Yearly Archives for 2020

What Is Air Pollution And How Does It Affect You?

Air pollution is defined as the release of contaminants into the atmosphere that are harmful to human health & the environment as a whole. As per the WHO, air pollution kills approximately seven million people per year around the world. 9/10 people now breathe air which exceeds the WHO’s pollution guideline levels, with those in low- &  middle-income nations bearing the brunt of the burden.

The Clean Air Act, which was passed in 1970, empowers the US Environmental Protection Agency EPA to protect public health by controlling the emissions of these dangerous air pollutants.

What Causes Pollution In The Air?

“Most air pollution is caused by energy usage and production,” says John Walke, head of the NRDC’s Climate & Clean Energy program’s Clean Air Project. “When fossil fuels are burned, gases and chemicals are released into the atmosphere.” And, in a particularly damaging feedback loop, air contamination not only leads to but also exacerbates climate change.

According to Walke, “air pollution inside the form of Co2& methane raises the earth’s temperature.” “When the temperature is warmer and there is more UV radiation, another sort of air pollution, smog, is worsened by which increased heat.” Mold (due to wet conditions produced by extreme weather & increased flooding) and pollen production are both increasing as a result of climate change due to  longer pollen season.

“Thanks to  Clean Air Act, we’ve made significant progress in increasing air quality in the U.s over the last 50 years,” said Kim Knowlton, senior researcher & deputy head of the NRDC Science Center. On the other hand, climate change makes it more difficult to comply with environmental rules in the future. These regulations are in place to protect human health.

Air Pollution’s Consequences

The effects of Air pollution on  human body vary depending on the type of pollutant, the time and intensity of exposure, and other factors such as a person’s personal health dangers, as well as the combined impacts of a number of different contaminants or stressors.

Soot And Smog

These are the most common types of pollution in the air. When pollutants from burning fossil fuels interact with sunlight, smog (also known as ground-level ozone) forms. Soot (also called as particulate matter is made up of microparticles of chemical, soil, smoke, dirt, or allergies that are transported in the air as gas or solids.

Smog and soot have similar sources. “Both come from automobiles and trucks, industries, power stations, incinerators, engines, and basically anything which combust fossil fuels like coal, gas, and natural gas,” explains Walke.

Smog may irritate the eyes & throat, as well as harm the lungs, particularly in children, the elderly, and those who work &  exercise outside. People who already suffer from asthma or allergies have it even worse because the added pollutants have the potential to make their symptoms even worse and to bring on asthma episodes.

The tiniest airborne particle of soot, whether gaseous and solid, can infiltrate the lungs and bloodstream, worsening bronchitis, causing heart attacks, and even hastening death.

Because highways & polluting facilities have often been built in or near low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, the detrimental consequences of pollution have been disproportionately felt by residents of these areas. According to the Society of Concerned Scientists, Asian Americans were exposed to 34 percent more soot than other Americans on average in 2019. The exposure rate was 24  % relater for Black folks and 23 percent higher for Latinos.

Storm pollution: How much it affects the environment?

Does sewage water pollute our environment?

The answer of the question “How much it affects the environment?” can vary from man to man. But it is obvious that storm pollution is affecting the environment a lot.

For example, motor oil is used by billions of people all over the world. This burned oil is being mixed up into ocean by storm drain pollution or by some other ways. When a quart of burned oil is being mixed up into river or ocean it contaminates 250,000 gallons of pure drinking water.

And guess what, in every year over 350 million gallons of burned oil is dumped into the ocean. Which is directly polluting the environment & destroying the under water life.

Not only this, wildlife is also being threatened by this kind of pollution. By drinking the water full of germs, chemicals, virus and burned oil these animals is getting sick.
 

What can we do?

Actually we can do many things. But matter of sorrow that we usually do not do anything special

Just think, it takes 42 gallons of crude oil to create 2 and 0.5 quarts of lubricating oil. The same 2 and 0.5 quarts are often created with 0.5 the maximum amount energy from only 1 gallon of recycled oil. It could be one way to reduce pollution.

