What is environmental pollution?

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What is environmental pollution?

In its previous article (What is the environment?), Homat Earth magazine simplified for you the concept of the environment and its most important elements. The magazine also mentioned examples that confirm the importance of knowing the environment and its terminology, and mentioned a number of its pollutants; Hence – in the article What is Environmental Pollution? – we will discuss these pollutants and their forms in detail.

But, before this, we must answer the question: What is environmental pollution? Therefore, we say: Environmental pollution – according to the definition of the Egyptian Environmental Law – is the change in the properties of the environment, directly or indirectly. This change leads to harm to human health in particular and to living organisms in general, as well as harm to nature and its resources. It should be noted here that environmental pollutants are those elements resulting from human activity – or any other natural activity – that leak into the entire ecosystem, causing countless environmental damages and problems.

So, every change that occurs in the air, soil, or water is considered pollution, and spoiling the components and elements of the environment with irresponsible behaviors is the first step towards environmental pollution, and examples of these negative behaviors include: garbage that is thrown in places not designated for it.

Environmental pollution is a phenomenon that governments have highlighted in recent decades, and it is one of the problems that has taken on very serious economic and social dimensions, especially after man entered the era ofthe Industrial Revolution. Types of this environmental pollution include: exhaust from cars running on traditional fuel, and the increase in population. No one doubts that there is a steady relationship between the increase in population and the increase in harmful environmental pollutants. The more the number of people in a place increases, the more its ecosystem deteriorates and its resources are damaged. This last picture is the closest picture that explains the concept of environmental pollution.

We can add two other causes to the causes of environmental pollution, namely: slums, which are always accompanied by a clear decline in public health indicators; Due to the spread of garbage and urban scarcity, which is a factor in environmental degradation at all levels. The other reason: low level of education; When awareness of an issue is absent, the latter becomes an excessive effort for governments, and addressing such problems – radically – becomes difficult in light of the absence of awareness, and a view of indifference spreads in the reality in which we live.

In this context, it should be noted that humans are not the only cause of these actions that are harmful to the environment. There are pollutants that are not the result of human activity, such as: lightning strikes, volcanoes, and storms that carry dust and sand. It destroys the crops and crops on agricultural lands.

From here, we can divide environmental pollutants into three categories, which are:

First– Physical pollutants, namely radiation, extreme heat, noise, vibrations, electromagnetic waves, sewage leakage, plastic materials, and industrial waste; The most severe of these is cement factory waste.

Second– Chemical pollutants, which are oil – especially when it leaks into the seas and infects the aquatic environment – oils, lead, volcanic gases, mercury, pesticides, fires, and car exhausts.

Last– Biological pollutants, which are microorganisms, some of which live in the intestines of humans or animals, as throwing human waste into rivers or throwing dead animals into water sources is a major cause of environmental problems.

Types of environmental pollution

Environmental pollution has several types. Some of it is related to the air, some is related to water, and some is related to the soil. In this article, we will focus on air pollution. Because it is the most widespread type of environmental pollution, which means the air is mixed with exhaust fuel, smoke, or other pollutants. There are two main types of air pollution: external pollution and internal pollution.

__EG_PH_56Outdoor air pollutionis a result of the combustion of fossil fuels, the air conditioners that people use in their homes, and smog – the most common outdoor air pollutant – formed by gases with the fog forming over cities; Due to the combustion of petroleum and its derivatives.

There isIndoor air pollution, which occurs due to the retention of pollutants inside buildings that use old ventilation systems. Its types include: cigarette smoke, oven gases, and fumes emitted from building materials, such as: insulators, paints, and glues.

Environmental pollution control and control

There are many efforts being made to reduce the use of harmful substances in the environment, as the world now seeks to control air pollution, treat wastewater, manage solid waste – as well as hazardous waste – in a responsible manner, and recycle. However, these efforts are still weak in developing countries; In these countries we find very high levels of environmental pollution.

At the end of the article, Earth Guards magazine confirms that environmental pollution – and its terminology – will be strongly present in international action related to climate and the harmful effects its changes will have on the environment and its resources. Therefore, the magazine continues to advocate – through a series…? – for a sustainable future free of environmental pollution.