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10 Hands-On Science Projects to Teach About Pollution

10 Hands on science projects to teach about pollution

And then there is plastic pollution. According to an article by  National Geographic, some 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flows into the oceans every year from coastal regions. The problem is, this plastic destroys local habitats and is known to be a contributing factor to animal mortality.  Clearly, something drastic needs to be done about the surge of pollution. And these are just a few examples.

Education is certainly part of improving the situation. Teachers can educate their students so they can make a difference – whether it be in their own personal lives, or as the environmental scientists and inventors in the future.

To spark the inner environmentalist in students, we’ve compiled a list of the best hands-on science projects that teach kids about pollution. We have also suggested what grades each activity is suitable for. However, these are just a guide, so feel free to use your discretion and adapt each activity to the grade you are teaching.

1. Oil Spill Simulation

Oil spills are devastating for the environment, and cost millions of dollars to clean up. Videos and images of oil spill disasters can be an effective teaching tool since they can be so emotional. Although caution is advised when showing pictures of affected animals!

Nevertheless, a hands-on oil spill simulation will help your students to understand why oil spills affect the environment so badly and how difficult they are to clean up. You can find specific instructions for this activity here . In a nutshell, the activity requires students to simulate an oil spill in a tray of water, examine the potential effects on wildlife, and suggest clean-up methods using household items.

Suitable for: 3 – 6

2. Real-World Testing of Biodegradability

If objects and materials were more biodegradable, this would help with pollution since the discarded objects would break down more quickly. Some of the materials we use, however, never break down, and they end up clogging up our waterways and littering our soil. In this activity, students will conduct an experiment that establishes what materials really are biodegradable.

You can find instructions  here . It essentially involves burying a range of objects (an apple core, leaves, plastic packaging, and Styrofoam) underneath the ground and leaving them there for a month. Students then return to the burial site and dig down to see what has broken down and what has not. The activity also comes with some excellent discussion questions. 

Suitable for: K – 6

For more ideas, see  Activity # 14 Renewable or Not? in PLT’s  PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide .

3. “Happy Earth, Sad Earth” Sorting Game

This activity is a very simple sorting exercise for younger children. It involves putting pictures of things that are beneficial for the Earth, and those that are not, into the appropriate category. The activity could be conducted in groups, or as a class.

For this activity, you will need to print out and laminate (optional) the cards and objects found here (courtesy of www.totschooling.net ). How you encourage your students to sort the objects is entirely up to you, but displaying them on a big piece of cardboard that can be put up on the wall when finished is ideal! 

Suitable for: K – 2

For more ideas, see  Activity # 24 Nature’s Recyclers  in PLT’s  PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide .

4. Modeling Pollution Uptake by Plants Using Celery

Pollution can also end up in food chains, including our own, which can have a negative on health and wellbeing. This activity is a great way to kick off a discussion about pollution and food chains. It involves creating a simple model that demonstrates how pollution can be drawn up into plants.

To do this activity, place a piece of celery in a jar or beaker of diluted food dye. Over time, the food dye moves up the celery, and there it remains. The food dye represents pollution, and the celery could represent any number of plants that are used for food. You can find specific instructions for this activity here .

Suitable for: K – 3 (NOTE – A knife is needed to cut the celery, so just be aware of that. Probably best if adults did that part).

For more ideas, see  Activity # 27 Every Tree for Itself  in PLT’s  PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide .

5. Polluted Display Jars

This activity enables students to “see” pollution in the classroom — a great teaching or memory aid when discussing the topic. And it’s super easy too! In summary, students collect samples of air and water (even snow), put them in clear glass or plastic jars, and then manually “pollute” them.  

You can find some instructions and ideas here . But here are some quick suggestions regarding what could be added to your jars to pollute them: For your jar of air, you could drop a lit match into the jar, and quickly put the lid on, so that the smoke is caught in the jar. That will certainly give that nice clean air a brown/grey tinge! (Only adults should handle the matches.) For the jar of water, dirt and bits of plastic will suffice. Remember to have jars of clean water, air, and snow so students can compare the clean ones with the polluted ones. 

Suitable for: K – 5

For more ideas, see  Activity # 28 Air Plants  and Activity # 36 Pollution Search   in PLT’s  PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide .

6. Sea Turtle Fate Game

From the moment they are born, various species of sea turtles have a tough time making it through to adulthood.  Although sea turtles die of natural causes or as the result of predator attacks, they also die as a result of human activity and pollution. This game allows students to explore the effects of humans on sea turtles, and the true scope of the problem.

You can find a detailed explanatory video here . The activity involves drawing plastic eggs out of a bowl of sand, with each plastic egg having a “fate” message inside. The message describes whether the figurative sea turtle in that egg survived or not, and if it didn’t survive, why not. Students then sort each ill-fated turtle egg into categories related to whether its death was as a result of man-made or natural causes.

Suitable for: Grades 2 – 5 (it could be used with younger students, depending on the make-up of your class. The themes may be a little too deep for some).

7. Watering Plants with “Acid Rain”

Acid rain is a significant threat to the environment and is caused by pollutants in the atmosphere mixing with rain as it falls. The topic of acid rain is something students may learn about in both science and geography. This activity allows students to create their own “acid rain” and to asses its effects. 

You can find detailed instructions here . In this experiment, students water three separate plants with either water, a little bit of acid, and a lot of acid. Use either vinegar or lemon juice as the acid. After leaving the plants in the sun to grow for a few days, watering them as they go, students will assess the effects of the acid on the plants. (You will need to be prepared to lose two plants. All for the sake of science of course!)

Suitable for: Grades 5 – 8 (depending on how in depth you go with the theory).

NOTE – You may like to have the children wear lab glasses when handling the lemon juice or vinegar. This can help avoid some stinging eyes, and of course, will make them feel like real little scientists!

8. Water Pollution Detection Experiment

This activity gives students an opportunity to get up close and personal with water “pollution” and explores some of the simple ways we can tell if pollution is present. This activity is excellent because it engages many senses.

The activity involves giving each student/group in your class a cup of clean water. You will then go around the class, adding a few drops of food coloring to each cup of water. The kids then stir the solution, making note of the fact that they can see the “pollution.” The same process is repeated, this time adding vinegar to the fresh water. This illustrates how sometimes we can smell “pollution”. The third time around, add salt and the students’ mix. This highlights that not all pollutants can be seen or smelled (once the salt has dissolved).

You can find detailed instructions for this “Playing Hide and Seek…with Pollution” activity here . There are also some additional questions, activities and suggested teaching strategies.

Suitable for: Grades 2 – 5 

For more ideas, see  Activity # 44 Water Wonders  in PLT’s  PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide .

9. Climate Change Sensory Play

In lessons about pollution, teachers often discuss how it contributes to climate change, and this is a great activity to explore this concept using their sense of touch.  You can find instructions here .

Essentially the activity involves using frozen shaving cream (as snow/glaciers), blocks of ice, beads, and plastic animals to simulate a polar environment. Allow students to spend time playing on their own with everything in the environment. After some time, everything begins to melt. The activity dramatically demonstrates the impact of melting ice caps and glaciers. A discussion of pollution and climate change can follow. Be warned: this activity will require a bit of clean up!

Suitable for: Grades K – 3 

For more ideas, see  Activity # 84 The Global Climate  in PLT’s  PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide .

Are you planning on trying any of these activities? What are some other ways you teach your students about pollution? Let us know in the comments!

Rebecca Reynandez

Rebecca Reynandez

3 comments on “ 10 hands-on science projects to teach about pollution ”.

Where and how do we download these activities, they look good. I am a facilitator for Wild B.C. and took the online PLT course.

Thank you for sharing! I teach AP Environmental Science to Junior and Senior level students in High School. We just did a lesson on Biomagnification during our pollution unit. I plan to use the celery activity as a demonstration/visual aid to help them SEE Bioaccumulation then review over Biomagnification. Next year I’ll do your celery demo before the activity.

P.S. I have been through the PLT workshop and appreciate your efforts.

Thank you for these. I have a 7year old who is doing a project on energy and pollution. Some great ideas to share with him!

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What Is Air Pollution?

What causes air pollution, effects of air pollution, air pollution in the united states, air pollution and environmental justice, controlling air pollution, how to help reduce air pollution, how to protect your health.

Air pollution  refers to the release of pollutants into the air—pollutants that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole. According to the  World Health Organization (WHO) , each year, indoor and outdoor air pollution is responsible for nearly seven million deaths around the globe. Ninety-nine percent of human beings currently breathe air that exceeds the WHO’s guideline limits for pollutants, with those living in low- and middle-income countries suffering the most. In the United States, the  Clean Air Act , established in 1970, authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to safeguard public health by regulating the emissions of these harmful air pollutants.

“Most air pollution comes from energy use and production,” says  John Walke , director of the Clean Air team at NRDC. Driving a car on gasoline, heating a home with oil, running a power plant on  fracked gas : In each case, a fossil fuel is burned and harmful chemicals and gases are released into the air.

“We’ve made progress over the last 50 years in improving air quality in the United States, thanks to the Clean Air Act. But climate change will make it harder in the future to meet pollution standards, which are designed to  protect health ,” says Walke.

Air pollution is now the world’s fourth-largest risk factor for early death. According to the 2020  State of Global Air  report —which summarizes the latest scientific understanding of air pollution around the world—4.5 million deaths were linked to outdoor air pollution exposures in 2019, and another 2.2 million deaths were caused by indoor air pollution. The world’s most populous countries, China and India, continue to bear the highest burdens of disease.

“Despite improvements in reducing global average mortality rates from air pollution, this report also serves as a sobering reminder that the climate crisis threatens to worsen air pollution problems significantly,” explains  Vijay Limaye , senior scientist in NRDC’s Science Office. Smog, for instance, is intensified by increased heat, forming when the weather is warmer and there’s more ultraviolet radiation. In addition, climate change increases the production of allergenic air pollutants, including mold (thanks to damp conditions caused by extreme weather and increased flooding) and pollen (due to a longer pollen season). “Climate change–fueled droughts and dry conditions are also setting the stage for dangerous wildfires,” adds Limaye. “ Wildfire smoke can linger for days and pollute the air with particulate matter hundreds of miles downwind.”

The effects of air pollution on the human body vary, depending on the type of pollutant, the length and level of exposure, and other factors, including a person’s individual health risks and the cumulative impacts of multiple pollutants or stressors.

Smog and soot

These are the two most prevalent types of air pollution. Smog (sometimes referred to as ground-level ozone) occurs when emissions from combusting fossil fuels react with sunlight. Soot—a type of  particulate matter —is made up of tiny particles of chemicals, soil, smoke, dust, or allergens that are carried in the air. The sources of smog and soot are similar. “Both come from cars and trucks, factories, power plants, incinerators, engines, generally anything that combusts fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline, or natural gas,” Walke says.

Smog can irritate the eyes and throat and also damage the lungs, especially those of children, senior citizens, and people who work or exercise outdoors. It’s even worse for people who have asthma or allergies; these extra pollutants can intensify their symptoms and trigger asthma attacks. The tiniest airborne particles in soot are especially dangerous because they can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and worsen bronchitis, lead to heart attacks, and even hasten death. In  2020, a report from Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health showed that COVID-19 mortality rates were higher in areas with more particulate matter pollution than in areas with even slightly less, showing a correlation between the virus’s deadliness and long-term exposure to air pollution. 

These findings also illuminate an important  environmental justice issue . Because highways and polluting facilities have historically been sited in or next to low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, the negative effects of this pollution have been  disproportionately experienced by the people who live in these communities.

Hazardous air pollutants

A number of air pollutants pose severe health risks and can sometimes be fatal, even in small amounts. Almost 200 of them are regulated by law; some of the most common are mercury,  lead , dioxins, and benzene. “These are also most often emitted during gas or coal combustion, incineration, or—in the case of benzene—found in gasoline,” Walke says. Benzene, classified as a carcinogen by the EPA, can cause eye, skin, and lung irritation in the short term and blood disorders in the long term. Dioxins, more typically found in food but also present in small amounts in the air, is another carcinogen that can affect the liver in the short term and harm the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, as well as reproductive functions.  Mercury  attacks the central nervous system. In large amounts, lead can damage children’s brains and kidneys, and even minimal exposure can affect children’s IQ and ability to learn.

Another category of toxic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are by-products of traffic exhaust and wildfire smoke. In large amounts, they have been linked to eye and lung irritation, blood and liver issues, and even cancer.  In one study , the children of mothers exposed to PAHs during pregnancy showed slower brain-processing speeds and more pronounced symptoms of ADHD.

Greenhouse gases

While these climate pollutants don’t have the direct or immediate impacts on the human body associated with other air pollutants, like smog or hazardous chemicals, they are still harmful to our health. By trapping the earth’s heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases lead to warmer temperatures, which in turn lead to the hallmarks of climate change: rising sea levels, more extreme weather, heat-related deaths, and the increased transmission of infectious diseases. In 2021, carbon dioxide accounted for roughly 79 percent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and methane made up more than 11 percent. “Carbon dioxide comes from combusting fossil fuels, and methane comes from natural and industrial sources, including large amounts that are released during oil and gas drilling,” Walke says. “We emit far larger amounts of carbon dioxide, but methane is significantly more potent, so it’s also very destructive.” 

Another class of greenhouse gases,  hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) , are thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide in their ability to trap heat. In October 2016, more than 140 countries signed the Kigali Agreement to reduce the use of these chemicals—which are found in air conditioners and refrigerators—and develop greener alternatives over time. (The United States officially signed onto the  Kigali Agreement in 2022.)

Pollen and mold

Mold and allergens from trees, weeds, and grass are also carried in the air, are exacerbated by climate change, and can be hazardous to health. Though they aren’t regulated, they can be considered a form of air pollution. “When homes, schools, or businesses get water damage, mold can grow and produce allergenic airborne pollutants,” says Kim Knowlton, professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University and a former NRDC scientist. “ Mold exposure can precipitate asthma attacks  or an allergic response, and some molds can even produce toxins that would be dangerous for anyone to inhale.”

Pollen allergies are worsening  because of climate change . “Lab and field studies are showing that pollen-producing plants—especially ragweed—grow larger and produce more pollen when you increase the amount of carbon dioxide that they grow in,” Knowlton says. “Climate change also extends the pollen production season, and some studies are beginning to suggest that ragweed pollen itself might be becoming a more potent allergen.” If so, more people will suffer runny noses, fevers, itchy eyes, and other symptoms. “And for people with allergies and asthma, pollen peaks can precipitate asthma attacks, which are far more serious and can be life-threatening.”

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More than one in three U.S. residents—120 million people—live in counties with unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to the  2023  State of the Air  report by the American Lung Association (ALA). Since the annual report was first published, in 2000, its findings have shown how the Clean Air Act has been able to reduce harmful emissions from transportation, power plants, and manufacturing.

Recent findings, however, reflect how climate change–fueled wildfires and extreme heat are adding to the challenges of protecting public health. The latest report—which focuses on ozone, year-round particle pollution, and short-term particle pollution—also finds that people of color are 61 percent more likely than white people to live in a county with a failing grade in at least one of those categories, and three times more likely to live in a county that fails in all three.

In rankings for each of the three pollution categories covered by the ALA report, California cities occupy the top three slots (i.e., were highest in pollution), despite progress that the Golden State has made in reducing air pollution emissions in the past half century. At the other end of the spectrum, these cities consistently rank among the country’s best for air quality: Burlington, Vermont; Honolulu; and Wilmington, North Carolina. 

No one wants to live next door to an incinerator, oil refinery, port, toxic waste dump, or other polluting site. Yet millions of people around the world do, and this puts them at a much higher risk for respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, neurological damage, cancer, and death. In the United States, people of color are 1.5 times more likely than whites to live in areas with poor air quality, according to the ALA.

Historically, racist zoning policies and discriminatory lending practices known as  redlining  have combined to keep polluting industries and car-choked highways away from white neighborhoods and have turned communities of color—especially low-income and working-class communities of color—into sacrifice zones, where residents are forced to breathe dirty air and suffer the many health problems associated with it. In addition to the increased health risks that come from living in such places, the polluted air can economically harm residents in the form of missed workdays and higher medical costs.

Environmental racism isn't limited to cities and industrial areas. Outdoor laborers, including the estimated three million migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the United States, are among the most vulnerable to air pollution—and they’re also among the least equipped, politically, to pressure employers and lawmakers to affirm their right to breathe clean air.

Recently,  cumulative impact mapping , which uses data on environmental conditions and demographics, has been able to show how some communities are overburdened with layers of issues, like high levels of poverty, unemployment, and pollution. Tools like the  Environmental Justice Screening Method  and the EPA’s  EJScreen  provide evidence of what many environmental justice communities have been explaining for decades: that we need land use and public health reforms to ensure that vulnerable areas are not overburdened and that the people who need resources the most are receiving them.

In the United States, the  Clean Air Act  has been a crucial tool for reducing air pollution since its passage in 1970, although fossil fuel interests aided by industry-friendly lawmakers have frequently attempted to  weaken its many protections. Ensuring that this bedrock environmental law remains intact and properly enforced will always be key to maintaining and improving our air quality.

But the best, most effective way to control air pollution is to speed up our transition to cleaner fuels and industrial processes. By switching over to renewable energy sources (such as wind and solar power), maximizing fuel efficiency in our vehicles, and replacing more and more of our gasoline-powered cars and trucks with electric versions, we'll be limiting air pollution at its source while also curbing the global warming that heightens so many of its worst health impacts.

And what about the economic costs of controlling air pollution? According to a report on the Clean Air Act commissioned by NRDC, the annual  benefits of cleaner air  are up to 32 times greater than the cost of clean air regulations. Those benefits include up to 370,000 avoided premature deaths, 189,000 fewer hospital admissions for cardiac and respiratory illnesses, and net economic benefits of up to $3.8 trillion for the U.S. economy every year.

“The less gasoline we burn, the better we’re doing to reduce air pollution and the harmful effects of climate change,” Walke explains. “Make good choices about transportation. When you can, ride a bike, walk, or take public transportation. For driving, choose a car that gets better miles per gallon of gas or  buy an electric car .” You can also investigate your power provider options—you may be able to request that your electricity be supplied by wind or solar. Buying your food locally cuts down on the fossil fuels burned in trucking or flying food in from across the world. And most important: “Support leaders who push for clean air and water and responsible steps on climate change,” Walke says.

  • “When you see in the news or hear on the weather report that pollution levels are high, it may be useful to limit the time when children go outside or you go for a jog,” Walke says. Generally, ozone levels tend to be lower in the morning.
  • If you exercise outside, stay as far as you can from heavily trafficked roads. Then shower and wash your clothes to remove fine particles.
  • The air may look clear, but that doesn’t mean it’s pollution free. Utilize tools like the EPA’s air pollution monitor,  AirNow , to get the latest conditions. If the air quality is bad, stay inside with the windows closed.
  • If you live or work in an area that’s prone to wildfires,  stay away from the harmful smoke  as much as you’re able. Consider keeping a small stock of masks to wear when conditions are poor. The most ideal masks for smoke particles will be labelled “NIOSH” (which stands for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and have either “N95” or “P100” printed on it.
  • If you’re using an air conditioner while outdoor pollution conditions are bad, use the recirculating setting to limit the amount of polluted air that gets inside. 

This story was originally published on November 1, 2016, and has been updated with new information and links.

This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as grammar); you can’t resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you can’t republish our material wholesale or automatically—you need to select stories individually; you can’t republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when you’ve used one of our stories.

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8 inspiring innovations that are helping to fight plastic pollution 

Every year, eight million tonnes of plastic pollution ends up drifting or sinking in the ocean.

Every year, eight million tonnes of plastic pollution ends up drifting or sinking in the ocean. Image:  TONTOTON

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Listen to the article

  • Plastic pollution is a global problem, threatening both the health of humans and ecosystems all over the world.
  • In June 2021, the Global Plastic Action Partnership and UpLink launched the Global Plastic Innovation Network (GPIN).
  • The initiative aims to source innovative solutions to help stem the devastating flow of plastic pollution.

Plastic waste and pollution are now threatening the health and well-being of humans and ecosystems the world over. Every year, out of an unimaginable 300 million tonnes of plastic produced, half is made into single-use items: takeaway cups, food wrappers, grocery bags and more. And, every year, another eight million tonnes of this plastic ends up drifting or sinking in the ocean, adding to what’s already there and taking decades to break down. And the figure isn’t going down – if we do not take action, by 2025 we can expect this number to increase to 17 million tonnes per year.

Through the Global Plastic Innovation Network (GPIN), we are building a community of high impact innovators that can help tackle pollution at the national and global level. Dealing with plastic pollution demands creativity – from re-designing packaging and delivery models to implementing new recycling technologies that help address waste production and management.

To discover innovators around the world, the Global Plastic Action Partnership collaborated with UpLink to launch GPIN, aiming to build a community of innovators working to eradicate plastic pollution. This week, eight new innovators are joining the network that is paving the way to tackle plastic pollution. They will receive support through visibility on social media and leveraging the network of the Global Plastic Action Partnership to scale impact.