We also have to recycle plastic or aluminum products and paper also. Cleaning the under water can be another solution. Because trash poses a threat to marine animals as they fight to eat it or get trapped or tangled within the debris.
 
People living in the city area are more responsible for pollution rather than rural/village people.

Storm is a natural calamity. It affects everyone living in town or village area. After storm there is a huge amount of pollutants or disturbing elements in the earth surface which are directly responsible for storm pollution. Pollution is must after any kind of natural disaster & when it is storm then it is guaranteed to storm water pollution or storm drain pollution.
 

How this pollution does happen?

Pollution can be happen from anywhere.

Even the cleanest cities in New Jersey and elsewhere in the nation are contributing to the pollution. City people are producing various kinds of wastes which are known as pollutants. This harmful element does not just vanish. They stay on the surface area and when storm or any other natural calamity occurs, these pollutants wash away with the water. The polluted water mixed with various water source and finally the get mixed. Not only this, there are more….

Burned Motor car oil directly dumped into the river or ocean which causes serious damage to nature. Human & animal waste is polluting water source directly or (in developing countries) washed away as the after effect of storm.Dangerous chemical & epidemic germs being spread by storm water which is more likely to storm drain pollution. Though these sensitive elements used to keep safe by professionals.

Let me tell you a personal experience of mine about visual pollution effects. Once I was going to a long drive. I was on the car and watching the road side view. The car was moving first. Suddenly advertise of a company drew my attention. The advertise was colorful & eye catching.

I looked at to the advertising and thinking about that. Than a thought comes to my mind. These colorful banners & posters doing marketing for sure but they are also responsible for pollution. This kind of pollution is causing for human. The interesting thing is that the pollution is causing for this is not causing psychical damage. This pollution is causing mental pollution.

Here is one of the visual pollution pictures.
 
In this point many of us will think that mental pollution will not harm much. But I will say that don’t underestimate this. This kind of pollution may not harm you directly but in the long run you will be sufferer.

In this stage one question will come to your mind “how can visual pollution harm us?.

For answering this we have to use our thinking power, our imagination. For visual pollution many problems may happen. I am discussing the most common ones, visual pollution blocks your view.

Its creates pressure on the brain. It reduce your power of thinking. In several times it creates depression among us.

Visual pollution causes for billboard is also responsible for air pollution because it prevent fresh air to enter your home. In many street various kind of electric cable is causing visual pollution. Not only that it also creates accident several times.

Natural vegetation and animals can be physically damaged by visual pollution. Visual pollution can harm us in many ways. We generally take visual pollution lightly. As a result we are unaware of the negative effect of visual pollution most of the time.

Visual pollution blocks our thinking power these why many artist go outside of the city in order to get rid of visual pollution to create something creative & useful.

What Is Solid Waste Management ?

The term “solid waste” is used to describe a wide variety of rubbish materials, including those that result from animal  human & activity but are ultimately thrown as undesired and pointless. In any given location, residential, commercial, and industrial activity will all contribute to the accumulation of solid waste, which can then be managed in a number of different ways.

As a consequence of this, landfills are often categorized as either sanitary waste sites, municipal waste sites, construction and demolition waste sites, or industrial waste sites.

One method for classifying waste is on the basis of the material it is composed of, including such plastic, newspaper, glass, metal, & organic waste. The potential for hazard is another factor that can be taken into consideration when classifying wastes as radioactive, combustible, infectious, toxic, and non-toxic.

The origin of the garbage can also be a factor in the categorization of waste into several categories, such as industrial, residential, commercial, institutional, or building and demolition debris.

Solid waste should  managed in a methodical manner in order to guarantee that environmental best practices are followed, regardless of where it came from, what it contains, or how dangerous it could be. Since the management of solid waste is an essential component of environmental hygiene, it is imperative that this component be incorporated into green infrastructure.

