, bars, restaurants, and terraces with outside seating can emit noise levels higher than 100 dB. This covers the sound coming from bars and clubs.

Effects of noise pollution

Noise pollution affects animals and humans at a higher rate.

• An extremely loud, persistent noise can cause headaches, a racing heartbeat, high blood pressure, respiratory irritation, colitis, gastritis, and even heart attacks.
• In humans and animals, noise can trigger stress, exhaustion, sadness, anxiety, and hysteria.
• One can't fall asleep or get a good night's sleep if the noise level is over 45 dB.
• Loud noise can have undetectable consequences on our conduct, such as making us irritable and angry.
• People's capacity to concentrate may be impacted by noise, which over time might result in subpar performance. 
• Additionally, it affects memory, which makes studying challenging.

Control of noise pollution

To control noise pollution, one must consider the below strategies.

• Explosives should not be used in mountainous, mining, or forested areas. 
• It must be illegal to make loud noises like car sirens in hospitals and educational institutions.
• Controlling music system sound is crucial, and it should only be used when desired.

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Things to Remember

• Pollution can be in any form like water, air, land and noise. 
• All these types of pollution are affecting the living as well as non-living factors.
• Air pollution can be caused by more use of fossil fuels and CFC.
• Water pollution is caused by improper disposal of industrial and household waste in water sources.
• Noise pollution is caused due to unpleasant and higher volumed sound that affects hearing capacity and memory.
• Land pollution is the contamination of soil due to chemical disposal directly in the soil.
• All these pollutions can be controlled by following some rules and discipline.