Innovations that are fighting plastic pollution

Learn more about the eight innovators that are making an impact on the ground to fight plastic pollution:

Siklus is reinventing the future of retail in Indonesia by delivering refills of everyday needs to people's doors - without plastic waste. They offer an alternative by replacing low value plastic with refill stations, allowing consumers to buy household products in any quantity without plastic packaging.

gCycle is tackling sustainability in the nappy industry, which contributes to polluted landfills and waterways. The solution brings the circular economy to nappies and regenerates natural systems. The newest invention is the world’s first patented fully compostable and disposable nappy.

Plastic Fischer have developed a low-tech plastic collection systems for rivers and have already deployed several systems in the Citarum River in Bali. Thanks to their low-tech system, their solution is designed to be easily scaled around the world.

Diwama provides a hardware and software solution to waste-sorting facilities. The technology uses AI-based image recognition software that automates waste analysis, which can be used to optimize waste management.

RiverRecycle offers disruptive methods to alter waste management systems. The solution seeks to stem the tide of plastic pollution in rivers by collecting and recycling plastic waste and floating debris while providing a livelihood for local communities.

Waste Bazaar is a clean-tech providing waste collection and recycling services in Nigeria. They have developed a mobile-phone app that uses geolocation functionalities to connect users to the nearest recycling station, where recyclable waste can be exchanged for “green credits”.

Wasser 3.0 have developed a solution that is quick, efficient and cost-effective to remove microplastic and micropollutants from different types of water. The solution uses agglomeration fixation for microplastics and chelation for inorganic compounds.

TONTOTON is building a system in which the communities play a key role in cleaning their own environment while earning a livelihood through a certified plastic credit system. They work closely and empower local waste pickers to address plastic pollution in Vietnam and Cambodia.

pollution project work

The Global Plastic Innovation Network is supported by Government funding from the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Global Affairs Canada.

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5 Student Projects To Protect The Environment From Air Pollution

Pollution is a ubiquitous problem in the present-day world, and it is rising continuously all around the globe. Amongst all other kinds of pollution, such as water, land, and sound, air pollution has a profound impact on every living organism present on the earth. We inhale many toxins and pollutants along with oxygen while breathing, which can cause severe health problems and can even lead to an untimely death. Developing countries face more pollution-related health problems as compared to developed countries. However, students alongside scientists are working hard to protect our home planet from air contamination and its hazardous effects.

Fortunately, more and more people are working for environmental protection and conservation. Government and private organizations are working to reduce the factors that are damaging the nature we live in. Today’s students are also more concerned about the harmful effects of the contaminated environment and seek to help in their own way. During school and college if you are wondering how to rewrite my paper , you should know the importance of a sound environment. They are also asked to work on projects and proceedings on environmental protection methods.

climate-change-public-health

Students may significantly benefit from essay samples https://eduzaurus.com/free-essay-samples/environment/ to work on their paper and learn more about protecting the earth. Reading such pieces helps in their course to develop useful projects that aid to solve the existing pollution related problems.

Cities around the world are choked with smog and dangerous emissions. Addressing the harm caused by rapidly increasing air pollution, many university students worldwide have developed useful environmental projects . Some of them are as follows:

1. Pollution vacuum cleaner

The idea of a pollution vacuum cleaner is to suck up the contaminants from the air. Developed by an Indian mechanical engineer, it takes all the pollutants along with the air and releases clean air after filtration. As the air passes through various layers inside the filter, the contaminants stick in the filter, and clean air is released. Such vacuums can be used near chimneys and generators to reduce the presence of smoke in the air.

2. Hydrogen fuel from pollutants

Extracting hydrogen gas from the air is challenging, but not for enthusiasts. As part of their project, students have developed a device to purify the air from organic adulteration. This device is powered by solar energy, which houses a thin membrane that attracts the contaminants and exhales purified air. The extracted hydrogen can be stored and used later as fuel in hydrogen-powered vehicles.

3. Air pollution AI framework

Predicting the level of smog in a place can help the locals take a precautionary approach in case of an increment in contamination. A high school student from New-York made a device as project work that predicts air pollution levels using neural networks. The AI-equipped tool can predict contamination with up to 92% accuracy.

artificial-intelligence-environment-protection

Artificial Intelligence can provide invaluable assistance in environment protection and resource conservation

4. Anti-smog gun

The anti-smog gun is an effective method of clearing the air pollutants in smog-afflicted areas. During the high level of pollution, the gun sprays vapor into the air, absorbing the toxins. It is a short-term solution to minimize the harms of hazardously polluted air.

Air-Ink is a creative and interesting device that can convert air carbon to ink. People can connect the KAALINK device to their car exhaust pipe to get the ink from the fuel fumes. The tool can extract 30 ml of ink within 45 minutes of driving. However, the collected ink requires to be purified in the lab before its use.

Bottom Line

Students may find that working on air pollution control projects is one of the best ways in which they can learn about environmental hazards during their educational course. Such insights inspire them to search for a solution and develop various solutions to counter the threats.

Getting involved in innovative air pollution projects will help us to understand the importance of the atmosphere and environment and our responsibility towards keeping the earth safe for the future generation. We can all contribute to fighting air pollution and saving all beings for generations to come through our collective effort.

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One Planet

Reducing Plastic Pollution:

Campaigns That Work

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Confrontational plastic waste

We’ve examined the literature on behaviour change, psychology and environmental issues, to understand how campaigns for sustainable plastic consumption can be more effective.

Plastic waste in our oceans and seas is a growing problem, affecting wildlife, ecosystems and people. about 10 million tonnes of litter – 80% of it plastic – finds its way into the water each year. these products take hundreds of years to decompose in the sea., single-use plastics, like carrier bags, drinks bottles, coffee cups and packaging, are a big part of the issue. cheap and disposable, they are carried to the oceans from rivers and coastal towns and cities, or simply dumped at sea..

Trash found on a beach

Campaigns around the world have contributed to increased awareness of plastic pollution, and in some cases, action – but have they effectively shifted people toward more sustainable consumption choices? Not as much as they could have, based on the latest research on influencing sustainable behaviour.

The challenge – turning awareness and concern into behaviour change.

pollution project work

What can people designing campaigns to tackle plastic pollution learn from moments and campaigns that have worked – and those that haven’t? How can campaigns be crafted to drive the shifts in consumer behaviour needed to address plastic waste?

We have examined over 65 scientific papers, journalistic articles and surveys to learn what works in shifting individual behaviour. And we analysed 50 campaigns that try to address sustainable plastic use in some way, to see which of those techniques and concepts they are using, whether they have been effective, and why. 

These campaigns come from manufacturers, foundations or non-profits, local and national governments, and international bodies. They all focus on single-use plastics and packaging, and they range from the hyper-local to the truly global.

Through this work, we have developed 6 effective strategies, 4 ‘watch-outs’ to be used with care and 4 common mistakes to avoid to help anyone creating a campaign.

The full report – Reducing Plastic Pollution: Campaigns That Work – explains the effective strategies, ‘watch-outs’ and common mistakes in full, as well as specific recommendations and advice for campaign creators, policymakers, consumers and companies. The report appendix outlines our findings from every one of the 50 campaigns we examined.

pollution project work

The power of individuals?

Individuals do have some influence in how plastics are made and used, but without systemic change the power of anyone acting alone is limited. People can ‘ vote with their dollars ’, by preferring more sustainable products when they shop, provided they are given enough information and transparency. In sufficient numbers, this market signal can shift what companies produce to meet that demand.

But when it comes to single-use plastics – packaging in particular – things are more complicated. People rarely make buying decisions based on the sustainability of the wrapper. Other packaging elements like colour or graphics can be more important, not to mention the qualities of the product itself. 

This distorts the feedback loop between supply and demand, consumer and manufacturer. For example, to show a company that you would prefer sustainable packaging, you either need to find an equally appealing product in better packaging and purchase that instead, or you need to communicate your request for change directly to the company. Either way, the mechanism is not smooth. 

Despite these complexities, people can make a real difference in how plastic is used, by sending the right messages to companies and governments, and joining with others to advocate for better policies. 

Table 1 in the report is a useful starting point for anyone wanting to make a change in plastic use. Building on the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment , led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with UNEP , it outlines some specific steps that individuals, companies and policymakers can all take to address plastic pollution.

Meme: Stop buying crap and companies will stop making crap

#ISupportBanPlasticsKE

Kenya: James Wakibia, a photojournalist, created the #BanPlasticsKE campaign in 2015, calling on the Kenyan government, through social media, to ban plastic bags. When one of his tweets received a response from Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources Judi Wakhungu expressing her support, he took a banner with the hashtag “ #ISupportBanPlasticsKE ” printed on it into the streets and parks of Nakuru and took photos of different people holding it, which he then tweeted. Kenya banned single-use plastic bags shortly after. 

James Wakibia holding a '#ISupportBanPlasticsKE' banner

This grassroots campaign was enormously effective. It has a positive and action-oriented tone, combined with a clear, simple message. It was also a distinctly local campaign, using photographs of local people and recognizable places to make sure it felt relevant and personal to people who saw it.

To read more about why James’s #ISupportBanPlasticsKE campaign was so effective, see the  report appendix .

A soldier holding '#IsupportBanPlasticKE' banner

T he conditions for change

Individual consumers need three things to be in place before they are to change a particular behaviour. Campaigns can play a part in all three:

pollution project work

Effective strategies for better campaigns – and mistakes to avoid

Our review of real-world campaigns and relevant literature led us to recommend 14 ways to encourage pro-environmental behaviours around plastic use: 6 effective strategies (positive techniques that should be included in a campaign); 4 ‘watch-outs’ (techniques that can be productive if used thoughtfully, but can backfire if used poorly); and 4 common mistakes (strategies that are ineffective or counterproductive).

Graphic revealing the six effective strategies

Six effective campaign strategies

We found six effective strategies that help to influence people’s actions. 

#1 Customization

People respond differently to campaigns and environmental messages based on gender, age, education level, values, and political identity, and at different life stages. Customizing messages led to more effective campaigns – e.g. campaigns that targeted specific demographic or psychographic groups were typically more effective than those that didn’t. How to go about customizing or ‘segmenting’ a campaign in this way depends on context – the type of campaign, it’s aims, audiences and locations.

The Break Up With Plastic campaign used the Customization strategy . Read more about it here .

#2 Positive social norms

Social norms are an effective way for campaigns to influence behaviour, when used properly. They are thought to work because they appeal to people’s desire to ‘fit in’, or to our unconscious tendency to mimic the behaviour of others. In campaigns, this strategy can involve using celebrity endorsers or role models, especially if those who are advocating for change are seen as ‘credible’ – i.e. genuine and relevant messengers.

Be Ready To Change

Europe: The Be Ready To Change campaign was organized by the European Commission and launched in 2018 with a website, social media posts and videos. This engaging and relatable campaign uses humor and social norms effectively to communicate that single-use plastic products and packaging are not only poor quality but also no longer socially acceptable. 

One of the videos brings the viewer to the moment of purchase decision when the shopper chooses disposable forks rather than reusable ones – this is important because it highlights the decision moment for viewers. We then see how this leads to one public embarrassment after another as the disposable forks, and other single-use plastic items, disappoint again and again. This messaging aims to shift social norms, a powerful force for shaping behavior, and the humor helps ensure that it is memorable enough to come to mind when the viewer is next in a relevant decision moment.

See the report appendix for more on Be Ready To Change.

pollution project work

#3 Being specific

Providing an audience with clear, achievable tasks is effective at driving action, even in the face of a challenge with the magnitude of climate change. A slogan like ‘Say No to Plastic’, if it’s not followed up with more information, can leave people unsure about what action they’re expected to take precisely. ‘Skip the Straw’ may be sufficient instruction in some cases, but some people might need to know what they’re expected to replace it with.

Plastic Free July

The Plastic Free July campaign began in 2011 as a small initiative with just a handful of participants in Western Australia, but has grown to millions of people across 170 countries. The challenge is, as the name implies, not to use any plastic in July, but the supporting resources are available to access any time. 

This campaign integrates a number of effective strategies and avoids common mistakes. The commitment is very specific – a discrete set of actions, time-bound, and placed in context of daily decisions. “My Challenge Choices” shows the relative impact that different commitments have, connecting the action to an outcome in the world such as climate change or environmental pollution. 

See the report appendix for more on Plastic Free July.

pollution project work

#4 Prompting commitments

Once people know what is expected, the next step is asking them to commit to those actions. Making a pledge raises the stakes and motivates people to follow through on an action. Commitments that disrupt bad habits or encourage formation of good habits can help ensure lasting behaviour change. 

The Planet or Plastic campaign used the Catalyzing commitments strategy. Read more about it here .

#5 Tapping positive emotions

Campaigns that evoke positive emotions are more effective at motivating behaviour change, and encouraging people to stick with pro-environmental behaviours. In the report, we look in particular at pride, hope, optimism and love, as these have been shown to be more influential than negative emotions like guilt or fear.

The Recycled Ocean Plastic Windex Bottle campaign used the Tapping positive emotions strategy. Read more about it here .

#6 Showing people that their choices matter

A common barrier to behaviour change is the feeling that one person’s small contribution will not make a meaningful difference to an enormous problem – such as plastic pollution. The ‘psychology of small wins’ is showing that there are effective ways to counter this. Social media is a good way to highlight and track the multiplier effect, for instance, and campaigns that remind individuals that they should take responsibility for their own actions can also help prompt change.

Plastic Bag Diet

The Plastic Bag Diet campaign in Indonesia, which started small in 2010, employs a range of in-person awareness-raising tactics in addition to digital engagement. In the ‘Plastic Bag Robbery’ a volunteer will approach someone on the street carrying a single-use plastic bag and ‘rob’ them of the bag, replacing it with a reusable bag, and taking a few minutes to talk with them about why it matters. The campaign also does Plastic Tourism, bringing people to the front lines of plastic pollution to experience the problem firsthand. This campaign is credited with contributing to Jakarta’s plastic bag ban in 2019.

This campaign is positive and engaging, tapping positive emotions and connecting people with each other. The campaign has a broad range of tactics that each support specific actions and commitments people can make. The one-on-one engagement also reinforces the importance of each person’s contribution, demonstrating the significance of people’s actions. Both the digital assets and the in-person work reinforce positive social norms, supporting longer-term behavior change.

See the report appendix for more on the Plastic Bag Diet.

pollution project work

Four campaign strategies to be used with care

These four campaign elements can all be useful in the right context, but they should be used carefully as they can backfire easily – we have called them our watch-outs.

Fear is commonly used by campaigners and advertisers to prompt a behaviour change. But it is only truly useful when there is something effective that a person can do to alleviate the threat. When the threat is existential or there is no immediate fix, fear just leads to anxiety and passivity. For a behaviour change campaign, these are not good outcomes.

The Little Monsters campaign used the Fear strategy. Read more about it here .

pollution project work

#2 Use of incentives

Whether positive incentives like financial rewards or ‘points’, or negative incentives such as a charge for plastic bags, incentives can be effective at shaping behaviour. Negative incentives appear to be particularly effective. There are some risks in using any form of incentive though. They have been shown to reduce intrinsic motivation – people’s desire to ‘do the right thing’. And, unless the incentive leads to long-term behaviour change, the new behaviour will only last as long as the incentive does.

Plastic Free Jamaica

Jamaica: An example of two ‘watch-outs’ being used successfully: The Plastic Free Jamaica campaign uses social media to engage people to support a ban on single-use plastics, use reusable bags, and imagine a Jamaica free of expanded polystyrene foam (Styrofoam). It uses giveaways (incentives) to engage the public, and scary statistics (fear) about how Styrofoam is toxic to your health. These statistics can be effective at motivating behaviour change if it’s then possible to avoid Styrofoam.

pollution project work

See the report appendix for more on Plastic Free Jamaica.

pollution project work

Humour has a lot of potential in behaviour-change campaigns. Humour can soften a negative message and make it easier to hear; it can get people’s attention; it can be memorable; and it can reflect social norms or the absurdity of a real-world situation. It also helps campaigns to move away from appeals to fear, guilt or altruism. But humour can appear to be make light of a serious situation, and sometimes doesn’t translate to actual behaviour change, so it needs to be used with care.

The April Fools/April’s Fish ( Le Poisson d’avril ) campaign used the Humour strategy. Read more about it here .

#4 Altruism

Many campaigns implore viewers to act in the common good – to think about ‘the earth’ or ‘future generations’. These kinds of appeals will work for a segment of the population, they should not be the default messaging strategy for behaviour change related to plastic. There is some evidence that emphasising a win-win scenario can work though – encourage a behaviour because it is good for the consumer and better for the world.

The Be Plastic Wise campaign used the Altruism strategy. Read more about it here .

Stopping at awareness icon

Four common mistakes

Our review also highlighted some poor campaign tactics, and debunked some conventional wisdom about the elements and messaging of an effective campaign. Campaigners should avoid these errors.

#1 Stopping at awareness

While raising awareness may be an important step on the way to action, it rarely leads to behaviour change on its own. Several studies have shown that simply knowing about a problem doesn’t equate to taking action to solve it. As one environmental social scientist put it, “knowledge isn’t the only thing that will change behavior. You usually need much more. The benefits have to be tangible and the behavior needs to be feasible and within [people’s] abilities.”

London Fashion Week 2019 made the mistake of Stopping at awareness . Read more about it here .

pollution project work

For a large portion of the population, overtly manipulative appeals to guilt will create resistance, rather than a desire to address the problem. This means that campaigns that try to evoke guilt as a means of behaviour change may in fact elicit the opposite behaviour. Even though there are some people who are motivated by environmental guilt, their ‘guilt cup’ is already overflowing and they may simply feel overwhelmed. Guilt as a motivator should be avoided in pro-environmental behaviour change campaigns.

The Act On Plastic campaign made the mistake of using Guilt to try to change behaviour. Read more about it here .

#3 Reinforcing bad norms

While using good social norms can be a way to encourage positive behaviours, showing the prevalence of negative behaviours is likely to backfire. By highlighting the bad behaviour, people are led to understand that the bad behaviour is actually the norm. The wrong message is reinforced, and the ‘wrong’ behaviour can increase.

Woolworths’ reusable bags campaign made the mistake of Reinforcing bad norms . Read more about it here .

pollution project work

#4 Allowing the problem to feel distant or intangible

People tend to disregard problems that feel distant or intangible – so-called ‘psychological distance’. Psychological distance increases with physical distance, social distance (the degree to which someone is ‘like you’ or not), distance across time, and hypothetical distance (i.e. probability, where things perceived as ‘likely’ are felt to be ‘closer’). Ocean plastics do not feel immediate or close to most people, despite the alarming photos used by many campaigns. If the problem is not connected to people’s lives, they won’t connect their own plastic waste to the waste in the ocean, and there is no route to behaviour change.

The #UnplasticthePlanet campaign made the mistake of Allowing distance . Read more about it here .

Better campaigns to end single-use plastics

Well-designed campaigns can have a clear and sustained impact on consumption behaviour. Campaigns can direct purchasing behaviour, shape reuse behaviour, or can be used in conjunction with policy to drive societal shifts toward more sustainable plastic consumption. The more effective these campaigns are, the faster society can move toward sustainable consumption and production. 

Individual action is not enough when it comes to single-use plastics, and we recommend actions for companies and governments to enable systemic change. Companies must act urgently to provide sustainable plastic product and packaging options and information to individuals to enable them to make sustainable choices. They need to reduce unnecessary packaging, increase recycled, reusable or compostable materials, and move away from single-use models towards greater circularity. 

Governments need to enact policies to create the conditions for sustainable consumption, to reduce the barriers for individuals to make sustainable choices. They can bring in measures that support adoption and scaling of solutions, including banning, restricting, or taxing single-use plastic products or packaging; introducing incentives or requirements for reuse and recycling; and aligning their own contracting and procurement processes with these aims.

Examining 50 recent campaigns – in the context of the findings from recent literature about common mistakes campaigns make, effective strategies, and tactics to employ with caution – has provided real-world examples to learn from. There is much more detail on how to apply these lessons in the full report, Reducing Plastic Pollution: Campaigns That Work . Anyone involved in a campaign to end single-use plastics can use these insights to create work that shifts individual behaviour, encourages better corporate practice and supports better policy.

About the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education Programme

This project is an output of the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education Programme of the One Planet network . The One Planet network is the network of the 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production which supports the global shift to sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12). The Sustainable Lifestyles and Education (SLE) Programme aims to foster the uptake of sustainable lifestyles as the common norm. Through a global network of experts, practitioners and learners, the SLE Programme develops tools and resources that allow policymakers, businesses and civil society to build sustainable systems of living. Through the application of these resources and the uptake of sustainable lifestyles, the SLE Programme aims to address global challenges such as biodiversity conservation, resource efficiency, climate change mitigation, poverty reduction and social well-being. 

The SLE Programme is co-led by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment represented by Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and the Government of Sweden represented by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) .

Acknowledgements

This project was developed through a collaborative effort led by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) . It contributes to the One Planet Network-Wide Plastics Initiative , as a contribution from the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education Programme .

