Brief Note on Sources and Causes of Pollution

Priya G^*
*Correspondence: Priya G, Department of Environmental Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, Email:

Introduction

Both natural and man-made factors contribute to air pollution. Humanmade pollutants from combustion, building, mining, agriculture, and warfare, on the other hand, are becoming increasingly important in the global air pollution equation.

One of the most significant sources of air pollution is motor vehicle exhaust. In terms of air pollution emissions, China, the United States, Russia, India, Mexico, and Japan dominate the globe. Chemical plants, coal-fired power plants, oil refineries, petrochemical facilities, nuclear waste disposal activity, incinerators, big animal farms, PVC factories, metals manufacturing factories, plastics factories, and other heavy industries are all major stationary pollution sources. Agricultural air pollution is caused by modern agricultural methods such as clear felling and burning of natural plants, as well as pesticide and herbicide application.

Description

Each year, over 400 million metric tonnes of hazardous garbage are produced. Approximately 250 million metric tonnes are produced in the United States alone. Although Americans make up less than 5% of the global population, they emit nearly 25% of CO₂ and generate roughly 30% of the world's garbage. China surpassed the United States as the world's largest CO₂ generator in 2007, yet it is still far behind in terms of per capita pollution [1-3].

Chlorinated hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE, zinc, arsenic, and benzene are some of the most frequent soil pollutants. A series of journalistic stories published in 2001, culminating in the publication of the book Fateful Harvest, revealed a widespread practice of recycling industrial leftovers into fertilizer, resulting in metal poisoning of the soil. Ordinary municipal landfills are a source of many chemical substances entering the soil environment, resulting from the wide variety of waste accepted, particularly illegally discarded substances, or from pre-1970 landfills that may have been subject to little control in the United States or the European Union. There have also been some uncommon discharges of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, such as TCDD, which are often referred to as dioxins.

Conclusion

Pollution can also occur as a result of natural disasters. Hurricanes, for example, frequently result in sewage pollution and petrochemical spills from burst boats or vehicles. When coastal oil rigs or refineries are involved, largerscale and environmental damage is not unusual. When accidents occur, some pollution sources, such as nuclear power stations or oil ships, can cause extensive and possibly catastrophic emissions. The motor vehicle is the most common cause of noise pollution, accounting for over 90% of all undesirable noise globally [4,5].

Conflict of Interest

None.

References

1. Sun, Bo, Linxiu Zhang and Zhaoliang Zhu. "Agricultural non-point source pollution in China: causes and mitigation measures." Ambio 41 (2012): 370-379.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

2. Fan, Liangcong, Yuemei Yuan and Baojing Gu. "Decreasing farm number benefits the mitigation of agricultural non-point source pollution in China." ESPR 26  (2019): 464-472.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

3. Commoner, Barry, Michael Corr, and Paul J. Stamler. "The causes of pollution." Environ Sci Policy 13 (1971): 2-19.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

4. Warren, Charles E. "Biology and water pollution control." (1971).

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at

5. Van Der Ploeg, Frederick, and Aart J. De Zeeuw. "International aspects of pollution control." Environ Resour Econ 2 (1992): 117-139.

Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at