What Does It Mean To Manage Solid Waste?

The discipline that is associated with the control of the generation, storage, collection, transport &  transfer, processing, and disposal of solid waste materials in a manner  best addresses the range of public wellness, conservation, financial, aesthetic, engineering, &  other environmental considerations is known as solid waste management.

Planning, administration, financial management, engineering, and legal responsibilities are all included in the purview of Solid waste management. Complex inter-disciplinary connections between subjects such as public health, city & regional development, political science, geology, sociology, economic, communication & conservation, demography, engineering, & material sciences could be part of the solution.

Practices for managing solid waste can vary depending on whether the garbage was generated in a household or industrial setting, in an urban or rural setting, or in a developed or developing nation. In metropolitan regions, it is the responsibility of the local government agencies to manage the disposal of waste that does not contain dangerous materials.

On the other side, the management of hazardous waste products is often subject to local, national, &  even worldwide authorities. This is because individuals who generate the trash are typically responsible for its disposal.

The Waste Management System Consists Of The Following 6 Functional Components

Waste production refers to any activities that are involved in locating items that are no longer useable &  are either gathered for the purpose of systematic disposal or are discarded.

On-site handling, storage, & processing refers to operations that take place at the location where garbage is generated and make collection simpler. This makes it possible to collect waste more efficiently. For instance, waste bins are positioned at locations that produce an adequate amount of waste.

The placement of waste collection bins, the collection of waste from those bins, and the accumulation of trash in the area where collection trucks are emptied are all actions that are included in the waste collection phase of waste management, which is an essential phase of waste management. Even though transportation is included in the collection phase, this is often not the step that constitutes the bulk of the waste transportation process.

The process of moving garbage from the places where it is collected locally to the area where it is disposed of regionally involves a number of actions, including waste transfer and transport. Large waste vehicles are used for this movement.

The term “waste processing and recovery” refers to the facilities, equipment, and methods that are utilized in order to recover reusable and recyclable materials from the waste stream &  to improve the efficiency of other functional parts of waste management.

The very last step in waste management is the disposal stage. It includes the operations that are aimed at the methodical disposal of waste material in areas such as landfills or facilities that convert waste into electricity.

What Are The Four Types Of Landfills?

Municipal solid waste, commercial trash, and hazardous garbage are the three types of landfills now in use. Each accepts different forms of garbage and employs different environmental policies. In addition, a new landfill type called green trash is emerging that allows for the controlled removal of organic wastes.

Landfills For Municipal Solid Waste

If you throw it away in a rubbish can, it’s likely to wind up in  municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill. When you think of a landfill, these are usually the first things that come to mind. However, just because they’re the most prevalent doesn’t mean they’re accessible to the general population.

MSW landfills have among of the tightest safety and monitoring rules since they handle a wide range of household waste, from used tissues to a roll-off dumpster full of boxes from a basement cleanout. Location limits, landfill lining, operational practices, groundwater monitoring, and closing techniques are all common examples of these requirements.

So, how exactly do MSW landfills function? It’s all about the layers. The liner, sewerage system, gas collecting system, and the waste itself make up a four-layered system in modern landfills. Each of these levels is continuously monitored to ensure that the landfill is secure for both the environment and the workers.

Landfills For Industrial Waste

If it appears that this landfill was self-explanatory, you are correct. Industrial garbage is disposed of in an industrial waste landfill. While these landfills can accept any form of solid industrial waste, they are most typically utilized for building debris disposal, that is why they are known as C&D landfills. The following items are frequently dumped in industrial landfills:

  • Concrete
  • Lumber
  • Asphalt
  • Gypsum
  • Metal
  • Bricks
  • Components of construction 

Rather than simply storing construction waste in a pit, C&D landfills frequently serve as material recovery stations (also known as MRFs). To do this, the goods brought in are thrown into  pile, then processed by landfill personnel to determine which materials are recyclable and which should be discarded. Local resale stores and firms that specialize in building with salvaged materials accept the reusable items as donations or purchases. In addition, the material recovery facilities may be able to recycle the materials on-site, for as by chipping lumber into mulch.