Lead author: Ellie Moss, Moss & Mollusk Consulting

Supervision, technical editing and support: Andrea Norgren (SEI)

We would like to thank the following people for their support and contributions throughout the project (in alphabetical order): Garrette Clarke (UNEP), Aina Eriksson (SEI), Claire Kneller (WRAP UK), Cecilia Lopez y Royo (UNEP), Hannah Phang (Futerra), Gina Torregroza (UNEP), and Ran Xie (UNEP).

Please contact [email protected] for any enquiries about this project.

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New Project to Support the Improvement of Air Quality and the Fight Against Climate Change in Greater Cairo

Washington DC, September 30, 2020 – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$200 million project to support Egypt’s initiatives to reduce air and climate pollution from critical sectors and to increase resilience to air pollution in Greater Cairo. The project will focus on reducing vehicle emissions, improving the management of solid waste, and strengthening the air and climate decision-making system. 

Greater Cairo’s air quality has recently seen an improvement; however, ambient air pollution remains the city’s most significant environmental health issue—one that weighs heavily on residents’ quality of life and on the economy. Recent studies have estimated the annual economic cost of air pollution on health in the Greater Cairo area alone at about 1.4% of Egypt’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The six-year Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change Project aims to support Egypt’s efforts to reduce both air pollution and climate pollutant emissions in line with the country’s Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt Vision 2030. The project will contribute toward Egypt’s key environmental goal of halving Particulate Matter pollution and toward developing and implementing a strong, economically feasible climate impact mitigation program that would meet Egypt’s 2030 targets for reduced emissions.

“ This project supports our Green Recovery Plan to mitigate and adapt simultaneously, promoting new methods and technologies that help reduce air pollution and curb climate change, ” said Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation . “ This way, we are prioritizing integrated climate solutions that strengthen resilience, protect the health of Egyptians and promote an economically productive society. ”

 “ The hazards of air pollution and climate change are endless and can span decades, ” said Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment . “ Through this partnership with the World Bank, we aim to give our children and youth a healthier future, where they can prosper, grow, and fulfill their potential. ”

The new air pollution reduction and climate change project aims to: i) modernize Egypt’s Air Quality Management System and strengthen the ability of Greater Cairo’s population to cope with high pollution events, including events caused or exacerbated by emissions and climate extremes; ii) support solid waste management in Greater Cairo, including plans for the construction of an integrated waste management facility at the 10th of Ramadan City, the closure and rehabilitation of the Abou-Zaabal dumpsite, and strengthening the regulatory framework for waste management; iii) contribute to vehicle emissions’ reduction by supporting the piloting of electric buses in the public sector and related infrastructure, including charging stations, and assessing the technical and financial feasibility of scaling this up; and, iv) to implement activities aimed at behavioral change by communities and service providers and ensure citizen engagement in project design and implementation.  

“ Egypt is undertaking steps to accelerate the transition towards a more green, sustainable, resilient and inclusive development model, ” said Marina Wes, World Bank Country Director for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti. ‘’ This operation is an integral part of our work to improve the quality of life for Egyptians, including the most vulnerable groups of society, enabling them to benefit from a whole array of development projects, while staying healthy and productive. ’’

  • Greater Cairo Air Pollution Management and Climate Change Project
  • The World Bank in Egypt
  • The World Bank in the Middle East and North Africa

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants.

Biology, Ecology, Health, Earth Science, Geography

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Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment . These harmful materials are called pollutants . Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash . They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land. Many things that are useful to people produce pollution. Cars spew pollutants from their exhaust pipes. Burning coal to create electricity pollutes the air. Industries and homes generate garbage and sewage that can pollute the land and water. Pesticides —chemical poisons used to kill weeds and insects— seep into waterways and harm wildlife . All living things—from one-celled microbes to blue whales—depend on Earth ’s supply of air and water. When these resources are polluted, all forms of life are threatened. Pollution is a global problem. Although urban areas are usually more polluted than the countryside, pollution can spread to remote places where no people live. For example, pesticides and other chemicals have been found in the Antarctic ice sheet . In the middle of the northern Pacific Ocean, a huge collection of microscopic plastic particles forms what is known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch . Air and water currents carry pollution. Ocean currents and migrating fish carry marine pollutants far and wide. Winds can pick up radioactive material accidentally released from a nuclear reactor and scatter it around the world. Smoke from a factory in one country drifts into another country. In the past, visitors to Big Bend National Park in the U.S. state of Texas could see 290 kilometers (180 miles) across the vast landscape . Now, coal-burning power plants in Texas and the neighboring state of Chihuahua, Mexico have spewed so much pollution into the air that visitors to Big Bend can sometimes see only 50 kilometers (30 miles). The three major types of pollution are air pollution , water pollution , and land pollution . Air Pollution Sometimes, air pollution is visible . A person can see dark smoke pour from the exhaust pipes of large trucks or factories, for example. More often, however, air pollution is invisible . Polluted air can be dangerous, even if the pollutants are invisible. It can make people’s eyes burn and make them have difficulty breathing. It can also increase the risk of lung cancer . Sometimes, air pollution kills quickly. In 1984, an accident at a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, released a deadly gas into the air. At least 8,000 people died within days. Hundreds of thou sands more were permanently injured. Natural disasters can also cause air pollution to increase quickly. When volcanoes erupt , they eject volcanic ash and gases into the atmosphere . Volcanic ash can discolor the sky for months. After the eruption of the Indonesian volcano of Krakatoa in 1883, ash darkened the sky around the world. The dimmer sky caused fewer crops to be harvested as far away as Europe and North America. For years, meteorologists tracked what was known as the “equatorial smoke stream .” In fact, this smoke stream was a jet stream , a wind high in Earth’s atmosphere that Krakatoa’s air pollution made visible. Volcanic gases , such as sulfur dioxide , can kill nearby residents and make the soil infertile for years. Mount Vesuvius, a volcano in Italy, famously erupted in 79, killing hundreds of residents of the nearby towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Most victims of Vesuvius were not killed by lava or landslides caused by the eruption. They were choked, or asphyxiated , by deadly volcanic gases. In 1986, a toxic cloud developed over Lake Nyos, Cameroon. Lake Nyos sits in the crater of a volcano. Though the volcano did not erupt, it did eject volcanic gases into the lake. The heated gases passed through the water of the lake and collected as a cloud that descended the slopes of the volcano and into nearby valleys . As the toxic cloud moved across the landscape, it killed birds and other organisms in their natural habitat . This air pollution also killed thousands of cattle and as many as 1,700 people. Most air pollution is not natural, however. It comes from burning fossil fuels —coal, oil , and natural gas . When gasoline is burned to power cars and trucks, it produces carbon monoxide , a colorless, odorless gas. The gas is harmful in high concentrations , or amounts. City traffic produces highly concentrated carbon monoxide. Cars and factories produce other common pollutants, including nitrogen oxide , sulfur dioxide, and hydrocarbons . These chemicals react with sunlight to produce smog , a thick fog or haze of air pollution. The smog is so thick in Linfen, China, that people can seldom see the sun. Smog can be brown or grayish blue, depending on which pollutants are in it. Smog makes breathing difficult, especially for children and older adults. Some cities that suffer from extreme smog issue air pollution warnings. The government of Hong Kong, for example, will warn people not to go outside or engage in strenuous physical activity (such as running or swimming) when smog is very thick.

When air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide mix with moisture, they change into acids . They then fall back to earth as acid rain . Wind often carries acid rain far from the pollution source. Pollutants produced by factories and power plants in Spain can fall as acid rain in Norway. Acid rain can kill all the trees in a forest . It can also devastate lakes, streams, and other waterways. When lakes become acidic, fish can’t survive . In Sweden, acid rain created thousands of “ dead lakes ,” where fish no longer live. Acid rain also wears away marble and other kinds of stone . It has erased the words on gravestones and damaged many historic buildings and monuments . The Taj Mahal , in Agra, India, was once gleaming white. Years of exposure to acid rain has left it pale. Governments have tried to prevent acid rain by limiting the amount of pollutants released into the air. In Europe and North America, they have had some success, but acid rain remains a major problem in the developing world , especially Asia. Greenhouse gases are another source of air pollution. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane occur naturally in the atmosphere. In fact, they are necessary for life on Earth. They absorb sunlight reflected from Earth, preventing it from escaping into space. By trapping heat in the atmosphere, they keep Earth warm enough for people to live. This is called the greenhouse effect . But human activities such as burning fossil fuels and destroying forests have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This has increased the greenhouse effect, and average temperatures across the globe are rising. The decade that began in the year 2000 was the warmest on record. This increase in worldwide average temperatures, caused in part by human activity, is called global warming . Global warming is causing ice sheets and glaciers to melt. The melting ice is causing sea levels to rise at a rate of two millimeters (0.09 inches) per year. The rising seas will eventually flood low-lying coastal regions . Entire nations, such as the islands of Maldives, are threatened by this climate change . Global warming also contributes to the phenomenon of ocean acidification . Ocean acidification is the process of ocean waters absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Fewer organisms can survive in warmer, less salty waters. The ocean food web is threatened as plants and animals such as coral fail to adapt to more acidic oceans. Scientists have predicted that global warming will cause an increase in severe storms . It will also cause more droughts in some regions and more flooding in others. The change in average temperatures is already shrinking some habitats, the regions where plants and animals naturally live. Polar bears hunt seals from sea ice in the Arctic. The melting ice is forcing polar bears to travel farther to find food , and their numbers are shrinking. People and governments can respond quickly and effectively to reduce air pollution. Chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are a dangerous form of air pollution that governments worked to reduce in the 1980s and 1990s. CFCs are found in gases that cool refrigerators, in foam products, and in aerosol cans . CFCs damage the ozone layer , a region in Earth’s upper atmosphere. The ozone layer protects Earth by absorbing much of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation . When people are exposed to more ultraviolet radiation, they are more likely to develop skin cancer, eye diseases, and other illnesses. In the 1980s, scientists noticed that the ozone layer over Antarctica was thinning. This is often called the “ ozone hole .” No one lives permanently in Antarctica. But Australia, the home of more than 22 million people, lies at the edge of the hole. In the 1990s, the Australian government began an effort to warn people of the dangers of too much sun. Many countries, including the United States, now severely limit the production of CFCs. Water Pollution Some polluted water looks muddy, smells bad, and has garbage floating in it. Some polluted water looks clean, but is filled with harmful chemicals you can’t see or smell. Polluted water is unsafe for drinking and swimming. Some people who drink polluted water are exposed to hazardous chemicals that may make them sick years later. Others consume bacteria and other tiny aquatic organisms that cause disease. The United Nations estimates that 4,000 children die every day from drinking dirty water. Sometimes, polluted water harms people indirectly. They get sick because the fish that live in polluted water are unsafe to eat. They have too many pollutants in their flesh. There are some natural sources of water pollution. Oil and natural gas, for example, can leak into oceans and lakes from natural underground sources. These sites are called petroleum seeps . The world’s largest petroleum seep is the Coal Oil Point Seep, off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The Coal Oil Point Seep releases so much oil that tar balls wash up on nearby beaches . Tar balls are small, sticky pieces of pollution that eventually decompose in the ocean.

Human activity also contributes to water pollution. Chemicals and oils from factories are sometimes dumped or seep into waterways. These chemicals are called runoff. Chemicals in runoff can create a toxic environment for aquatic life. Runoff can also help create a fertile environment for cyanobacteria , also called blue-green algae . Cyanobacteria reproduce rapidly, creating a harmful algal bloom (HAB) . Harmful algal blooms prevent organisms such as plants and fish from living in the ocean. They are associated with “ dead zones ” in the world’s lakes and rivers, places where little life exists below surface water. Mining and drilling can also contribute to water pollution. Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a major contributor to pollution of rivers and streams near coal mines . Acid helps miners remove coal from the surrounding rocks . The acid is washed into streams and rivers, where it reacts with rocks and sand. It releases chemical sulfur from the rocks and sand, creating a river rich in sulfuric acid . Sulfuric acid is toxic to plants, fish, and other aquatic organisms. Sulfuric acid is also toxic to people, making rivers polluted by AMD dangerous sources of water for drinking and hygiene . Oil spills are another source of water pollution. In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, causing oil to gush from the ocean floor. In the following months, hundreds of millions of gallons of oil spewed into the gulf waters. The spill produced large plumes of oil under the sea and an oil slick on the surface as large as 24,000 square kilometers (9,100 square miles). The oil slick coated wetlands in the U.S. states of Louisiana and Mississippi, killing marsh plants and aquatic organisms such as crabs and fish. Birds, such as pelicans , became coated in oil and were unable to fly or access food. More than two million animals died as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Buried chemical waste can also pollute water supplies. For many years, people disposed of chemical wastes carelessly, not realizing its dangers. In the 1970s, people living in the Love Canal area in Niagara Falls, New York, suffered from extremely high rates of cancer and birth defects . It was discovered that a chemical waste dump had poisoned the area’s water. In 1978, 800 families living in Love Canal had to a bandon their homes. If not disposed of properly, radioactive waste from nuclear power plants can escape into the environment. Radioactive waste can harm living things and pollute the water. Sewage that has not been properly treated is a common source of water pollution. Many cities around the world have poor sewage systems and sewage treatment plants. Delhi, the capital of India, is home to more than 21 million people. More than half the sewage and other waste produced in the city are dumped into the Yamuna River. This pollution makes the river dangerous to use as a source of water for drinking or hygiene. It also reduces the river’s fishery , resulting in less food for the local community. A major source of water pollution is fertilizer used in agriculture . Fertilizer is material added to soil to make plants grow larger and faster. Fertilizers usually contain large amounts of the elements nitrogen and phosphorus , which help plants grow. Rainwater washes fertilizer into streams and lakes. There, the nitrogen and phosphorus cause cyanobacteria to form harmful algal blooms. Rain washes other pollutants into streams and lakes. It picks up animal waste from cattle ranches. Cars drip oil onto the street, and rain carries it into storm drains , which lead to waterways such as rivers and seas. Rain sometimes washes chemical pesticides off of plants and into streams. Pesticides can also seep into groundwater , the water beneath the surface of the Earth. Heat can pollute water. Power plants, for example, produce a huge amount of heat. Power plants are often located on rivers so they can use the water as a coolant . Cool water circulates through the plant, absorbing heat. The heated water is then returned to the river. Aquatic creatures are sensitive to changes in temperature. Some fish, for example, can only live in cold water. Warmer river temperatures prevent fish eggs from hatching. Warmer river water also contributes to harmful algal blooms. Another type of water pollution is simple garbage. The Citarum River in Indonesia, for example, has so much garbage floating in it that you cannot see the water. Floating trash makes the river difficult to fish in. Aquatic animals such as fish and turtles mistake trash, such as plastic bags, for food. Plastic bags and twine can kill many ocean creatures. Chemical pollutants in trash can also pollute the water, making it toxic for fish and people who use the river as a source of drinking water. The fish that are caught in a polluted river often have high levels of chemical toxins in their flesh. People absorb these toxins as they eat the fish. Garbage also fouls the ocean. Many plastic bottles and other pieces of trash are thrown overboard from boats. The wind blows trash out to sea. Ocean currents carry plastics and other floating trash to certain places on the globe, where it cannot escape. The largest of these areas, called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, is in a remote part of the Pacific Ocean. According to some estimates, this garbage patch is the size of Texas. The trash is a threat to fish and seabirds, which mistake the plastic for food. Many of the plastics are covered with chemical pollutants. Land Pollution Many of the same pollutants that foul the water also harm the land. Mining sometimes leaves the soil contaminated with dangerous chemicals. Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural fields are blown by the wind. They can harm plants, animals, and sometimes people. Some fruits and vegetables absorb the pesticides that help them grow. When people consume the fruits and vegetables, the pesticides enter their bodies. Some pesticides can cause cancer and other diseases. A pesticide called DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) was once commonly used to kill insects, especially mosquitoes. In many parts of the world, mosquitoes carry a disease called malaria , which kills a million people every year. Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Muller was awarded the Nobel Prize for his understanding of how DDT can control insects and other pests. DDT is responsible for reducing malaria in places such as Taiwan and Sri Lanka. In 1962, American biologist Rachel Carson wrote a book called Silent Spring , which discussed the dangers of DDT. She argued that it could contribute to cancer in humans. She also explained how it was destroying bird eggs, which caused the number of bald eagles, brown pelicans, and ospreys to drop. In 1972, the United States banned the use of DDT. Many other countries also banned it. But DDT didn’t disappear entirely. Today, many governments support the use of DDT because it remains the most effective way to combat malaria. Trash is another form of land pollution. Around the world, paper, cans, glass jars, plastic products, and junked cars and appliances mar the landscape. Litter makes it difficult for plants and other producers in the food web to create nutrients . Animals can die if they mistakenly eat plastic. Garbage often contains dangerous pollutants such as oils, chemicals, and ink. These pollutants can leech into the soil and harm plants, animals, and people. Inefficient garbage collection systems contribute to land pollution. Often, the garbage is picked up and brought to a dump, or landfill . Garbage is buried in landfills. Sometimes, communities produce so much garbage that their landfills are filling up. They are running out of places to dump their trash. A massive landfill near Quezon City, Philippines, was the site of a land pollution tragedy in 2000. Hundreds of people lived on the slopes of the Quezon City landfill. These people made their living from recycling and selling items found in the landfill. However, the landfill was not secure. Heavy rains caused a trash landslide, killing 218 people. Sometimes, landfills are not completely sealed off from the land around them. Pollutants from the landfill leak into the earth in which they are buried. Plants that grow in the earth may be contaminated, and the herbivores that eat the plants also become contaminated. So do the predators that consume the herbivores. This process, where a chemical builds up in each level of the food web, is called bioaccumulation . Pollutants leaked from landfills also leak into local groundwater supplies. There, the aquatic food web (from microscopic algae to fish to predators such as sharks or eagles) can suffer from bioaccumulation of toxic chemicals. Some communities do not have adequate garbage collection systems, and trash lines the side of roads. In other places, garbage washes up on beaches. Kamilo Beach, in the U.S. state of Hawai'i, is littered with plastic bags and bottles carried in by the tide . The trash is dangerous to ocean life and reduces economic activity in the area. Tourism is Hawai'i’s largest industry . Polluted beaches discourage tourists from investing in the area’s hotels, restaurants, and recreational activities. Some cities incinerate , or burn, their garbage. Incinerating trash gets rid of it, but it can release dangerous heavy metals and chemicals into the air. So while trash incinerators can help with the problem of land pollution, they sometimes add to the problem of air pollution. Reducing Pollution Around the world, people and governments are making efforts to combat pollution. Recycling, for instance, is becoming more common. In recycling, trash is processed so its useful materials can be used again. Glass, aluminum cans, and many types of plastic can be melted and reused . Paper can be broken down and turned into new paper. Recycling reduces the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills, incinerators, and waterways. Austria and Switzerland have the highest recycling rates. These nations recycle between 50 and 60 percent of their garbage. The United States recycles about 30 percent of its garbage. Governments can combat pollution by passing laws that limit the amount and types of chemicals factories and agribusinesses are allowed to use. The smoke from coal-burning power plants can be filtered. People and businesses that illegally dump pollutants into the land, water, and air can be fined for millions of dollars. Some government programs, such as the Superfund program in the United States, can force polluters to clean up the sites they polluted. International agreements can also reduce pollution. The Kyoto Protocol , a United Nations agreement to limit the emission of greenhouse gases, has been signed by 191 countries. The United States, the world’s second-largest producer of greenhouse gases, did not sign the agreement. Other countries, such as China, the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases, have not met their goals. Still, many gains have been made. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River, in the U.S. state of Ohio, was so clogged with oil and trash that it caught on fire. The fire helped spur the Clean Water Act of 1972. This law limited what pollutants could be released into water and set standards for how clean water should be. Today, the Cuyahoga River is much cleaner. Fish have returned to regions of the river where they once could not survive. But even as some rivers are becoming cleaner, others are becoming more polluted. As countries around the world become wealthier, some forms of pollution increase. Countries with growing economies usually need more power plants, which produce more pollutants. Reducing pollution requires environmental, political, and economic leadership. Developed nations must work to reduce and recycle their materials, while developing nations must work to strengthen their economies without destroying the environment. Developed and developing countries must work together toward the common goal of protecting the environment for future use.

How Long Does It Last? Different materials decompose at different rates. How long does it take for these common types of trash to break down?

  • Paper: 2-4 weeks
  • Orange peel: 6 months
  • Milk carton: 5 years
  • Plastic bag: 15 years
  • Tin can: 100 years
  • Plastic bottle: 450 years
  • Glass bottle: 500 years
  • Styrofoam: Never

Indoor Air Pollution The air inside your house can be polluted. Air and carpet cleaners, insect sprays, and cigarettes are all sources of indoor air pollution.

Light Pollution Light pollution is the excess amount of light in the night sky. Light pollution, also called photopollution, is almost always found in urban areas. Light pollution can disrupt ecosystems by confusing the distinction between night and day. Nocturnal animals, those that are active at night, may venture out during the day, while diurnal animals, which are active during daylight hours, may remain active well into the night. Feeding and sleep patterns may be confused. Light pollution also indicates an excess use of energy. The dark-sky movement is a campaign by people to reduce light pollution. This would reduce energy use, allow ecosystems to function more normally, and allow scientists and stargazers to observe the atmosphere.

Noise Pollution Noise pollution is the constant presence of loud, disruptive noises in an area. Usually, noise pollution is caused by construction or nearby transportation facilities, such as airports. Noise pollution is unpleasant, and can be dangerous. Some songbirds, such as robins, are unable to communicate or find food in the presence of heavy noise pollution. The sound waves produced by some noise pollutants can disrupt the sonar used by marine animals to communicate or locate food.

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New IUCN Report paves the way for a standardised methodology to measure plastic leakage

On 27 August 2019 at the World Water Week in Sweden, IUCN launched a report that identified numerous gaps and opportunities for developing a standard methodology to measure the extent of the plastic pollution crisis. The urgently needed methodology will provide decision makers with improved data collection and analysis on plastic waste management at the global, regional and national levels.

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Photo: © By Nguyen Quang Ngoc Tonkin/Shutterstock

As recognised during the Third United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-3, Nairobi, 2017), there is currently no standard methodology to measure the extent of the plastic problem. Current methodologies do not allow us to better understand the impact of plastic leakage along the value chain, ultimately preventing us from measuring the extent of the plastic pollution problem.

Apart from providing a comprehensive overview of all 19 existing and emerging plastic footprint methodologies for the first time ever, the publication, Review of plastic footprint methodologies: Laying the foundation for the development of a standardised plastic footprint measurement tool also includes a glossary of key terms related to plastics and environmental footprints. This enables the modelling, field and business communities to speak a common language.

The methodologies reviewed in the report identify the abundance and distribution, types and sources, as well as pathways and sinks of plastic pollution at different scales.

There are two types of methodologies: the first comprises methodologies that identify plastic waste streams and recycling rates at the national or business level; the second comprises methodologies that focus on pathway modelling to measure plastic leakage into waterways and oceans, from either mismanaged waste or in the form of microplastics.

An analysis of the review concludes that plastic footprint methodologies are lacking in several ways.

For example, there is a lack of consensus on the physical and socio-economic drivers of plastic leakage and a lack of specific data to establish key parameters of leakage models. Knowledge about the fate of plastic in the environment (e.g. degradation rate) is also absent.

Also, there is a lack of data to conduct impact assessments and to embed plastic impacts within Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) frameworks. Current LCAs do not account for plastic as a pollutant - they assume that 100% collection of waste streams go to landfill, incineration or recycling.

As a result, existing methodologies are not polymer specific. Nor do they allow us to compare the different types of impacts between plastic pollution and other potential environmental impacts. This makes it difficult to design effective models to assess macro and micro plastic leakages and to tackle plastic pollution at source. It also prevents us from understanding the impacts and opportunities related to plastic usage.

“ The report underlines the critical need to adopt a holistic, all-encompassing approach to measuring the impact of plastic pollution, one that assesses the entire value chain of plastic products and their entire life cycle ,” says  IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme Director, Minna Epps.  “ Based on the key findings of the report, we are currently working with UN Environment to develop a best-in-class plastic hotspot methodology that can provide key stakeholders with data and analysis needed to inform their decision-making on reducing plastic leakage.”

In line with IUCN’s effort to  close the plastic tap ,  two new publications will be released next month. Both publications stem from the IUCN Baltic Solutions to Plastic Pollution project funded by the Swedish Postcode Foundation.

The Marine Plastic Footprint – Towards a science-based metric for measuring plastic leakage and increasing the materiality and circularity of plastic , comprises a plastic footprint methodology that aims to help companies set priorities for developing circular economy approaches for tackling plastic pollution. It highlights a clear plastic leakage model by having the first comprehensive set of equations and generic data to calculate leakage for plastic sources such as plastic wastes, textile fabrics, tyre dust, micro beads from cosmetics and fishing nets.

Another publication,  Plasticus Mare Balticum – A synthesis of integrated research analysis and policy papers , compiles several reports from the IUCN Baltic Sea project. These include reports on private sector surveys on circular economy, estimates of plastic leakage into the Baltic Sea and impacts of plastic pollution on selected endangered species. It also provides an overview of policies on marine litter in riparian Baltic countries, and includes research results from studies carried out in Canada, Sweden and Norway, highlighting how plastic can interfere with ice formation and melting, and how it influences the earth’s ability to reflect sun’s rays into space.

View the new report, Review of plastic footprint methodologies : Laying the foundation for the development of a standardised plastic footprint measurement tool , here.

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About IUCN’s Close the Plastic Tap Programme

IUCN’s programme of work on plastics has focused principally on seeking solutions to close the plastic tap and tackle plastic pollution at its source. This involves the mobilisation of a wide range of stakeholders including governments, industries and society. It also involves enhancing our understanding of the problem through research and the compilation of the latest science and data on the issue.

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Lesson ideas.

pollution project work

Teaching Activities About Pollution

This collection highlights teaching activities, hands-on lessons, and online simulations we found on the web that can help students learn about pollution . They are created by science educators and partner education organizations. Just as all our original content is free, we only recommend external resources that are free for teachers.

1. Air Particulate Activity

pollution project work

This activity set is offered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It was created in partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Kohala Center via an EPA STAR Grant. Students build an air particulate sensor similar to that used to monitor emissions from a Hawaiian volcano, including downloading and testing pre-built code .

Image from US EPA

  • Activities : web page , activities set , lesson plan ( PDF )
  • Topic : air pollution, air quality, public health, technology, engineering
  • Level : high school

2. Air Pollution Lessons

pollution project work

This activity set is offered by the University of Colorado, Boulder’s Engineering Department through a program called Teach Engineering (TE). TE was launched in 2001 with the support of National Science Foundation and offers standards-matched STEM curricula focused on “engineering design and design thinking” from over 60 institutions. This lesson – with two activities – was published in 2005; it is the seventh in a unit on Environmental Engineering . Students are introduced to air pollution with extension activities of building particulate matter collectors and filters .

Image from Owen Byrne via UC Boulder

  • Activities : lesson page , collector activity , filter activity
  • Topic : air pollution, environmental engineering, particulate matter
  • Level : middle school

3. Environmental Justice Activity

pollution project work

This activity is offered by ArcGIS , a geographic information mapping software and analytics tool owned by the California-based software company Esri founded in 1969. This “story” on city planning was created in 2020 in collaboration with the Digital Scholarship Lab (DSL) of the University of Richmond and the Science Museum of Richmond . Students explore an interactive history of Richmond, Virginia, with comparative data presented about some other major U.S. cities. It discusses several factors contributing to environmental inequality including various forms of pollution .

Image from ArcGIS/DSL

  • Activity : web page
  • Topic : environmental justice, discrimination, urban planning, pollution, topography, heat islands

4. Air Pollution Game

pollution project work

BrainPOP was founded in 1999 by Dr. Avraham Kadar – a trained pediatrician and immunologist – as a creative way to explain difficult concepts to his young patients. The company hosts a huge portfolio of play-based learning about science, health, and other topics. This web-based game walks students through learning about the history of air pollution and legislation to help curb air pollution. A lesson plan complements the game.

Image from BrainPOP

  • Topic : air pollution, environmental planning
  • Level : middle school, high school

5. Air Pollution Activity

pollution project work

Interactive learning modules in English and Spanish

This activity is offered by the Concord Consortium , a non-profit education research and development organization focused on STEM teaching. The activity was developed in 2020 in partnership with the National Geographic Society and the University of California, Santa Cruz, as part of the Consortium’s High-Adventure Science initiative. Students progress through a series of six online learning modules . It addresses concepts like the air quality index , how pollutants move through the environment, and how to curb air pollution .

Images from Concord Consortium

  • Activity : module web page , activity web page ( English , Spanish )
  • Topic : air pollution, air quality

6. Plastic Pollution Lessons

pollution project work

This collection is offered by the Pennsylvania Sea Grant , hosted by Penn State University, Erie. It was developed circa 2018 as part of a broader set of activity-based curricula related to the Grant’s focus areas of coastal and watershed sustainability. This 78-page PDF collection offers 14 different activities on plastic pollution : five for lower elementary school, three for late elementary or middle school, and six for middle school and high school. They range from age-adapted waste audits (data collection), word-find extensions, and hands-on experiments.

Image from Penn State University

  • Collection : PDF
  • Topic : plastic pollution, waste management, watershed, ecology
  • Level : elementary, middle, or high school (varies)

7. Waste Audit Activity

pollution project work

This activity is offered by Clean San Diego , an anti-litter nonprofit founded in the city in 1954. Though a small part of what it does, the organization features several focused classroom activities about waste management and reducing waste. In this activity, students collect data on and analyze their own waste habits .

Image from Clean San Diego

  • Activity : PDF
  • Topic : waste management, recycling

8. Recycling Game

pollution project work

This activity is offered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This interactive online game has existed for 25 years and is accompanied by additional activities and resources as well as two related games on recycling and energy. In this activity, students travel around a city figuring out all the different ways materials can be recycled .

9. Microplastics Lessons

pollution project work

This collection is offered by the Oregon Sea Grant hosted by Oregon State University. It was published in 2016 by Marie Kowalski. A 70-page PDF, this set offers three lesson plans for middle schoolers to learn about microplastics and the impact they can have on animals and the environment.

Image from OSU

  • Topic : microplastics, environmental literacy

10. Marine Debris Lessons

pollution project work

This collection is also offered by the Oregon Sea Grant. It was developed in 2014 in partnership with the Oregon Coast Aquarium and Lincoln County School District, with subsequent modifications in 2015 and 2016. As of April 2020, this project-based learning collection includes (with some overlap): 15 resources for elementary school, 21 for middle school, and 18 for high school. Across these activities students will investigate marine debris and the impacts of marine debris.

  • Collection : web page
  • Topic : marine environment, water pollution, engineering, technology

11. Microplastics Lessons

pollution project work

This collection is offered by the Florida Sea Grant hosted by the University of Florida Extension Program. The site recommends to start with a 7-page overview ( PDF ) organized by Dr. Maia McGuire before exploring seven Sea Grant-funded resources and twelve other vetted sources, some of which are also highlighted in our list! Students of all ages will learn about microplastics using these resources.

Image from UF

  • Topic : microplastics, marine debris, pollution

That’s Not All!

Check out our full collection of adapted research articles on Pollution . Each article comes with tailored teaching resources, lessons, labs, and other activities for your students.

pollution project work

Title image by Andrew Hill for the Geograph Project

  • August 3, 2023

Share this Lesson Idea

Check out this related lesson idea, articles on climate change and ghg emissions.

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pollution project work

Air Pollution Threatens Millions of Lives. Now the Sources Are Shifting

As EPA tightens air pollution standards for particulate matter, new research suggests some components of that pollution could worsen with climate change

By Virginia Gewin

Hairdresser applies hair care product with spray

Sergii Kolesnikov/Getty Images

Particle-based ambient air pollution causes more than 4 million premature deaths each year globally, according to the World Health Organization. The tiniest particles—2.5 microns or smaller, known as PM 2.5 —pose the greatest health risk because they can travel deep into the lungs and may even get into the bloodstream.

Although total PM 2.5 levels have decreased 42 percent in the U.S. since 2000 as a result of clean air regulations, scientists are concerned about the health impacts of even low levels of such pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lowered the annual national air quality standard for PM 2.5 from 12 to nine micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m 3 ) this week. EPA administrator Michael Regan said in a press conference that officials estimate the new standard will save up to $46 billion dollars in avoided health care and hospitalization costs by 2032. “Health benefits will include up to 800,000 avoided cases of asthma symptoms, 4,500 avoided premature deaths, and 290,000 avoided lost workdays,” he said. The World Health Organization adopted an even lower 5 µg/m 3 standard in 2021, citing the growing evidence of deadly harm.

Beyond investigating their size, scientists are also digging into the chemistry of airborne particles, which, unlike other regulated pollutants such as lead and ozone, encompass a wide array of solid and liquid particles from soot to nitrate. Some airborne particles are directly emitted from car tailpipes or industrial sources; others form in the atmosphere. And the balance of those is shifting. To help states meet the tougher air standards, scientists will need more detailed studies of particle sources.

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In July 2022, for the first time in more than a decade, teams of scientists conducted an intensive campaign to characterize what’s in the summertime soup of particles that New York City residents breathe. The researchers measured the chemical makeup of PM 2.5 over the course of a month.

The team found that the PM 2.5 was 80 to 83 percent organic, or carbon-based —up from roughly 50 percent in 2001, according to the study, which was published January 22 in ACS ES&T Air . “Over the past 20 years, summertime particulate matter has shifted to organic aerosols due largely to the successful reductions of sulfate and other inorganic compounds,” says Tori Hass-Mitchell, the study’s lead author and a doctoral student at Yale University.

Roughly 76 percent of the total organic aerosols measured by the study in New York City were not directly emitted from a source but rather formed in the atmosphere. These so-called secondary organic aerosols are produced when gases, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), oxidize in the atmosphere. VOCs are produced by a wide range of sources such as cars, vegetation and household chemicals, including cosmetics and cleaners , which complicates efforts to identify the most impactful sources.

Hass-Mitchell and colleagues’ paper is the first to include data from the Atmospheric Science and Chemistry Measurement Network ( ASCENT)—a network of 12 sites around the U.S. that is the first long-term monitoring system able to chemically characterize distinct particle types. Sally Ng, who led the design of the $12-million, National Science Foundation–funded network, says Europe has had similar measurement capabilities for more than five years. “It’s time for the U.S. to modernize its air quality measurement infrastructure,” says Ng, an aerosol scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a co-author of the New York City study.

Recent studies have shown that secondary organic aerosols may be linked to serious health problems—especially cardiovascular disease. A study published last September in Environmental Science & Technology found that as organic aerosols oxidize, they produce highly reactive molecules that can break down human cells and cause tissue damage . Oxidized organic aerosols are the most toxic organic component of PM 2.5 , Ng says. And her work suggests that secondary organic aerosols become more toxic the longer they oxidize in the atmosphere.

Havala Pye, an EPA research scientist, co-authored a separate 2021 Nature study that found that secondary organic aerosols are strongly associated with county-level heart and lung disease death rates in the U.S. Secondary organic aerosols were associated with a 6.5 times higher mortality rate than PM 2.5 .

“There’s a good chance the aerosols are becoming more toxic on a per mass basis, and secondary organic aerosols would be part of the reason why,” says Allen Robinson, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University, who was not involved in the new research or Pye’s study. In other words, breathing more oxidized aerosols may be more toxic to humans. But the literature looking at health effects of individual components of PM 2.5 is messy, Robinson notes. More work is needed to unravel the impact of complex combinations of different particle sizes and chemistries in PM 2.5 , he explains. Pye also cautions that consistent results from repeated experiments are needed to verify whether secondary organic aerosols carry significantly greater health risks than other particles that make up PM 2.5 .

Will a warming climate worsen air pollution health risks?

Previous studies have found that warmer temperatures can lead to greater production of these secondary organic aerosols. Hass-Mitchell and colleagues found in the new study that secondary organic aerosol production increased by 60 percent and 42 percent in Queens and Manhattan, respectively, during a sweltering five-day heat wave in July 2022. “We should expect higher health burdens as temperatures rise in a warming climate, with potentially more frequent extreme heat events in the future,” Hass-Mitchell says.

“Secondary organic aerosols are an increasingly important contributor to particulate matter in the summertime and urban air quality, and [they have] a temperature sensitivity that is really important to keep in mind in the context of future climate scenarios,” says Drew Gentner, a chemical and environmental engineer at Yale University and senior author of the new paper. These compounds “are becoming more oxidized at higher temperatures,” he adds, and increased temperatures can cause greater emissions of reactive volatile organic compounds.

And as temperatures increase amid climate change, more frequent and severe wildfires have already begun to chip away at air quality gains in western states. Although Hass-Mitchell and colleagues didn’t observe smoke from wildfires in the summer of 2022, they expect that organic aerosols from wildfires—such as those in the smoke that choked much of the Northeast and Midwest last summer—will also play a major role as the climate changes.

Many other cities, such as Los Angeles, Atlanta and Seoul, have also documented an increasing proportion of PM 2.5 from secondary organic aerosols. But the exact mix of natural versus human-produced sources varies widely from city to city. To continue reducing PM 2.5 , “we need to understand the underlying sources and chemistry contributing to secondary organic aerosol production,” Gentner says.

Until the early 2000s, both the tools to measure secondary organic aerosols and the understanding of their formation were limited, says Benjamin Nault, a co-author of the New York City study and a research scientist at Johns Hopkins University. Currently, most instruments are designed to measure either the size or the chemistry of aerosols but not both, he says. Scientists rely on models to determine how much secondary organic aerosol comes from, for example, live vegetation, asphalt or cooking. But it’s unclear whether some sources are more harmful than others. “There are different signatures for the chemicals that come from taking a shower versus painting [a house],” he says. “Now we’re trying to understand how they come together in an urban environment.”

And that improved understanding is leading to more nuanced pollution research. “As aerosol studies advance, with increasing capabilities to examine the various chemical components of aerosols, we can ask important questions about the relative impact of those components on air quality, human health and the environment,” Gentner says. “It may be less straightforward to address secondary organic aerosol sources compared to primary sources of pollution, but studies [like ours] demonstrate that secondary organic aerosols are the biggest contributor in some urban areas.”

Reporting for this piece was supported by the Nova Institute for Health.

Drilling of a 2.2-mile sewer tunnel under Rhode Island is finally complete. What comes next?

pollution project work

PAWTUCKET – In a huge burrow deep beneath the east bank of the Seekonk River on Thursday morning, heavy blocks of stone came crashing down as a giant machine chewed through the last stretch of bedrock to complete a 2.2-mile-long tunnel aimed at keeping the waters of Narragansett Bay clean. 

With its cutter head rotating relentlessly, the tunnel boring machine has been working around the clock for a year and a half, grinding through 25 millimeters of rock face each minute to carve out the 30-foot diameter tunnel that will capture stormwater and sewage before they can reach the Seekonk River and then the Bay. 

The work has been painstaking and incremental, but in the end it wrapped up sooner than anticipated. 

“They were a little bit ahead of where we thought they would be,” said Jamie Samons, spokeswoman for the Narragansett Bay Commission, operator of the biggest wastewater treatment system in Rhode Island. 

What will the tunnel do?

The 125-foot-deep tunnel is the centerpiece of the final phase of the commission’s decades-long, $1.7-billion project to prevent combined sewer overflows from polluting New England’s largest estuary . 

Runoff from rains, especially when mixed with household waste, is one of the leading threats to the body of water at the heart of Rhode Island. The runoff transports the bacteria that close beaches and shellfish beds, as well as nutrients that cause dangerous algae blooms.   

So, during the biggest storms, when the commission’s wastewater pipes are overloaded with rainfall rushing from roofs, sidewalks and streets into drains, the excess stormwater mixed with effluent will be channeled into storage tunnels instead of being discharged untreated. When the storm clouds part, the mixture is pumped back to the surface, treated and finally released into the rivers that empty into the Bay.  

More: Giant RI sewer project is cleaning Narragansett Bay. But is it too costly for ratepayers?

The first two phases of the project wrapped up in Providence nearly a decade ago. They included a 26-foot diameter, 3-mile tunnel that begins beneath downtown and follows the Providence River to the commission’s treatment plant at Fields Point. 

The new tunnel that is at the heart of Phase III runs from the vicinity of the commission’s other treatment plant at Bucklin Point in East Providence into Pawtucket along the east bank of the Seekonk River. It will be able to store 58.5 million gallons of overflow. 

All told, the entire project aims to take care of 98% of overflow volumes into the Bay. The work so far in Providence has resulted in drastically lower bacteria counts, clearer water and reduced numbers of shellfish bed closures. 

Work on the CSO project is far from over

While the completion of the tunnel marks a major milestone for the construction project, there is still much work to be done.  

First things first, the 300-foot-long boring machine will have to be disassembled and lifted back to the surface.  

Then, work will pick up on the four drop shafts that will channel overflows into the storage tunnel. 

And finally, the pump station that will send the stored mix of dirty water to the Bucklin Point plant for treatment will be completed. 

The project is on schedule and set to wrap up in 2026. 

“We are excited to complete this important milestone in the Phase III RestoredWaters RI project,” said commission chairman Vincent Mesolella. “We are continuing to see the positive results of the investments made through this project, including a significantly cleaner Narragansett Bay, reopening of shellfishing beds and healthier waters for all Rhode Islanders for generations to come.” 

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces $50 Million from Investing in America Agenda to Clean Up Legacy Pollution on Federal Lands and Waters

Funding from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will create good-paying jobs, help clean up more than 120 orphaned oil and gas well sites nationwide

Date: Thursday, February 22, 2024 Contact: [email protected]

WASHINGTON — The Department of the Interior today announced a $50.5 million investment through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to put people to work plugging, remediating and reclaiming orphaned oil and gas well sites located in national parks, national forests, national wildlife refuges, and on other public lands and waters. Five bureaus within the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture will address 123 high-priority polluting wells that pose threats to human health and safety, the climate, and wildlife.   

This year’s funding is part of an overall historic $4.7 billion investment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address orphaned oil and gas wells across the nation that will create good-paying union jobs, catalyze economic growth and revitalization, improve public health and safety, and reduce harmful methane leaks. Methane pollution from many of these unplugged wells is a serious safety hazard and a significant driver of climate change, with methane being more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.  