Landfills For Hazardous Waste 

Hazardous waste landfills were the most tightly controlled and constructed landfills for a variety of reasons. They’re made to contain hazardous waste in a method that essentially precludes the possibility of it being released into the environment. The following are some of the] design requirement  for toxic waste landfills:

  • Liner with two compartments
  • Two-stage system for collecting & eliminating leachate
  • Systems for detecting leaks
  • Controls for run-on, run-off, and wind dispersal
  • Programs to ensure the quality of construction

Toxic waste landfills are frequently audited numerous times a year, in additional to these design criteria, to ensure which the facility is up to code & that the standards are high.

If you’re worried that you’re trying to get rid of a restricted item, rest assured that you’ll have a hard time doing so. Toxic material is not collected curbside &  is only permitted in dumpsters with advance notice – and even then, only on rare occasions.

Landfills For Green Waste

Many communities are beginning to give a place for organic debris to organically degrade, even if these are never officially approved landfills by the EPA. Most traditional landfills & transfer stations are not like welcoming of organic products like fruits, vegetables, and, in particular, yard trash disposal, hence these composting sites are also on the rise. “Some will charge a premium rate for yard waste,” Morris said. This is entirely depending on your local government.”

The Following Are Examples Of Common Kind Of Green Waste:

  • Mulch
  • Weeds
  • Leaves
  • Branches of trees
  • Food waste that is biodegradable
  • Trimmings of grass and flowers

Green trash dumps serve a straightforward purpose: they preserve room in another MSW landfills by keeping a substance out that is supposed to decay organically. Composting landfills, according to a recent EPA study, are reaching that goal. In 2017, 24,420 tones of yard trimming were composted, with 8,650 tones being sent to the landfill, compared to 4,200 tones composted and 25,560 tones sent to the garbage in 1990.

Does smoking pollute the air

It is easily understood how smoke pollution effect the air.

Yes you guessed it right; when a smoker smokes he is inhaling the smoke in & out. The chemical smock that has been created by burning of tobacco is causing the air pollution. You already know that cigarette contains more than 4000 harmful chemical elements which easily cause smoke pollution.

Some harmful elements that pollutes air, carbon monoxide, DDT, maltitor, formaldehyde,tar, methoprene, sulfuric acid, geranic acid, cyanide, freon, nicotine, hydrogen cyanide  and many more.

These all are dangerous for our health as well as our environment. Danger of smoking is wider than we thought. These elements burns and create smoking air pollution which will directly affect the atmosphere.  Our climate is changing rapidly so we have to be more conscious.

Smoke pollution

The answer of the question “does smoking pollute the air” is easy. Yes, it does. But the problem is we don’t know how much it pollutes.

It is generally thought that cars can do great harm to air pollution. No one would think that a small cigarette can do harm to environment then a car. I mean, think normally that a small cigarette vs a huge car. No match, isn’t it? But guess what: smoke affect the environment ten times higher than the car smoke which runs by diesel.

In a recent survey, scientists has found that smoking is one of the causes for destroying ozone layer on our atmosphere. By now you obviously know that how important ozone layer is for our environment. The layer of ozone is protecting us from harmful sunbeams and some of us is destroying this layer of protection very slowly. There are some chemicals on cigarette which destroy the ground level ozone layer.

I think I can make you understand that ozone layer is good for us and smoking is destroying that. Now matter of fact that ozone layer is destroying for some other reasons also, so why smoking is so special? Ok, think about that the ozone layer is protecting us from many defective cosmic rays which usually filtered by ozone layer.