“Toxic orphaned wells pose a significant threat to American communities and our environment,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “I’ve seen firsthand how orphaned oil and gas wells left behind by extractive industries lead to hazardous pollution, water contamination, and safety hazards. This crucial funding reflects President Biden’s vision for a cleaner, safer and more equitable future.  It’s a win-win-win – reducing harmful methane emissions, restoring our treasured landscapes, and creating good-paying jobs.”  

Today’s allocation is part of a total of $250 million provided through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up orphaned well sites on federal public lands and is in addition to $4.3 billion to plug orphaned wells on state and private lands. Today’s announcement brings the total allocated to address orphaned wells on federal lands to date to approximately $150 million, which is estimated to fund the plugging of nearly 600 orphaned wells on federal lands and waters, 172 of which have already been addressed. The $50.5 million investment will be distributed across 19 states, covering a diverse array of projects, including plugging, reclamation, methane measurement, and infrastructure removal at various national parks, wildlife refuges, and national forests as well as offshore oilfield locations.  

70 percent of selected projects will benefit communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. This program advances the President’s Justice40 Initiative , which set a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities.

See below for a list of funded projects slated for this year:  

FY24 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funded Federal Orphaned Well Projects by State:  

* Includes a combination of well-plugging projects and projects conducting only pre- or post-plugging activities (e.g., reclamation, environmental compliance)  

** Projects consist of only pre- or post-plugging activities (e.g., reclamation, environmental compliance, inventory)

In addition to these projects led by federal bureaus, nearly $645 million in initial and formula grants have already been awarded to states over the past two years to address orphaned oil and gas wells on state and private lands as part of this historic economic and environmental investment.  

Construction area and removal of rusted equipment

Interior Department Releases Draft Guidance for States to Access up to $1.5 Billion from President…

Secretary Haaland and 3 others sit at table in a discussion

Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $46 Million from Investing in America Agenda to…

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Page 1: project report on environmental pollution

MINOR PROJECT REPORT

“A detailed project report on ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION”

Submitted in Partial Fulfilment for the Award of

Bachelor of Technology Degree

Rajasthan Technology University, Kota

Submitted To: - Submitted by: -

Assist. Professor Rajendra Kumar Khyalia Tushar Garg

(13EKTCE113)

Page 2: project report on environmental pollution

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all those who provided me

the possibility to complete this report. A special gratitude I give to over teacher,

MR. Rajendra Kumar Khyalia, whose contribution in stimulating suggestion

and encouragement, helped me to coordinate my minor project especially in

writing in this report.

Page 3: project report on environmental pollution

Using the most comprehensive data file ever compiled on air pollution, water pollution, environmental

regulations, and infant mortality from a developing country, the paper examines the effectiveness of

India’s environmental regulations. The air pollution regulations were effective at reducing ambient

concentrations of particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The most successful air

pollution regulation is associated with a modest and statistically insignificant decline in infant mortality.

However, the water pollution regulations had no observable effect. Overall, these results contradict the

conventional wisdom that environmental quality is a deterministic function of income and underscore the

role of institutions and politics.

Page 4: project report on environmental pollution

KAUTILYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING

SITAPURA, JAIPUR

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

DECLERATION

I hereby certify that work which is being presented in the minor project report entitled “

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION “ in partial fulfilment of the requirements for award of degree of

bachelor in technology and submitted in the department of civil engineering at the Kautilya Institute

Of Technology & Engineering, Jaipur is an authentic record of my own work carried out during a

period from July 2016 to November 2016 under the supervision of assistant professor Rajendra Kumar

Khyalia, department of civil engineering.

The matter presented in the minor project report has not been submitted by me for the award of any

degree of this or any other institute.

Tushar Garg

Roll No – 13EKTCE113 (68)

This is to certify that above statement made by the coordinate is correct to the best of my knowledge.

Rajendra Kumar Khyaliya

(Assistant Professor)

Department of civil engineering

Kautilya institute of tech. & engg.

Page 5: project report on environmental pollution

1. INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

2. MEANING OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

3. FACTOR AFFECTING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

4. TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

5. SOURCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

6. EFFECT OF POLLUTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT

7. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION

8. POLICY STATEMENT OF ABATEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

9. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Page 6: project report on environmental pollution

CONTENT OF PHOTO

1. AIR POLLUTION 11

2. WATER POLLUTION 12

3. LAND POLLUTION 13

4. NOISE POLLUTION 14

5. RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION 14

6. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION PREVENTION 30

7. ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL IN PREVENTION OF POLLUTION 31

Page 7: project report on environmental pollution

INTRODUCTION TO POLLUTION

The systematic pollution of our environment is one of the biggest hazards that humanity faces today.

People are becoming increasingly aware of the threat posed by pollution and governments are

enacting legislations aimed at protecting the environment.

During the last few decades, the global environment has gone through serious challenges and changes.

Population pressure has escaped rapidly consequently resources have dwindle.

Pollution is an undesirable change in the physical and biological operations of our air, land and

water. They may be or will be harmful to human life, species our industries process; living condition

and culture assets or deteriorate our material resources.

Human being can be exposed to pollutant in many ways through the air they breathe, the water they

drink, the food they eat and the cosmetics, drugs and other products they use. The continuing

discovery of previously unsuspected hazards from various chemicals and other substances

underscore the point. The environmental and human health effect of even those substances identified

for priority consideration.

Scientific developments have been a growing concern about the links between the health and

environment and worldwide industrial, land and resources management practices. Today there is a

growing concern for global scale environmental degradation brought by combinations of all people on

Manufacturing plants, agriculture production and other sources release pollutants into the air, water

and soil, pollutants are intentionally moved away through the management of waste including

residues removed from the air and water by pollution control equipment.

Pollutants also move among the media by changing into more, or less hazardous substances as they

move through environment. They may accumulate in sinks for long period of time and people often are

exposed to the same pollutant through the one medium by breathing air, drinking water, eating food or

absorbing it through skin.

Generally new industrial plants reduce less waste than older ones. One report estimates that new

factories cut the amount of hazardous waste to half. Dilution which increases the volume of waste, is

now more common than segregations.

Firms dilute waste to lower pollutant concentration for discharge into a sewage treatment plant or

directly into air or water, or to inject them more easily into deep wells. To save money, small

Page 8: project report on environmental pollution

electroplating firms after mix their organic waste with those containing metals and cyanide before

dumping them in the sewer rather than treating them independently.

The sewage treatment plant can degrade the organic waste but the metal of cyanide accumulates in the

plants sludge. A cross media approach designed to avoid this problem might require the discharger to

segregate and treat separately the heavy metals and cyanide to prevent their release.

Once wastes are segregated, they are easy to recycle or treat. As a better understanding of nature and

extent of Cross media problem is gained, society will also find better ways to improve both the

effectiveness and efficiency of pollution control policies.

The word environment connotes the whole gamat of physical surroundings i.e. land, air and water

along with the biotic components (all living forms/which are responsible for the plant and animal

kingdom to survive and proferaterate Environmental segments are atmosphere, hydrosphere,

lithosphere and biosphere.

MEANING OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Ecosystem is a natural unit of living community (plants and animals) and non-living environment. The

biotic and abiotic community are constantly interacting and exchanging materials and energy between

themselves.

The life in an ecosystem depends upon the environment which provides energy in the form of sunlight

and nutrients for the living components of the ecosystem. Waste matter and energy produced by

human beings through, their irresponsible and wanting activities cause disturbance in the natural

environment or is the ecosystem is called environment pollution.

Environmental pollution is the result of increased production of waste products by the industries, rapid

urbanization, wanting and irresponsible. Harnessing of the natural resources as well as unplanned sewage

and waste disposal from industries and cities etc. Thus presence of any environment pollutant called

environment pollution.

Nature has provided the basic ingredients for living in abundance and whatever is used up during

normal course of living is recaptured through natural cycle. Any effort to disturb this process is termed

as Environment pollution.

In a homeostatic ecosystem there is a balance between the living organisms and the environment.

Page 9: project report on environmental pollution

Disturbance in any component of the environment is likely to have a harmful effect on the ecosystem.

Any change in the environment which contributes to its deterioration is called pollution of the

environment and the agent which causes the pollution is called the pollutant.

This change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of our physical environment (air,

water and land) is undesirable and harms human life, other living organisms and cultural assets. The

resulting impact on the environment has been so massive with far-reaching consequences that the very

existence of life is threatened.

FACTOR AFFECTING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Some of the factors which are affecting environment and causes pollution are described below:

a. CONSEQUENCE OF POPULATION GROWTH - Population growth is one of the

prominent factors that affect the degradation of the environment. Earlier, pestilence and famine

kept the population under control, but with the development of chemical compounds to restore and

enhance the soil fertility, and with reduction in the death rate, there has been an explosive growth

in population with inevitable consequences.

This dramatic growth coupled with the development of cheap sources of energy like coal,

petroleum, natural gas etc., and industrial revolution has posed a grave threat to the environment

because earth is a finite system in which any further increase will be restricted by environmental

constraints.

Pollution increases not only because the people multiply and the space available to each person

becomes smaller but also because the demands per person are continuously increasing and each

throws away more and more every year. Pollutants are the residues of the things we make, use and

throw away.

An intimate relationship is found between human number (population) and environment. The

impact of any human group in environment can be conceptually resolved into three factors;

Pollution, Affluence i.e. material aspects of per capita consumption of goods and resources and

technology of production.

b. POLLUTION OF INDIAN LAKES - Among the surface water bodies, lakes and

Page 10: project report on environmental pollution

Reservoirs are considered to be most valuable water resources. These surface water bodies are

currently under serious pollution threat not only in India but also globally considered to be an

important issue.

Over past couple of decades national and international programmes on lake water quality

assessment and their management in the perspective of conservation were attempted.

Considerable studies were made in Himalayan lakes of J & K (Dal & Nagin Lake), Kumaun

(Naimtal and Bhimtal Lake), Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal Lake), Odissa (Chilka Lake), Manipore

(Loktak Lake) and so on. In almost all cases lake water is highly polluted with silts,

agrochemicals, fertilizer, organic wastes and industrial discharges etc.

As a result, considerable biotic changes along with loss of productivity is noticed. In most of

limnological studies of the lake system thus revealed the fact that most of the lakes slowly

transformed into swampy marsh without any proper management for conservation. Since 1990s

there is a national lake conservation policy adopted by the Ministry of Environment and Forest,

Govt. of India.

The National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) was initiated by the Ministry of Environment and

Forests in June 2001 with objectives to maintain the ecological health of lakes. Initially three lakes

are taken as a model for this programme. They are: Powai Lake (Maharashtra), Ooty and

Kodaikanal Lake (Tamil Nadu). Now about 49 lakes of 13 states have been considered for this

c. POLLUTANT - According to “The Indian Environment Protection Act 1980” a pollutant has

been defined as any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such concentration as may be or

tend to be injurious to environment.

Any substance present in the environment in such concentration which adversely effects the

environment by damaging the growth rate of a species and by interfering with the food chains, and

affects the health, comfort and property etc. is considered as a pollutant.

Smoke from industries and automobiles, domestic and commercial sewage, radioactive substances

from nuclear plants and discarded household articles (tins, bottles, broken crockery etc.) come

under the category of pollutants.

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TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Pollution is of five mains types:

(a) Atmospheric or Air pollution

(b) Water pollution

(c) Land and soil pollution

(d) Noise pollution

(e) Radioactive pollution

(a) ATMOSPHERIC OR AIR POLLUTION - It is an atmospheric condition in which

Certain substances (including the normal constituents in excess) are present in concentrations which

can cause undesirable effects on man and his environment. These substances include gases, particulate

matter, radioactive substances etc.

Gaseous pollutants include oxides of sulphur (mostly SO2, SO3) oxides of nitrogen (mostly NO and

NO2 or NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (mostly hydrocarbons) etc.

Particulate pollutants include smoke, dust, soot, fumes, aerosols, liquid droplets, pollen grains etc.

Radioactive pollutants include radon-222, iodine-131, strontium 90, plutonium-239 etc.

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(b) WATER POLLUTION - Water is one of the most important bio-logical components

That sustain life. Its great solvent power makes the creation of absolute pure water a theoretical

rather than a practical goal. Human population has the habit of dumping their wastes into water.

This has the effect of diluting the waste and getting it dispersed if it is a running water system.

The term “water quality” is infinitely related to water pollution. The water is said to be polluted when

it has more “negative” qualities than “positive” ones. Water quality refers to the physical, chemical

and biological characteristics of water. Thus, in simple words, we can say that polluted water is that

water which has been abused, defiled in some way, so that it is no longer fit for use.

Water pollution can be defined as “the presence of too much of undesirable substances in water which

tend todegrade the quality of water’s physical, chemical and biological characteristics, making it

unsuitable for beneficial use”.

(c) LAND AND SOIL POLLUTION - Soil is the loose mineral material and is the most

important component of the earth’s surface (lithosphere). It is the growth medium for many microbes,

plants and animals. The formation of soil is the result of chemical, physical and biological weathering.

Like air and water, soil is also subjected to pollution. Soil contains many microbes.

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(d) NOISE POLLUTION - We hear various types of sounds every day. Sound is mechanical

energy from a vibrating source. A type of sound may be pleasant to someone and at the same

time unpleasant to others. The unpleasant and unwanted sound is called noise.

Sound can propagate through a medium like air, liquid or solid. Sound wave is a pressure perturbation

in the medium through which sound travels. Sound pressure alternately causes compression and

rarefaction. The number of compressions and rarefactions of the molecules of the medium (for

example air) in a unit time is described as frequency. It is expressed in Hertz (Hz) and is equal to the

number of cycles per second.

There is a wide range of sound pressures, which encounter human ear. Increase in sound pressure does

not invoke linear response of human ear. A meaningful logarithmic scale has been devised. The noise

measurements are expressed as Sound Pressure Level (SPL) which is logarithmic ratio of the sound

pressure to a reference pressure.

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(e) RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION - The elements such as uranium, thorium etc. having

unstable nuclei emit radiations such as alpha, beta and gamma in nature to acquire stability.

These elements are called radioactive elements.

Some ordinary elements like zinc, calcium, chlorine etc. can be converted into radioactive by

bombardment with neutron or other particles. This bombardment is called disintegration and the

disintegration rate is measured in curie (Ci) named on the discoverer, of radioactive elements.

Curie = 3.7 × 1010 disintegrations/sec.

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SOURCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

There are two main source of environmental pollution:-

i. Natural sources and

ii. Man-made source or anthropogenic sources.

NATURAL SOURCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

(a) Volcanic eruptions release gases and volcanic ash.

(b) Forest fires produce smoke and trace gases.

(c) Dust storms increase the wind – blown dust into the environment.

(d) Bacteria, spores, cysts and pollens are all natural pollutants.

(e) Decay of organic matter in marshy places releases marsh gas which is a light, colourless,

inflammable hydrocarbon.

MAN – MADE OR ANTHROPOGENIC SOURCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL

Anthropogenic source cover a wide spectrum of types as man has aggravated the problem of

pollution by his innumerable activities like,

(a) Domestic source

(b) Industries

(c) Agriculture activities

(d) Radioactive waste

(e) Thermal power stations

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EFFECT OF POLLUTION ON ENVIRONMENT The term “environment” refers to the immediate surroundings in which man lives. It comprises of

living and non-living constituents that support life and sustain various human activities. Pollution

affects both the living as well as the non-living components of the environment.

It brings about drastic changes in the physical environment causing community wide problems by

polluting the air, water and land; adversely affecting the health of humans and animals, and damaging

plants and property. Besides there are effects of noise pollution and the hazards associated with radiation

As environmental stress on the human body increases, many medical scientists fear a terminal increase

in infectious disorders not only because of lower body resistance but because viruses and other disease

organisms will increasingly slip through water treatment and food processing plants as the quality of

water and food at the intake deteriorates.

Effect on plants, the adverse effects range from reduction in growth rate to death of the plant. The

damage caused to plants by pollution includes necrosis (dead areas on a leaf structure), chlorosis (loss

or reduction of chlorophyll leading to yellowing of leaf), epinasty (downward curvature of the leaf due

to higher rate of growth on the upper surface) and abscission of leaves (premature fall). Pollution also

causes deterioration of structural materials such asmarble and lime stone.

Pollution has been changed the atmospheric conditions. An average temperature has been increased

due to increase in pollution. Effects of pollution at international level are depletion of ozone layer,

global warming acid rain, rising sea level etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND CONTROL OF

Over population and pollution are potent ecological forces impinging upon man by affecting the

quality of the environment. All efforts aimed at bringing more and more people above the poverty line

actually increase the pressure on natural resources.

Careless management of natural resources is disrupting the ecological processes so much so that

earth’s life supporting capacity is being substantially threatened. Unmindful exploitation of the finite

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resources of the biosphere has a severe ecological backlash because no development is sustainable

unless it is environmentally compatible.

Environmental compatibility demands that the economic and social development should be linked with

environmental management.

Articles 48.A and 51.A of our constitution provide for environmental protection.

According to the National Committee of Environment-Planning and

Coordination (NCEPC), the frame work for environmental protection aims at: i.

Control of environmental pollution

ii. Conservation of natural source

iii. Land management

iv. Development of non – polluting source of energy

v. Environmental education

vi. Environmental laws

Pollution is the burning of the day at the global level. A combined effort to control pollution has to be made

by all government agencies, technologists, industrialists, agriculturists and last but not the least the

common man.

An international conference on “Human Environments” was held at Stockholm in 1971, to emphasise the need

to control pollution. Several measures were recommended by the scientists participating in the conference,

i. The first step should be to identify those causes of pollution that have global implications, and to

devise protective measures to be adopted.

ii. The second step should be to find out the carrying capacity of the environment and reduce the

emission of the major sources of pollution.

iii. The third step should be to find a neutralizer for each type of pollutant. iv. The fourth step should

be to ensure that anti-pollution measures are adopted by all industries.

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v. The fifth step should be the identification of areas where the cause of pollution is poverty and

lack of environmental education. Contamination of food and water are the basic causes of

pollution in such areas.

vi. Most important is initiation of adequate research to devise measures for controlling pollution.

Environmental monitoring is urgently required for controlling pollution.

This involves:

i. Careful scrutinisation of the environmental characteristics.

ii. Laying down the standards of environmental quality. iii. Regular

assessment of the abovementioned environmental characteristics.

iv. Keeping track of the changes in the environmental characteristics and educating people about the

changes due to these changes.

v. Devising measures to combat the menace of pollution.

vi. Enacting environmental laws and taking legal action against environmental offenders.

Efforts are required to the made by each individual to control pollution.

These efforts include:

i. Installation of proper sewage disposal methods.

ii. Dumping of non-biodegradable wastes in low lying areas. iii.

Installation of go bar gas plants in areas of high availability of

iv. Reduction of smoke emission and treatment of chimney smoke to remove solid carbon particles.

v. Judicious use of fertilisers, pesticides and detergents (Detergents of low-level phosphate content

are less harmful).

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vi. Growing plants like Pyrus (apple), Pinus(chir) and Vitis (grapes) is advocated because of their

capability of metabolizing gaseous nitrogenous pollutants like nitrogen dioxide etc. and plants

like coleus, ficus (banyan) can fix Carbon monoxide.

Skilled personnel with know-how to tackle the problems arising from pollution and for devising

environmental pollution control measures are working in many institutions in India.

Important ones amongst them are:

i. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur.

ii. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai.

iii. National Committee of Environmental Planning and Co-ordination (NCEPC), New Delhi. iv.

Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow.

v. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

vi. Central Public Health Engineering Research Institute (CPHERI), Nagpur.

Scientists have rightly said that, ‘in the course of our progress from one age to another, we have simply

passed from a savage sewage’. What is important in the query – ‘Will there be any salvage’?

Factors Causing Pollution:

(i) Over population: Pollution increases with the population density. As the population increases

more burden is placed on the environment.

(ii) Urbanization: Shifting of population from rural to urban. A thickly populated area is the home of

large number of vehicles reservoir solid and liquid wastes with poor sanitary conditions and

many problems.

(iii) Industrialisation: Power generation, Vehicular.

(iv) Per capita income: Standard of living, goods and services demanded per person increased.

(v) Extent of recycling: Waste product is cleaned and reused pollution level is de- creased.

(vi) Technology: Efficient Engines provides less in pollution/wastes.

vii. Waste treatment : - cleaning of a air and water

viii. Ionic

ix. Deforestation

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x. Water depletion

xi. Refrigeration

xii. Arosol

xiii. Radioactivity xiv. Volcanic eruption

xv. Strong wind xvi.

Forest fire xvii.

EFFECT OF POLLUTION ON HUMAN HEALTH

Air pollution can cause death, impairment of health, reduce visibility, bring about vast economic losses

and contribute to the general deterioration. It can also cause intangible losses to historical monuments.

Minor symptoms include headaches, mucosal irritation (eye, nose, throat or respiratory discomfort).