The dangers of smoking

Because of the position of ozone layer is not near of us and the bad effect of cosmic rays is not rapid, we cannot feel the problem all the time. Here is the dangerous part of cigarette smock comes near. By smoking people are destroying the Ground-level ozone layer.

The effect of this is so far reaching & effective that we could easily understand the consequence of this bad habit.
Now let’s discuss about another reason of smoking bad effect. When a smoker inhales a cigarette, he does several tasks. He create pollutant call smoke, burns tobacco, it also burns oxygen.

Smoke creates 7-24 milligrams of pollutants all over the world round the year. While inhaling a cigarette a smoker also burns oxygen with every breath the take. It seems simple to hear but what would be your thought if I would tell you that 1.1 billion smoker burns oxygen while smoking only in United States?

Are you serious now?

Then please be informed that the statistics that I gave before was for the year of 1998 in this air pollution essay. At present what would be the number have you ever imagined?  Whatever the number is but the matter of fact that smoking is causing serious air pollution for sure.

Waste Disposal Methods

In general, trash ought to be subjected to either the recycling of its components or thermal treatment. After receiving the appropriate treatment, the trash is then dumped in a landfill in the event that it is not possible to do so for technical reasons or if it cannot be done at a profit.

Recycling

The term “recycling” can refer to both the direct reuse of used products (such as used clothing and functioning parts deleted from used vehicles) as well as material recycling, which is the recovery of raw materials from waste.

Direct reuse of used products includes things like used clothing & functioning parts removed from used vehicles e.g. production of new glass from fragment, the melting of scrap iron &  the production of recycled building material from construction waste.

The term “downcycling” refers to the process of converting garbage into materials that are of a lesser quality than the substance that was initially used.

Incineration

In municipal trash incineration plants &  waste wood furnaces, combustible waste from houses &  waste wood which is not suitable for reuse is subjected to thermal treatment. The heat that is produced throughout the process is captured and utilized in order to create energy and to warm up buildings.

As just a substitute for fossil fuels, industrial plants like cement mills can employ waste that has a high calorific value but a low rate of pollutant contamination in place of traditional fuel sources.

Waste that contains organic contaminants goes through a different thermal treatment process e.g. in hazardous waste incineration plants. Flue gas treatment systems are required to be installed in incinerators. The composition of the waste informs both the needs for the flue gas treatment system and the specifications for the incineration apparatus.

Companies that specialize in the disposal of garbage treat the waste in  manner that is compliant with the specifications of  incineration plant. This decreases the likelihood of an accident occurring while also ensuring that the gasoline will be of  high quality.

When liquids are combined, the corporations make certain, for instance, that there are no unfavorable reactions that take place. Crushing the waste materials  which  are going to be utilized as alternative fuels in cement plant and getting them to a consistent calorific value needs to be done in advance.

Cement Plants

Both chemical-physical treatment and biological treatment have the same overarching goal, which is to make it possible to either remove pollutants from trash or safely dispose of garbage in landfills. Wastewater and filthy material that has been excavated are two kinds of waste which  are typically managed in this manner. After undergoing chemical and physical treatment, the contaminants can then be disposed of in a concentrated state in facilities that are designed specifically for this function.

Landfills

Landfills that are in compliance with the regulatory criteria receive the residues that are left over from the incineration of waste or waste that is not appropriate for the recycling of materials or thermal treatment. It is necessary to pre-treat the trash in the event that it does not meet the criteria for disposal in landfills.

The Gathering And Organization Of Landfills

In the field of waste management, there are a wide variety of actors with specialized roles. Their responsibilities include the gathering of garbage at its origin (in industries such as industry and commerce as well as in households), the storage of that waste at intermediate locations, and the transfer of that waste to operations that deal with waste disposal. A series of increasingly specialized plants is frequently used in the process of waste treatment. In every scenario, effective waste management requires streamlined logistical operations as a necessary prerequisite. Documentation of the handover is required by the Ordinance on Movement of Waste for any situation involving the transfer of waste classified as hazardous.