Severe reaction can include nausea or asphyxiation and prolong exposure can lead to various system

effects of toxic poisoning or to cancer of the lungs or other organs.

i. Odour nuisance

ii. Increase in mortality rate

iii. Increase in mobility rate

iv. Asthmatic attack

v. Bronchitis

vi. Cardio vascular disesase

vii. Pulmonary disease

viii. Furosis ix. Motting of fat

x. Silicosis, asbestosis.

POLICY STATEMENT OF ABATEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

i. PREAMBLE

The commitment of Government on abatement of pollution for preventing deterioration of the

environment is stated here. The policy elements seek to shift emphasis from defining objectives

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for each problems area towards actual implementation, but the focus in on the long term, because

pollution particularly affects the poor.

The complexities are considerable given the number of industries, organisations and government

bodies involved. To achieve the objectives maximum use will be made of a mix of instruments

in the form of legislation and regulation, fiscal incentives, voluntary agreements, educational

programmes and information campaigns. The emphasis will be on increased use of regulations

and an increase in the development and application of financial incentives.

ii. THE PROBLEM

a. There is an increasing trend in environmental pollution. Water is polluted by four kinds of

substances: traditional organic waste generated from industrial processes, chemical agents for

fertilisers and pesticides for crop protection and silt from degraded catchments.

While it is estimated that three-fourths by volume of the waste water generated is from municipal

sources, industrial waste, though small in volume, contributes over one-half of the total pollutant

load, and the major portion of this is coming from large and medium industries. For class-I cities

of the Country, less than five percent of the total waste water generated is collected and less than

one-fourth of this treated.

b. Ambient air quality trends in the major cities indicate that levels of suspended particulate

matter are higher than the prescribed standards or limits, especially in summer months. Levels of

nitrogen dioxide are increasing in urban centres with growing emissions.

c. Environmental problems are becoming larger in scale. The chemical industry generates an

increasing quantity of substances every year; adversely affecting essential aspects of the

composition of the atmosphere, soil and water. In the industrial high density areas, in addition to

the effects on local health and impact on nature, we are confronted with damage to the social and

economic functions of the environment.

d. With restrictions on releases to air and waste water, hazardous chemical wastes are

getting diverted to land for their disposal.

Earlier concerns with pollution that was visible and degradable area giving way to new types of

pollution with very small quantities of synthetic chemicals that are not so visible and are

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injurious to health and damage the environment because of widespread use, persistence and

toxicity. Reducing the hazards from toxic chemicals is now a primary public concern.

e. Human activities are also influencing the composition of the atmosphere. Despite

uncertainties and insufficient knowledge, political and scientific decisions concerning

environmental change will increasingly be necessary.

f. The state of the environment continues to deteriorate. The growth in scientific and

technical knowledge has made it possible to use an ever increasing quantum of natural resources.

The increase in population is further enhancing the pressure on the environment. The depletion

of forests has been accompanied by increasing amount of pollution affecting atmosphere, soil

and water. Some of the damage is irreversible.

In seeking a higher quality of life while developed countries need to focus on changing the

composition of their processes and products, developing countries will need to obtain the

benefits of economic growth.

The policy statement on Abatement of Pollution thus complements the Forest Policy Statement.

The Government seeks to ensure that its policies in every sector are based on a set of principles

that harmonise economic development and environmental imperatives.

iii. FUTURE DIRECTIONS AND OBJECTIVES

a. It is not enough for the Government to notify laws which are to be complied with. A

positive attitude on the part of everyone in society is essential for the prevention of pollution and

wide consultation has been held with those who will ultimately implement the policy.

b. A comprehensive approach is taken to integrate environmental and economic aspects in

development planning; stress is laid on preventive aspects for pollution abatement and

promotion of technological inputs to reduce industrial pollutants; and through reliance upon

public cooperation is securing a clean environment to respond to the coming challenges.

c. The objective is to integrate environmental considerations into decision making at all

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To achieve this steps have to be taken to :-

a. Prevent pollution at source;

b. Encourage, develop and apply the best available practicable technical solutions;

c. Ensure that the polluter pays for the pollution and control arrangements;

d. Focus protection on heavily polluted areas and river stretches; and

e. Involve the public in decision making.

iv. CRITICALLY POLLUTED AREAS

a. Mechanisms will be evolved to reduce local concentration of pollutants in complex

industrial sites. Strategies will be developed for areas with high pollution loads where the

accumulative effect of the various types of pollutants would be taken into account including

pollution of ground water.

Existing units in these areas will be targeted for effective action. New units in these areas will be

required to comply with location specific standards for stringent environmental quality

objectives. These will include matching waste generators with waste buyers, with the objective

of solving waste disposal.

b. Setting up of industrial estates, and clusters of small industrial units in rural areas, will

include pollution abatement measures as an essential component of infrastructure. In the past, the

absence of adequate provision of space for installing treatment facilities and arrangements for

disposal of wastes has led to severe pollution of agricultural land and rivers.

c. There has been a steady increase in the amount of waste water produced from urban

communities and industries. In the coming years, due to rapid growth in population,

urbanisation, industrial development and better water supply, the amount of waste water may

increase manifold.

Generally, these waters are discharged into lagoons or dumped on low lying areas without any

pre-treatment, thereby creating sewage pools, contaminating ground waters, salinizing good

quality lands around cities, acting as a source of foul smell and breeding grounds for mosquitoes

and other pathogens. At many places this waste water is discharged into drains and rivers

causing serious water pollution.

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However, awareness has now grown and more attention is being paid to develop systems to treat

sewage waters. For a country like India, conventional treatment plants are costly. In fact, these

are beyond the financial means of many small towns.

Biological waste water treatment, on land disposal using suitable vegetative cover and resource

recovery technologies cannot only be attractive alternative, but also economical, safe and

socially acceptable.

d. Mining operations will not ordinarily be taken up in ecologically fragile areas. Every

mining project shall be accompanied by a mining plan, including an environmental management

plan and time bound reclamation programme for controlling the environmental damage and for

restoration of mined areas.

v. ASSISTANCE FOR ADOPTION OF CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES BY SMALL SCALE

a. Small scale industries are special feature of our economy. Government are

implementing a scheme for providing assistance for promoting combined facilities for

treatment of effluents and solid wastes generated in clusters of small scale units. This

scheme will be extended to provide necessary technical support as well.

b. While the large and medium industrial units will remain totally responsible for

control of their pollution, assistance will be provided to small-scale industrial units,

particularly those located in rural areas, to aid the implementation of pollution control

measures. This will be achieved by promoting development and adoption of cleaner

technologies, including environmentally friendly biotechnology.

vi. STANDARDS

a. The present standards are based on the concentration of pollutants in effluents and

in emissions. The norms will be revised to lay down mass-based standards, which will set

specific limits to encourage the minimisation of waste, promote recycling and reuse of

materials, as well as conservation of natural resources, particularly water.

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Since the standards will be source related, they will require for the most polluting industrial

processes, particularly those using toxic substances, application of the best available

technological solutions, and also be an instrument for technological upgradation.

b. To act against potential problems in the future, new units will have to conform to

stricter standards. They will need to select technologies that produce no or low quantities of

wastes and recycle or reuse waste products. Progressively, more strict vehicle emission

standards will also be evolved to deal with environmental hazards caused by vehicular

c. Standards will not merely be a regulatory tool but will be mechanism to promote

technological up-gradation to prevent pollution, conserve resource and regulate waste. For

this purpose codes of practice and guidelines will be evolved for specific processes.

d. The environmental effects, from production to disposal of products that are

hazardous and toxic will be taken into account in the regulations. Chemicals will be reviewed

according to the level of risk, and where safer alternatives have become available,

restrictions will be imposed.

Regulations for liability and compensation for damages will supplement standards, to

promote greater care and caution, particularly in the management of hazardous waste and

remedial action in case of contamination of soil and ground water.

vii. FISCAL MEASURES

a. While regulatory measures remain essential for the effectiveness of the policy, new

approaches for considering market choices will be introduced. The aim is to give industries

and consumers clear signals about the cost of using environmental and natural resources. The

expectation is that market-oriented price mechanisms will influence behaviour to avoid

excessive use of natural resources.

b. There are at present several fiscal incentives for installation of pollution control

equipment and for shifting polluting industries from congested areas. The items for which

excise and customs rebate are allowed will be reviewed. This will stimulated the

advancement of abatement technologies and create increased demands for the products.

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c. Economic instruments will be investigated to encourage the shift from curative to

preventive measures, internalise the costs of pollution and conserve resources, particularly

water. A direct economic signal is offered by an effluent charge based on the nature and

volume of releases to the environment.

The level will be based on the cost of treatment and the flow discharged, in order to provide

an incentive to set up treatment plants. The scope of the charges will also be extended to

emission and solid waste. Charges provide a continuing incentive towards optimal releases.

d. These instruments will also have a distributive effect as the revenues will be used for

enforcement, collective treatment facilities, research and promoting new investment.

e. The precise choice of economic instruments adopted will be determined by the ease

with which releases can be measured, as well as prospective changes in technology and

market structures. To deal with the range of pollution problems a mix of regulatory and

economic measures will be adopted.

viii. INTEGRATION

a. Critical policy areas for control of pollution come under different departments and levels

of Government. Sectoral Ministries, State Governments, local bodies and agencies responsible

for planning and implementation of development projects will be required to integrate

environmental concerns more effectively in all policy areas.

Local authorities play a key role in abatement of pollution and environmental concerns need to

be built into the way they operated. Steps will have to be taken to strengthen governmental and

institutional structures dealing with environmental management, especially within the ministries

dealing with the sectors of energy, industry, water resources, transport and agriculture and who

would develop specific programmes in regard to pollution prevention.

b. Policy making, legislation and law enforcement influence each other. The increase in the

number of regulations increases difficulties in enforcement. Legislation regulating particular

activities will be amended to incorporate and eliminate clashes with environmental criteria.

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Traditional instruments for monitoring of compliance and investigation of offences are becoming

overburdened. An integrated overview and organisational structure for decentralised

environment impact assessments and environmental law enforcement based on cooperation with

local authorities will be sought.

c. While pollution from specific sources including towns and industries have been

addressed, non-point pollution from run-off of agricultural inputs such as pesticides, insecticides,

fertilisers, etc. has not been dealt with. This is gaining increasing proportions, which is polluting

not only our water bodies but even sub-soil water resources and would affect the health of

human beings.

A long-term policy for pesticides use, including the introduction of environmentally acceptable

pesticides, particularly bio-pesticides and no persistent biodegradable ones, and integrated pest

management together with the phasing out of the proven harmful toxic and persistent ones,

would be formulated in collaboration with the concerned Ministries and infrastructure involved

for its effective implementation. A similar policy for fertiliser use will also need to be

formulated.

d. Plant and vegetation in general play avital role in controlling pollution by regulating the

climate and atmospheric equilibrium, protecting the soil and maintaining the hydrological

regime. Hence, existing forests and natural vegetation should be fully protected.

The forest and vegetal cover should be restored and increased wherever possible, especially on

hill slopes, in catchment areas of rivers, lakes and reservoirs, ocean shores, semiarid and arid

tracts, in around urban centres and industrial establishments.

It is necessary to encourage the planting of trees alongside roads, rail lines, canals and on other

unutilized lands under State/corporate, institutional or private ownership. Green belts should be

raised in urban and industrial areas as well as in arid tracts. Such a programme will also check

erosion, desertification as well as improve the microclimate.

Page 28: project report on environmental pollution

e. The Annual Administration Reports of the Ministries will and the action taken to follow

up the policy statement, and other environmental initiatives they have taken or are proposing.

ix. ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT

Industrial concerns and local bodies should feel that they have a responsibility for

abatement of pollution. The procedure of an environmental statement will be introduced in

local bodies, statutory authorities and public limited companies to evaluate the effect of

their policies, operations and activities on the environment, particularly compliance with

standards and the generation and recycling of waste.

An annual statement will help in identifying and focusing attention on areas of concern,

practices that need to be changed and plans to deal with adverse effects. This will be

extended to an environmental audit. The measures will provide better information to the

x. ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS

. Authoritative statistical data on the environment is vital for Developmental decision

making. Resource accounting will be used to give an idea how economic policies are

affecting the environment. Current economic accounts are concerned mainly with the volume

of economic activity; they ignore expenditures to protect the environment and encourage

inefficient use of resources.

The collection and integration of environmental, economic and health data will be done to

determine the status and to develop a concise set of environmental indicators for monitoring

the effects of pollution. Information and access to the public are essential so that everyone

knows what is happening to the environment.

xi. PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP

a. The public must be made aware in order to be able to make informed choices. A high

governmental priority will be to educate citizens about environmental risks, the economic and

Page 29: project report on environmental pollution

health dangers of resource degradation and the real cost of natural resources. Information

about the environment will be published periodically.

Affected citizens and non-governmental organisations play a role in environmental monitoring

and therefore allowing them to supplement the regulatory system and recognising their

expertise where such exists and their commitments and vigilance, will also be cost effective.

Access to information to enable public monitoring of environmental concerns, will be

provided for.

b. Public interest litigation has successfully demonstrated that responsible non-

governmental organisations and public spirited individuals can bring about signify- cant

pressure on polluting units for adopting abatement measures. This commitment and expertise

will be encouraged and their practical work supported.

c. Householders, as consumers, make large number of relatively small individual

contributions, whose cumulative effect is considerable. A system of certification of goods that

are “environmentally friendly” will be set up to make available information to encourage

environmental consciousness amongst consumers.

This advice; will also encourage manufacturers to produce goods that are environmentally

more friendly as well as encourage recycling and adequate waste management. Consumer

awareness would also be encouraged by involvement of consumer organisations in

cooperative testing, and dissemination of information relating to environmental friendliness

of these products.

d. As the present system of jurisprudence does not provide for compensation to

individuals for environmental damage, including effects on health and environmental damage

caused by pollution, it is proposed to set up special legal institutions to redress this deficiency

and also make adequate arrangements for interim relief.

e. Greater emphasis will be placed on promoting awareness, undertaking and competence

in schools, colleges, and training institutions. Professional and nongovernmental bodies will

be encouraged to be more active in environmental training and building awareness.

f. Society has accepted many practices which cause pollution. Reckless use of

loudspeakers, dumping in water bodies, and scattering of wastes are common. Noise nuisance

requires specific devices as well as greater consideration for neighbours and there is growing

concern that litter has increased in recent years. Social action in these matters by voluntary

Page 30: project report on environmental pollution

organisations and individuals will be promoted through knowledge, education, training camps

and public information campaigns.

g. This statement is based on considerations of effectiveness, efficiency and availability

of financial resources. The responsibility for abatement of pollution is not a duty of the

Government alone, it is an obligation on all. The approach mentioned above should indicate

how everyone can help in achieving a safe and environmentally appropriate environment in

our country.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION PREVENTION

Pollution is the creation of imbalances between nature and environment life cycle by human beings

and other living inhabitants on the earth due to their day to day input output activities carrying

unhealthy surrounding, deforestation, and ecological degradation. Soil erosion, depletion of natural

resources creation of industries slumps and ugly dwellings.

a. Maximum feasibility reduction of all wastes generated at production sites.

b. Source reduction, energy efficiency, reuse of input materials during production and reduced

water consumption.

c. Change products and production processes to reduce pollution at the source.

Page 31: project report on environmental pollution

We can conclude that there is difference between the theoretical and practical work done. As the

scope of understanding will be much more when practical work is done. As we get more knowledge

in such a situation where we have great experience doing the practical work.

Page 33: project report on environmental pollution

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A project report on environmental pollution. This project report will help you to learn about: 1. Introduction to Environmental Pollution 2. Meaning of Environmental Pollution 3. Factors 4. Types 5. Sources 6. Effect of Pollution on the Environment 7. Environmental Protection and Control of Pollution 8. Policy Statement of Abatement 9. Methods 10. What is Environmental Pollution Prevention?.

  • Project Report on What is Environmental Pollution Prevention?

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Project Report # 1. Introduction to Environmental Pollution:

The systematic pollution of our environment is one of the biggest hazards that humanity faces today. People are becoming increasingly aware of the threat posed by pollution and governments are enacting legislations aimed at protecting the environment.

During the last few decades, the global environment has gone through serious challenges and changes. Popu­lation pressure has escaped rapidly consequently resources have dwindled.

Pollution is an undesirable change in the physical and biological operations of our air, land and water. They may be or will be harmful to human life, species our industries pro­cess; living condition and culture assets or deteriorate our material resources.

Human being can be exposed to pollutant in many ways through the air they breathe, the water they drink, the food they eat and the cosmetics, drugs and other products they use. The continuing discovery of previously unsuspected hazards from various chemicals and other substances underscore the point. The environmental and human health effect of even those substances identified for priority consideration.

Scientific developments have been a growing concern about the links between the health and environment and worldwide industrial, land and resources management practices. Today there is a growing concern for global scale environmental degradation brought by combinations of all people on earth.

Manufacturing plants, agriculture production and other sources release pollutants into the air, water and soil, pollutants are intentionally moved away through the management of waste including residues removed from the air and water by pollution control equipment.

Pollutants also move among the media by changing into more, or less hazardous substances as they move through environment. They may accumulate in sinks for long period of time and people often are exposed to the same pollutant through the one medium by breathing air, drinking water, eating food or absorbing it through skin.

Generally new industrial plants reduce less waste than older ones. One report estimates that new factories cut the amount of hazardous waste to half. Dilution which increases the volume of waste, is now more common than segregations.

Firms dilute waste to lower pollutant concentration for discharge into a sewage treatment plant or directly into air or water, or to inject them more easily into deep wells. To save money, small electroplating firms after mix their organic waste with those containing metals and cyanide before dumping them in the sewer rather than treating them independently.

The sewage treatment plant can degrade the organic waste but the metal of cyanide accumulates in the plants sludge. A cross media approach designed to avoid this problem might require the discharger to segregate and treat separately the heavy metals and cyanide to prevent their release.

Once wastes are segregated, they are easy to recycle or treat. As a better understanding of nature and extent of Cross media problem is gained, society will also find better ways to improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of pollution control policies.

Changing Paradigms and Perceptions:

Past/Present:

(i) Transportation for providing mobility

(ii) More of individual transport that mass transit

(iii) Much business travel

(iv) Utilities meant to provide energy and power

(v) Per-capita energy use is an indicator of standard of living

(vi) End of pipe clean up technology to reduce pollution is transmitting and border less.

(i) Transportation for providing access.

(ii) More of public transport

(iii) Tele conferencing and IT deliver need for business travel.

(iv) Focuses on providing services i.e., heat, power, light.

(v) Physical quality of life index.

(vi) Low waste technologies not to create pollutants.

The word environment connotes the whole gamat of physical surroundings i.e. land, air and water along with the biotic components (all living forms/which are responsible for the plant and animal kingdom to survive and proferaterate Environmental segments are atmo­sphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.

Man is the main agent for polluting the envi­ronment Nature can cope with certain degree of pollution because it has its own cleaning agents.

According to Environment Protection Act 1986.

“Environment” includes water, air and land and the interrelationship which exist among and between water, air and land and human being, other living creatures, plant, micro-organ­ism and property.

The term environment refers to the sum total of all conditions which surround man. Man is the part of environment and he cannot be isolated. From the beginning of man is using the environment for his comfort. In the past the use of this environment was so limited that does not affect environmental balance.

But when man started progress he overused the environment. Due to greediness he has exploited their environment, which gave birth to several environment implication on the name of progress he has cut the forest, our lakes has been poisoned with hazard chemical.

Our air, water and land has been polluted. On the whole we can say the survival of living organism is in danger. All the external conditions that affect the life of organisms in their natural habitats aggregates to form the environment of the surrounding of an organism.

The environment has been classified into:

(i) Physical or abiotic environment:

It is composed of external physical factors like temperature, humidity, water, minerals and gases etc., and

(ii) Living or biotic environment:

It is composed of all the living components- plants, animals and micro-organisms. All these constituents of environment are referred to as the environmental factors or ecological factors or simply as factors.

A factor is defined as an ecological condition which directly or indirectly affects the growth and development and hence the life of an organisms. These biotic and abiotic components are in a dynamic state i.e. they constantly affect each other and cannot be isolated from each other.

Besides the abiotic and biotic components, the environment is made up of three main constituents: atmosphere; lithosphere and hydrosphere. A change in one or more components of the environment affects the environment as a whole as well as its constituent organisms.

Environmental Science’ is the scientific study of the environmental system and the status of its inherent or induced change on organisms. It includes not only the study of physical and biological characters of the environment but also the social and cultural factors and the impact of man on the environment.

Project Report # 2. Meaning of Environmental Pollution :

Ecosystem is a natural unit of living community (plants and animals) and non-living environment. The biotic and abiotic community are constantly interacting and exchanging materials and energy between themselves.

The life in an ecosystem depends upon the environment which provides energy in the form of sunlight and nutrients for the living components of the ecosystem. Waste matter and energy produced by human beings through, their irresponsible and wanting activities cause disturbance in the natural environment or is the ecosystem is called environment pollution.

Environmental pollution is the result of increased production of waste products by the industries, rapid urbanization, wanting and irresponsible. Harnessing of the natural resources as well as unplanned sewage and waste disposal from industries and cities etc. Thus presence of any environment pollutant called environment pollution.

Nature has provided the basic ingredients for living in abundance and whatever is used up during normal course of living is recaptured through natural cycle. Any effort to disturb this process is termed as Environment pollution.

In a homeostatic ecosystem there is a balance between the living organisms and the environment. Disturbance in any component of the environment is likely to have a harmful effect on the ecosystem. Any change in the environment which contributes to its deterioration is called pollution of the environment and the agent which causes the pollution is called the pollutant.

This change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of our physical environment (air, water and land) is undesirable and harms human life, other living organ­isms and cultural assets. The resulting impact on the environment has been so massive with far-reaching consequences that the very existence of life is threatened.

Project Report # 3. Factors Affecting Environmental Pollution:

Some of the factors which are affecting environment and causes pollution are described below:

i. Consequences of Population Growth :

Population growth is one of the prominent factors that affect the degradation of the environment. Earlier, pestilence and famine kept the population under control, but with the development of chemical compounds to restore and enhance the soil fertility, and with reduction in the death rate, there has been an explosive growth in population with inevitable consequences.

This dramatic growth coupled with the development of cheap sources of energy like coal, petroleum, natural gas etc., and industrial revolution has posed a grave threat to the environment because earth is a finite system in which any further increase will be restricted by environmental constraints.

Pollution increases not only because the people multiply and the space available to each person becomes smaller but also because the demands per person are continuously increasing and each throws away more and more every year. Pollutants are the residues of the things we make, use and throw away.

An intimate relationship is found between human number (population) and environment. The impact of any human group in environment can be conceptually resolved into three factors; Pollution, Affluence i.e. material aspects of per capita consumption of goods and resources and technology of production.

Using appropriate indices these factors can be incorporated into an environmental impact equation as under:

Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology

Of the factors responsible for environmental crisis, the increasing population growth is considered to be a key factor.

As shown in Table 2.1, the world population has grown dramatically over the last 350 years. Control measures should be implemented successfully or else the biosphere will collapse under the weight of the rapidly growing population.

ii. Pollution of Indian Lakes :

Among the surface water bodies, lakes and reservoirs are considered to be most valuable water resources. These surface water bodies are currently under serious pollution threat not only in India but also globally considered to be an important issue.

Over past couple of decades national and international programmes on lake water quality assessment and their management in the perspective of conservation were attempted.

Considerable studies were made in Himalayan lakes of J & K (Dal & Nagin Lake), Kumaun (Naimtal and Bhimtal Lake), Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal Lake), Odissa (Chilka Lake), Manipore (Loktak Lake) and so on. In almost all cases lake water is highly polluted with silts, agrochemicals, fertilizer, organic wastes and industrial discharges etc.

As a result, considerable biotic changes along with loss of productivity is noticed. In most of limnological studies of the lake system thus revealed the fact that most of the lakes slowly transformed into swampy marsh without any proper management for conservation. Since 1990s there is a national lake conservation policy adopted by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Govt. of India.

The National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) was initiated by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in June 2001 with objectives to maintain the ecological health of lakes. Initially three lakes are taken as a model for this programme. They are: Powai lake (Maharashtra), Ooty and Kodaikanal lake (Tamil Nadu). Now about 49 lakes of 13 states have been considered for this programme.

The activities covered under NLCP include:

a. Prevention of pollution from point sources by intercepting, diverting and treating the pollution loads entering the lake;

b. In situ measures of lake cleaning such as desalting, de-weeding, bioremediation, constructed wetland approach etc. depending upon the site conditions;

c. Catchment area treatment and lake front eco-development which may include bonding, fencing, shoreline development, creation of facilities for public recreation and entertainment and public area;

d. Public awareness and public participation;

e. Other activities depend upon location-specific conditions including the interface with human population.

iii. Pollutants :

According to “The Indian Environment Protection Act 1980” a pollutant has been de­fined as any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such concentration as may be or tend to be injurious to environment.

Any substance present in the environment in such concentration which adversely effects the environment by damaging the growth rate of a species and by interfering with the food chains, and affects the health, comfort and property etc. is considered as a pollutant.

Smoke from industries and automobiles, domestic and commercial sewage, radioactive substances from nuclear plants and discarded household articles (tins, bottles, broken crockery etc.) come under the category of pollutants.

Classification of Pollutants :

The classification of pollutants is done from different points of view.

Depending upon their existence in nature pollutants are of two types, namely:

(i) Quantitative and

(ii) Qualitative pollutants.

(i) Quantitative Pollutants:

These are those substances normally occurring in the environment, who acquire the status of a pollutant when their concentration gets increased due to the un-mindful activities of man. For example, carbon dioxide, if present in the atmosphere in concentration greater than normal due to automobiles and industries, causes measurable effects on humans, animals, plants or property, then it is classified as a quantitative pollutant.

(ii) Qualitative Pollutant:

These are those substances which do not normally occur in nature but are added by man, for example, insecticides. Depending upon the form in which they persist after being released into the environment, the pollutants are categorized into two types, namely (a) primary and (b) secondary pollutants.

(a) Primary Pollutants:

These are those which are emitted directly from the source and persist in the form in which they were added to the environment. Typical examples of pollutants included under this category are ash, smoke, fumes, dust, nitric oxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrocarbons etc.

(b) Secondary Pollutants:

These are those which are formed from the primary pollutants by chemical interaction with some constituent present in the atmosphere.

Examples are:

Sulphur trioxide, nitrogen dioxide, aldehydes, ketones, ozone etc. Nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are two primary pollutants released from automobiles but in the presence of sunlight, they react to form peroxyacyl nitrate (PAN) and ozone, two secondary pollutants which are far more toxic than the primary pollutants from which they are derived.

This phenomenon of increased toxicity by chemical interaction among the pollutants is known as Synergism.

From the ecosystem point of view, i.e., according to their natural disposal, pollutants are of two types:

(i) Bio-degradable Pollutants:

These are the pollutants that are quickly degraded by natural means. Heat or thermal pollution, and domestic sewage are considered in this category as these can be rapidly decomposed by natural processes or by engineered systems such as municipal treatment, plants etc.

(ii) Non-degradable Pollutants:

These are the substances that either do not degrade or degrade very slowly in the natural environment. These include mercury salts, long chain phenolic chemicals, DDT and Aluminium cans etc.

Such non-degradable pollutants accumulate and are biologically magnified as they move in the biogeochemical cycle and along food chains in the ecosystem. For example, DDT, when washed from the ground goes to the streams where it is absorbed by the phytoplankton’s which are eaten by the fishes.

So, the initial dose of DDT which was harmless in the phytoplankton become very harmful as it accumulates in the fish day by day, with the result that large populations of fish die or become sterile and same is the case with the birds feeding on such fishes. This phenomenon is known as bio-magnification or biological magnification.

Project Report # 4. Types of Environmental Pollution :

Pollution is of five mains types:

(a) Atmospheric or Air pollution

(b) Water pollution

(c) Land and soil pollution

(d) Noise pollution

(e) Radioactive pollution

(a) Atmospheric or Air Pollution:

It is an atmospheric condition in which certain substances (including the normal constituents in excess) are present in concentrations which can cause undesirable effects on man and his environment. These substances include gases, particulate matter, radioactive substances etc.

Gaseous pollutants include oxides of sulphur (mostly SO 2 , SO 3 ) oxides of nitrogen (mostly NO and NO 2 or NO x ), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (mostly hydrocarbons) etc. Particulate pollutants include smoke, dust, soot, fumes, aerosols, liquid droplets, pollen grains etc. Radioactive pollutants include radon-222, iodine-131, strontium 90, plutonium-239 etc.

(b) Water Pollution:

Water is one of the most important bio­logical components that sustain life. Its great solvent power makes the creation of absolute pure water a theoretical rather than a practi­cal goal. Human population has the habit of dumping their wastes into water. This has the effect of diluting the waste and getting it dispersed if it is a running water system.

The term “water quality” is infinitely related to water pollution. The water is said to be polluted when it has more “negative” qualities than “positive” ones. Water quality refers to the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. Thus, in simple words, we can say that polluted water is that water which has been abused, defiled in some way, so that it is no longer fit for use.

Water pollution can be defined as “the presence of too much of undesirable sub­stances in water which tend to degrade the quality of water’s physical, chemical and bio­logical characteristics, making it unsuitable for beneficial use”.

(c) Land and Soil Pollution :

Soil is the loose mineral material and is the most important component of the earth’s surface (lithosphere). It is the growth medium for many microbes, plants and animals. The formation of soil is the result of chemical, physical and biological weathering.

Like air and water, soil is also subjected to pollution. Soil contains many microbes.

(d) Noise Pollution:

We hear various types of sounds every day. Sound is mechanical energy from a vibrating source. A type of sound may be pleasant to someone and at the same time unpleasant to others. The unpleasant and unwanted sound is called noise.

Sound can propagate through a medium like air, liquid or solid. Sound wave is a pressure perturbation in the medium through which sound travels. Sound pressure alternately causes compression and rarefaction. The number of compressions and rarefactions of the molecules of the medium (for example air) in a unit time is described as frequency. It is expressed in Hertz (Hz) and is equal to the number of cycles per second.

There is a wide range of sound pressures, which encounter human ear. Increase in sound pressure does not invoke linear response of human ear. A meaningful logarithmic scale has been devised. The noise measurements are expressed as Sound Pressure Level (SPL) which is logarithmic ratio of the sound pressure to a reference pressure.

(e) Radioactive Pollution:

The elements such as uranium, thorium etc. having unstable nuclei emit radiations such as alpha, beta and gamma in nature to acquire stability. These elements are called radioactive elements.

Some ordinary elements like zinc, calcium, chlorine etc. can be converted into radioactive by bombardment with neutron or other particles. This bombardment is called disintegration and the disintegration rate is measured in curie (Ci) named on the discoverer, of radioactive elements.

1 curie = 3.7 × 10 10 disintegrations/sec.

5. Sources of Environmental Pollution :

There are two main sources of environmental pollution:

i. Natural sources, and

ii. Man made or Anthropogenic sources.

i. Natural Sources of Environmental Pollution:

(a) Volcanic eruptions release gases and volcanic ash.

(b) Forest fires produce smoke and trace gases.

(c) Dust storms increase the wind-blown dust into the environment.

(d) Bacteria, spores, cysts and pollens are all natural pollutants.

(e) Decay of organic matter in marshy places releases marsh gas (methane—CH 4 ) which is a light, colourless, inflammable hydrocarbon.

ii. Man-Made or Anthropogenic Sources of Environmental Pollution :

Anthropogenic source cover a wide spectrum of types as man has aggravated the problem of pollution by his innumerable activities like,

1. Domestic sources

2. Industries

3. Agriculture activities

4. Radioactive waste

5. Thermal power stations

(a) Industrialisation

(b) Invention of automobiles

(c) Over population

(d) Deforestation: Destruction of natural habitat

(e) Nuclear explosions

(f) Over-exploitation of natural resources

(g) Construction of buildings, roads and dams

(h) Explosives used in wars

(i) Use of fertilizers and pesticides

(j) Quarrying and mining.

Project Report # 6. Effect of Pollution on the Environment :

The term “environment” refers to the immediate surroundings in which man lives. It comprises of living and non-living constituents that support life and sustain various human activities. Pollution affects both the living as well as the non-living components of the environment.

It brings about drastic changes in the physical environment causing community wide problems by polluting the air, water and land; adversely affecting the health of humans and animals, and damaging plants and property. Besides there are effects of noise pollution and the hazards associated with radiation pollution.

As environmental stress on the human body increases, many medical scientists fear a terminal increase in infectious disorders not only because of lower body resistance but because viruses and other disease organisms will increasingly slip through water treatment and food processing plants as the quality of water and food at the intake deteriorates.

Effect on plants, the adverse effects range from reduction in growth rate to death of the plant. The damage caused to plants by pollution includes necrosis (dead areas on a leaf structure), chlorosis (loss or reduction of chlorophyll leading to yellowing of leaf), epinasty (downward curvature of the leaf due to higher rate of growth on the upper surface) and abscission of leaves (premature fall). Pollution also causes deterioration of structural mate­rials such as marble and lime stone.

Pollution has been changed the atmospheric conditions. An aver­age temperature has been increased due to increase in pollution. Effects of pollution at international level are depletion of ozone layer, global warming acid rain, rising sea level etc.

Project Report # 7. Environmental Protection and Control of Pollution :

Over population and pollution are potent ecological forces impinging upon man by affecting the quality of the environment. All efforts aimed at bringing more and more people above the poverty line actually increase the pressure on natural resources.

Careless management of natural resources is disrupting the ecological processes so much so that earth’s life supporting capacity is being substantially threatened. Unmindful exploitation of the finite resources of the biosphere has a severe ecological backlash because no development is sustainable unless it is environmentally compatible.

Environmental compatibility demands that the economic and social development should be linked with environmental management.

Articles 48.A and 51.A of our constitution provide for environmental protection.

According to the National Committee of Environment-Planning and Co-ordination (NCEPC), the frame work for environmental protection aims at:

i. Control of environmental pollution

ii. Conservation of natural resources

iii. Land management

iv. Development of non-polluting sources of energy

v. Environmental education

vi. Environmental laws.

Pollution is the burning of the day at the global level. A combined effort to control pollution has to be made by all government agencies, technologists, industrialists, agriculturists and last but not the least the common man.

An international conference on “Human Environments” was held at Stockholm in 1971, to emphasise the need to control pollution. Several measures were recommended by the scientists participating in the conference, e.g..

i. The first step should be to identify those causes of pollution that have global implications, and to devise protective measures to be adopted.

ii. The second step should be to find out the carrying capacity of the environment and reduce the emission of the major sources of pollution.

iii. The third step should be to find a neutralizer for each type of pollutant.

iv. The fourth step should be to ensure that anti-pollution measures are adopted by all industries.

v. The fifth step should be the identification of areas where the cause of pollution is poverty and lack of environmental education. Contamination of food and water are the basic causes of pollution in such areas.

vi. Most important is initiation of adequate research to devise measures for controlling pollution.

Environmental monitoring is urgently required for controlling pollution.

This involves:

i. Careful scrutinisation of the environmental characteristics.

ii. Laying down the standards of environmental quality.

iii. Regular assessment of the above mentioned environmental characteristics.

iv. Keeping track of the changes in the environmental characteristics and educating people about the changes due to these changes.

v. Devising measures to combat the menace of pollution.

vi. Enacting environmental laws and taking legal action against environmental offenders.

Efforts are required to the made by each individual to control pollution.

These efforts include:

i. Installation of proper sewage disposal methods.

ii. Dumping of non-biodegradable wastes in low lying areas.

iii. Installation of gobar gas plants in areas of high availability of cow dung.

iv. Reduction of smoke emission and treatment of chimney smoke to remove solid carbon particles.

v. Judicious use of fertilisers, pesticides and detergents (Detergents of low-level phosphate content are less harmful).

vi. Growing plants like Pyrus (apple), Pinus (chir) and Vitis (grapes) is advocated because of their capability of metabolizing gaseous nitrogenous pollutants like nitrogen dioxide etc. and plants like coleus, ficus (banyan) can fix Carbon monoxide.

Skilled personnel with know-how to tackle the problems arising from pollution and for devising environmental pollution control measures are working in many institutions in India.

Important ones amongst them are:

i. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur.

ii. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai.

iii.  National Committee of Environmental Planning and Co-ordination (NCEPC), New Delhi.

iv. Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow.

v. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

vi. Central Public Health Engineering Research Institute (CPHERI), Nagpur.

Scientists have rightly said that, ‘in the course of our progress from one age to another, we have simply passed from a savage sewage’. What is important in the query – ‘Will there be any salvage’?

Factors Causing Pollution:

(i) Over population: Pollution increases with the population density. As the population increases more burden is placed on the environment.

(ii) Urbanization: Shifting of population from rural to urban. A thickly populated area is the home of large number of vehicles reservoir solid and liquid wastes with poor sanitary conditions and many problems.

(iii) Industrialisation: Power generation, Vehicular.

(iv) Per capita income: Standard of living, goods and services demanded per person increased.

(v) Extent of recycling: Waste product is cleaned and reused pollution level is de­creased.

(vi) Technology: Efficient Engines provides less in pollution/wastes.

(vii) Waste treatment: Cleaning of air and water.

(viii) Ionic

(ix) Deforestation

(x) Water depletion

(xi) Refrigeration

(xii) Arosol

(xiii) Radioactivity

(xiv) Volcanic eruption

(xv) Strong wind

(xvi) Forest fire

(xvii) Vibration

Effects of Pollution on Human Health :

Air pollution can cause death, impairment of health, reduce visibility, bring about vast economic losses and contribute to the general deterioration. It can also cause intangible losses to historical monuments.

Minor symptoms include headaches, mucosal irritation (eye, nose, throat or respiratory discomfort). Severe reaction can include nausea or asphyxiation and prolong exposure can lead to various system effects of toxic poisoning or to cancer of the lungs or other organs.

i. Odour nuisance

ii. Increase in mortality rate

iii. Increase in mobility rate

iv. Asthmatic attack

v. Bronchitis

vi. Cardio vascular diseases

vii. Pulmonary diseases

viii. Furosis

ix. Motting of fat

x. Silocosis, asbestosis.

Project Report # 8. Policy Statement of Abatement of Environmental Pollution:

I. preamble:.

The commitment of Government on abatement of pollution for preventing deterioration of the environment is stated here. The policy elements seek to shift emphasis from defining objectives for each problems area towards actual implementation, but the focus in on the long term, because pollution particularly affects the poor.

The complexities are considerable given the number of industries, organisations and government bodies involved. To achieve the objectives maximum use will be made of a mix of instruments in the form of legislation and regulation, fiscal incentives, voluntary agreements, educational programmes and information campaigns. The emphasis will be on increased use of regulations and an in­crease in the development and application of financial incentives.

ii. The Problem :

a. There is an increasing trend in environmental pollution. Water is polluted by four kinds of substances: traditional organic waste generated from industrial processes, chemical agents for fertilisers and pesticides for crop protection and silt from degraded catchments.

While it is estimated that three-fourths by volume of the waste water generated is from municipal sources, industrial waste, though small in volume, contributes over one-half of the total pollutant load, and the major portion of this is coming from large and medium industries. For class-I cities of the Country, less than five percent of the total waste water generated is collected and less than one-fourth of this treated.

b. Ambient air quality trends in the major cities indicate that levels of suspended particulate matter are higher than the prescribed standards or limits, especially in summer months. Levels of nitrogen dioxide are increasing in urban centres with growing emissions.

c. Environmental problems are becoming larger in scale. The chemical industry generates an increasing quantity of substances every year; adversely affecting essential aspects of the composition of the atmosphere, soil and water. In the industrial high density areas, in addition to the effects on local health and impact on nature, we are confronted with damage to the social and economic functions of the environment.

d. With restrictions on releases to air and waste water, hazardous chemical wastes are getting diverted to land for their disposal. Earlier concerns with pollution that was visible and degradable area giving way to new types of pollution with very small quantities of synthetic chemicals that are not so visible and are injurious to health and damage the environment because of widespread use, persistence and toxicity. Reducing the hazards from toxic chemicals is now a primary public concern.

e. Human activities are also influencing the composition of the atmosphere. Despite uncertainties and insufficient knowledge, political and scientific decisions concerning environmental change will increasingly be necessary.

f. The state of the environment continues to deteriorate. The growth in scientific and technical knowledge has made it possible to use an ever increasing quantum of natural resources. The increase in population is further enhancing the pressure on the environment. The depletion of forests has been accompanied by increasing amount of pollution af­fecting atmosphere, soil and water. Some of the damage is irreversible.

In seeking a higher quality of life while developed countries need to focus on changing the compo­sition of their processes and products, developing countries will need to obtain the benefits of economic growth.

The policy statement on Abatement of Pollution thus complements the Forest Policy Statement. The Government seeks to ensure that its policies in every sector are based on a set of principles that harmonise economic development and environmental imperatives.

iii. Future Directions and Objectives :

a. It is not enough for the Government to notify laws which are to be complied with. A positive attitude on the part of everyone in society is essential for the prevention of pollution and wide consultation has been held with those who will ultimately implement the policy.

b. A comprehensive approach is taken to integrate environmental and economic aspects in development planning; stress is laid on preventive aspects for pollution abatement and promotion of technological inputs to reduce industrial pollutants; and through reliance upon public cooperation is securing a clean environment to respond to the coming challenges.

c. The objective is to integrate environmental considerations into decision making at all levels.

To achieve this, steps have to be taken to:

a. Prevent pollution at source;

b. Encourage, develop and apply the best available practicable technical solutions;

c. Ensure that the polluter pays for the pollution and control arrangements;

d. Focus protection on heavily polluted areas and river stretches; and

e. Involve the public in decision making.

iv. Critically Polluted Areas :

a. Mechanisms will be evolved to reduce local concentration of pollutants in complex industrial sites. Strategies will be developed for areas with high pollution loads where the accumulative effect of the various types of pollutants would be taken into account including pollution of ground water.

Existing units in these areas will be targeted for effective action. New units in these areas will be required to comply with location specific standards for stringent environmental quality objectives. These will include matching waste generators with waste buyers, with the objective of solving waste disposal.

b. Setting up of industrial estates, and clusters of small industrial units in rural areas, will include pollution abatement measures as an essential component of infrastructure. In the past, the absence of adequate provision of space for installing treatment facilities and arrangements for disposal of wastes has led to severe pollution of agricultural land and rivers.

c. There has been a steady increase in the amount of waste water produced from urban communities and industries. In the coming years, due to rapid growth in population, urbanisation, industrial development and better water supply, the amount of waste water may increase manifold.

Generally, these waters are discharged into lagoons or dumped on low lying areas without any pre-treatment, thereby creating sewage pools, contaminating ground waters, salinizing good quality lands around cities, acting as a source of foul smell and breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other pathogens. At many places this waste water is discharged into drains and rivers causing serious water pollution.

However, awareness has now grown and more attention is being paid to develop systems to treat sewage waters. For a country like India, conventional treatment plants are costly. In fact, these are beyond the financial means of many small towns.

Biological waste water treatment, on land disposal using suitable vegetative cover and resource recovery tech­nologies cannot only be attractive alternative, but also economical, safe and socially acceptable.

d. Mining operations will not ordinarily be taken up in ecologically fragile areas. Every mining project shall be accompanied by a mining plan, including an environmental management plan and time bound reclamation programme for controlling the environmental damage and for restoration of mined areas.

v. Assistance for Adoption of Clean Technologies by Small Scale Industries :

a. Small scale industries are special feature of our economy. Government are implementing a scheme for providing assistance for promoting combined facilities for treatment of effluents and solid wastes generated in clusters of small scale units. This scheme will be extended to provide necessary technical support as well.

b. While the large and medium industrial units will remain totally responsible for control of their pollution, assistance will be provided to small-scale industrial units, particularly those located in rural areas, to aid the implementation of pollution control measures. This will be achieved by promoting development and adoption of cleaner technologies, including environmentally friendly biotechnology.

vi. Standards :

a. The present standards are based on the concentration of pollutants in effluents and in emissions. The norms will be revised to lay down mass-based standards, which will set specific limits to encourage the minimisation of waste, promote recycling and reuse of materials, as well as conservation of natural resources, particularly water.

Since the standards will be source related, they will require for the most polluting industrial processes, particularly those using toxic substances, application of the best available technological solutions, and also be an instrument for technological up-gradation.

b. To act against potential problems in the future, new units will have to conform to stricter standards. They will need to select technologies that produce no or low quantities of wastes and recycle or reuse waste products. Progressively, more strict vehicle emission standards will also be evolved to deal with environmental hazards caused by vehicular traffic.

c. Standards will not merely be a regulatory tool but will be mechanism to promote technological up-gradation to prevent pollution, conserve resource and regulate waste. For this purpose codes of practice and guidelines will be evolved for specific processes.

d. The environmental effects, from production to disposal of products that are hazardous and toxic will be taken into account in the regulations. Chemicals will be reviewed according to the level of risk, and where safer alternatives have become available, restrictions will be imposed.

Regulations for liability and compensation for damages will supplement standards, to promote greater care and caution, particularly in the management of hazardous waste and remedial action in case of contamination of soil and ground water.

vii. Fiscal Measures :

a. While regulatory measures remain essential for the effectiveness of the policy, new approaches for considering market choices will be introduced. The aim is to give industries and consumers clear signals about the cost of using environmental and natu­ral resources. The expectation is that market-oriented price mechanisms will influence behaviour to avoid excessive use of natural resources.

b. There are at present several fiscal incentives for installation of pollution control equipment and for shifting polluting industries from congested areas. The items for which excise and customs rebate are allowed will be reviewed. This will stimulated the advancement of abatement technologies and create increased demands for the products.

c. Economic instruments will be investigated to encourage the shift from curative to preventive measures, internalise the costs of pollution and conserve resources, particularly water. A direct economic signal is offered by an effluent charge based on the nature and volume of releases to the environment.

The level will be based on the cost of treatment and the flow discharged, in order to provide an incentive to set up treatment plants. The scope of the charges will also be extended to emission and solid waste. Charges provide a continuing incentive towards optimal releases.

d. These instruments will also have a distributive effect as the revenues will be used for enforcement, collective treatment facilities, research and promoting new investment.

e. The precise choice of economic instruments adopted will be determined by the ease with which releases can be measured, as well as prospective changes in technology and market structures. To deal with the range of pollution problems a mix of regulatory and economic measures will be adopted.

viii. Integration :

a. Critical policy areas for control of pollution come under different departments and levels of Government. Sectoral Ministries, State Governments, local bodies and agencies responsible for planning and implementation of development projects will be required to integrate environmental concerns more effectively in all policy areas.

Local authorities play a key role in abatement of pollution and environmental concerns need to be built into the way they operated. Steps will have to be taken to strengthen governmental and institutional structures dealing with environmental management, especially within the ministries dealing with the sectors of energy, industry, water resources, transport and agriculture and who would develop specific programmes in regard to pollution prevention.

b. Policy making, legislation and law enforcement influence each other. The increase in the number of regulations increases difficulties in enforcement. Legislation regulating particular activities will be amended to incorporate and eliminate clashes with environmental criteria.

Traditional instruments for monitoring of compliance and investigation of offences are becoming overburdened. An integrated overview and organisational structure for decentralised environment impact assessments and environmental law enforcement based on cooperation with local authorities will be sought.

c. While pollution from specific sources including towns and industries have been addressed, non-point pollution from run-off of agricultural inputs such as pesticides, insecticides, fertilisers, etc. has not been dealt with. This is gaining increasing proportions, which is polluting not only our water bodies but even sub-soil water resources and would affect the health of human beings.

A long-term policy for pesticides use, including the introduction of environmentally acceptable pesticides, particularly bio-pesticides and non-persistent biodegradable ones, and integrated pest management together with the phasing out of the proven harmful toxic and persistent ones, would be formulated in collaboration with the concerned Ministries and infrastructure involved for its effective implementation. A similar policy for fertiliser use will also need to be formulated.

d. Plant and vegetation in general play a vital role in controlling pollution by regulating the climate and atmospheric equilibrium, protecting the soil and maintaining the hydrological regime. Hence, existing forests and natural vegetation should be fully protected.

The forest and vegetal cover should be restored and increased wherever pos­sible, especially on hill slopes, in catchment areas of rivers, lakes and reservoirs, ocean shores, semiarid and arid tracts, in around urban centres and industrial establishments.

It is necessary to encourage the planting of trees alongside roads, rail lines, canals and on other unutilized lands under State/corporate, institutional or private ownership. Green belts should be raised in urban and industrial areas as well as in arid tracts. Such a programme will also check erosion, desertification as well as improve the micro­climate.

e. The Annual Administration Reports of the Ministries will and the action taken to follow up the policy statement, and other environmental initiatives they have taken or are proposing.

ix. Environmental Audit :

a. Industrial concerns and local bodies should feel that they have a responsibility for abatement of pollution. The procedure of an environmental statement will be introduced in local bodies, statutory authorities and public limited companies to evaluate the effect of their policies, operations and activities on the environment, particularly compliance with standards and the generation and recycling of waste.

An annual statement will help in identifying and focusing attention on areas of concern, practices that need to be changed and plans to deal with adverse effects. This will be extended to an environmental audit. The measures will provide better information to the public.

x. Environmental Statistics :

a. Authoritative statistical data on the environment is vital for Developmental decision making. Resource accounting will be used to give an idea how economic policies are affecting the environment. Current economic accounts are concerned mainly with the volume of economic activity; they ignore expenditures to protect the environment and encourage inefficient use of resources.

The collection and integration of environmental, economic and health data will be done to determine the status and to develop a concise set of environmental indicators for monitoring the effects of pollution. Information and access to the public are essential so that everyone knows what is happening to the environment.

xi. Public Partnership :

a. The public must be made aware in order to be able to make informed choices. A high governmental priority will be to educate citizens about environmental risks, the economic and health dangers of resource degradation and the real cost of natural resources. Information about the environment will be published periodically.

Affected citizens and non-governmental organisations play a role in environmental monitoring and therefore allowing them to supplement the regulatory system and recognising their expertise where such exists and their commitments and vigilance, will also be cost effective. Access to information to enable public monitoring of environmental concerns, will be provided for.

b. Public interest litigation has successfully demonstrated that responsible non­governmental organisations and public spirited individuals can bring about signifi­cant pressure on polluting units for adopting abatement measures. This commitment and expertise will be encouraged and their practical work supported.

c. Householders, as consumers, make large number of relatively small individual contributions, whose cumulative effect is considerable. A system of certification of goods that are “environmentally friendly” will be set up to make available informa­tion to encourage environmental consciousness amongst consumers.

This advice; will also encourage manufacturers to produce goods that are environmentally more friendly as well as encourage recycling and adequate waste management. Consumer awareness would also be encouraged by involvement of consumer organisations in cooperative testing, and dissemination of information relating to environmental friendliness of these products.

d. As the present system of jurisprudence does not provide for compensation to individuals for environmental damage, including effects on health and environmental damage caused by pollution, it is proposed to set up special legal institutions to redress this deficiency and also make adequate arrangements for interim relief.

e. Greater emphasis will be placed on promoting awareness, undertaking and competence in schools, colleges, and training institutions. Professional and non-governmental bodies will be encouraged to be more active in environmental training and building awareness.

f. Society has accepted many practices which cause pollution. Reckless use of loudspeakers, dumping in water bodies, and scattering of wastes are common. Noise nuisance requires specific devices as well as greater consideration for neighbours and there is growing concern that litter has increased in recent years. Social action in these matters by voluntary organisations and individuals will be promoted through knowledge, education, training camps and public information campaigns.

g. This statement is based on considerations of effectiveness, efficiency and availability of financial resources. The responsibility for abatement of pollution is not a duty of the Government alone, it is an obligation on all. The approach mentioned above should indicate how everyone can help in achieving a safe and environmentally appropriate environment in our country.

Project Report # 9. Methods Used To Minimize Environmental Pollution :

Project report # 10. what is environmental pollution prevention.

Pollution is the creation of imbalances between nature and environment life cycle by human beings and other living inhabitants on the earth due to their day to day input output activities carrying unhealthy surrounding, deforestation, ecological degradation. Soil ero­sion, depletion of natural resources creation of industries slumps and ugly dwellings.

a. Maximum feasibility reduction of all wastes generated at production sites.

b. Source reduction, energy efficiency, reuse of input materials during production and reduced water consumption.

c. Change products and production processes to reduce pollution at the source.

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EPA Region 8 requests applications for pollution prevention source reduction projects

Funding opportunity for projects to reduce pollution and waste through changes in the use of natural resources and materials

February 22, 2024

DENVER  – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is opening the FY2024-2025 Regional Source Reduction Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity for applicants in the states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming and 28 Tribal Nations in Region 8. This regional competitive grant provides funding for projects that promote practical source reduction practices, tools and training, or Pollution Prevention (P2) approaches to measurably improve human health and the environment.

P2, as defined in the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, is any practice that reduces environmental releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants prior to entering a waste stream for recycling, treatment or disposal. P2 conserves natural resources, including water and energy, by focusing industry, government and public attention on reducing pollution through the implementation of cost-effective changes in production, operation and the use of raw materials.

Eligible applicants include States, local, interstate, and intrastate government agencies and instrumentalities, federally recognized tribes, inter-tribal consortia and non-profit organizations formed under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (not 501(c)(4) organizations that lobby). All projects must take place within the geographic boundaries of Region 8.

EPA Region 8 anticipates awarding one to four awards ranging from $40,000-$180,000 with up to a total of $180,000 in federal funds. The number of awards is subject to the availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. The application deadline is April 15, 2024.

More information on applying for the gran t .

More information about pollution prevention and source reduction .  

HSC Projects

Evs Project On Noise Pollution For Class 11th

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement:

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to my esteemed Environmental Science teacher, [Name], for their invaluable guidance, support, and encouragement during the completion of this project on Noise Pollution.

Throughout the project, [Name] has provided me with valuable insights and suggestions, helping me refine my research methodology and analysis. Their constructive feedback and guidance have been invaluable in ensuring the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the project.

I would also like to express my gratitude to [Name] for their unwavering support and belief in my abilities. Their constant encouragement has instilled confidence in me and has been pivotal in overcoming challenges during the project’s completion.

Additionally, I would like to thank my classmates and friends who have assisted me in gathering data and providing valuable inputs during the project’s development. Their collaboration and enthusiasm have enriched the overall quality of this project.

Last but not least, I am deeply grateful to my family for their unwavering support and understanding. Their encouragement and patience have been vital in enabling me to dedicate the necessary time and effort to complete this project successfully.

Once again, I express my deepest gratitude to [Name] and all those who have contributed to the realization of this project on Noise Pollution. Your guidance, support, and encouragement have been indispensable, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work on this project under your supervision.

Introduction to Noise Pollution:

Noise pollution is a widespread environmental problem that arises from various sources and has adverse effects on both human health and the environment. It is characterized by excessive or disturbing sounds that disrupt the normal balance of the acoustic environment.

Noise pollution is generated by numerous activities and sources in our daily lives. Transportation, including vehicles on roads, trains, airplanes, and ships, is a major contributor to noise pollution. The constant honking of horns, engine noises, and the sonic boom of airplanes create a high level of noise, particularly in urban areas.

Industrial activities, such as manufacturing processes, power plants, and construction sites, also generate significant amounts of noise. The operation of machinery, heavy equipment, and power tools produces loud and continuous sounds, which can impact both workers and nearby communities.

Construction activities, including drilling, hammering, and demolition work, contribute to noise pollution as well. These activities often take place in residential areas, leading to disturbance and inconvenience for the residents.

Recreational activities can also generate noise pollution, especially in crowded areas. Events like concerts, sporting events, and festivals produce loud music, cheering crowds, and amplified announcements, causing discomfort and potential harm to individuals.

The excessive exposure to noise pollution can have detrimental effects on human health. Prolonged exposure to high levels of noise can lead to hearing loss and damage to the auditory system. It can also cause annoyance, stress, and sleep disturbances, leading to psychological issues such as anxiety, irritability, and reduced concentration.

Furthermore, noise pollution has negative impacts on the environment. It disrupts the natural habitats of wildlife, affecting their behavior, feeding patterns, and reproductive activities. For example, noise pollution from ships and sonar activities can disturb marine animals, leading to changes in migration patterns and communication difficulties.

In conclusion, noise pollution is a pervasive problem resulting from various sources such as transportation, industrial activities, construction, and recreational events. Its detrimental effects on human health and the environment make it a matter of concern that requires attention and effective mitigation strategies. By understanding the causes and consequences of noise pollution, we can work towards creating a quieter and healthier environment for all.

pollution project work

Example of Noise Pollution:

Noise pollution manifests in various forms and can be observed in numerous everyday situations. Two prominent examples of noise pollution are the incessant honking of vehicles in urban areas and the noise generated by construction sites.

In urban areas, the constant honking of vehicles has become a significant source of noise pollution. The honking is primarily due to traffic congestion, aggressive driving behavior, or lack of adherence to traffic rules. The cumulative effect of honking horns from cars, motorcycles, and buses creates a chaotic and stressful environment. Pedestrians, motorists, and residents in the vicinity are exposed to high levels of noise, leading to increased stress levels, annoyance, and a reduced quality of life. Prolonged exposure to such noise pollution can also have long-term impacts on individuals’ hearing abilities, potentially resulting in hearing loss or other auditory issues.

Another notable example of noise pollution is the noise generated by construction sites. Construction activities involve the use of heavy machinery, such as excavators, bulldozers, jackhammers, and concrete mixers, which emit high-intensity noise. The continuous operation of these machines, especially in densely populated areas, can cause significant disturbance and inconvenience to nearby communities. Construction noise disrupts the peace and tranquility of the surroundings, affecting residents’ sleep patterns, concentration levels, and overall well-being. It can also impact vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, young children, and individuals with certain medical conditions.

These examples highlight how noise pollution can arise from common activities and significantly impact individuals and communities. The incessant honking of vehicles in urban areas and the noise generated by construction sites are just a few instances of the widespread issue of noise pollution. It is crucial to address these sources of noise pollution through effective regulations, soundproofing measures, and responsible behavior to ensure a healthier and more peaceful living environment for everyone.

Importance of EVS Project on Noise Pollution:

The EVS project on Noise Pollution holds significant importance for several reasons. Firstly, it raises awareness among individuals about the adverse effects of noise pollution on human health and the environment. By understanding its consequences, people can take necessary measures to minimize their contribution to noise pollution and protect themselves. Secondly, the project highlights the need for effective policies and regulations to control and mitigate noise pollution. Lastly, it emphasizes the role of collective action and responsible behavior in reducing noise pollution and creating a more peaceful environment.

pollution project work

How Can We Make It Happen?

To effectively address noise pollution, we need a collective effort from individuals, communities, and governing bodies. Here are some steps that can be taken:

Public Awareness: Conduct awareness campaigns, seminars, and workshops to educate people about the causes and consequences of noise pollution. Encourage individuals to adopt soundproofing measures in their homes and workplaces.

Implement Noise Regulations: Enforce strict noise regulations and standards for industries, construction sites, and public places. These regulations should limit noise levels and define penalties for non-compliance.

Noise Reduction Measures: Encourage the use of noise-reducing technologies and techniques in transportation, construction, and industrial activities. Promote the adoption of quieter machinery and equipment.

Land Use Planning: Incorporate noise considerations into urban planning by ensuring the appropriate placement of residential areas, schools, and hospitals away from high-noise sources like highways or industrial zones.

pollution project work

The Three Pillars of Addressing Noise Pollution:

Prevention: Focus on reducing noise pollution at its source by employing quieter technologies, controlling noise emissions from industries, and promoting responsible behavior among individuals.

Protection: Implement measures to protect individuals from excessive noise exposure, such as providing sound barriers, noise barriers on highways, and soundproofing buildings near noisy areas.

Public Participation: Encourage active involvement of the public in raising concerns about noise pollution and participating in decision-making processes. Engage community organizations, NGOs, and citizen groups to work collaboratively in addressing noise pollution issues.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, noise pollution poses a significant threat to our environment, health, and overall well-being. Throughout this EVS project, we have delved into the causes, provided examples, and discussed the consequences of noise pollution. It has become evident that raising awareness and taking proactive measures are crucial to address this issue effectively.

Noise pollution is a multifaceted problem caused by various sources, including transportation, industrial activities, construction, and recreational events. It disrupts the harmony of our surroundings, leading to stress, annoyance, and potential health problems such as hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and psychological issues.

Raising awareness about noise pollution is essential. By educating ourselves and others about its causes and consequences, we can foster a sense of responsibility towards reducing noise pollution. Awareness campaigns, seminars, and workshops can play a pivotal role in disseminating information and encouraging individuals to take action.

Implementing effective measures to combat noise pollution requires a three-pronged approach: prevention, protection, and public participation.

Prevention involves addressing noise pollution at its source. This can be achieved by employing quieter technologies, promoting the use of noise-reducing equipment, and encouraging responsible behavior among individuals and industries.

Protection measures focus on safeguarding individuals from excessive noise exposure. Implementing sound barriers, noise barriers, and soundproofing measures in residential areas, schools, hospitals, and workplaces can significantly reduce the impact of noise pollution.

Public participation is crucial in creating a sustainable and peaceful environment. Encouraging active involvement from citizens, community organizations, NGOs, and other stakeholders fosters a sense of ownership and collective responsibility. By engaging in decision-making processes, raising concerns, and advocating for noise regulations and policies, individuals can contribute to meaningful change.

In conclusion, by working together and implementing the three pillars of prevention, protection, and public participation, we can make a positive impact in reducing noise pollution. It is essential for governments, organizations, communities, and individuals to collaborate and take action to create a more peaceful and sustainable environment for everyone.

As responsible citizens, we must recognize the detrimental effects of noise pollution and strive to minimize our contribution to it. Let us work towards a future where tranquility and harmony prevail, promoting a healthier and more enjoyable quality of life for ourselves and future generations.

Certificate of Completion

This is to certify that I, [Student’s Name], a [Class/Grade Level] student, have successfully completed the project on “Evs Project On Noise Pollution For Class 11th.” The project explores the fundamental principles and key aspects of the chosen topic, providing a comprehensive understanding of its significance and implications.

In this project, I delved into in-depth research and analysis, investigating various facets and relevant theories related to the chosen topic. I demonstrated dedication, diligence, and a high level of sincerity throughout the project’s completion.

Key Achievements:

Thoroughly researched and analyzed Evs Project On Noise Pollution For Class 11th. Examined the historical background and evolution of the subject matter. Explored the contributions of notable figures in the field. Investigated the key theories and principles associated with the topic. Discussed practical applications and real-world implications. Considered critical viewpoints and alternative theories, fostering a well-rounded understanding. This project has significantly enhanced my knowledge and critical thinking skills in the chosen field of study. It reflects my commitment to academic excellence and the pursuit of knowledge.

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    Your guidance, support, and encouragement have been indispensable, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work on this project under your supervision. Introduction to Noise Pollution: Noise pollution is a widespread environmental problem that arises from various sources and has adverse effects on both human health and the environment.