Pollution

MODULE - 4

Environmental Science Senior Secondary Course

Contemporary
Environmental Issues

10

Notes

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Developmental activities such as construction, transportation and manufacturing not only
deplete the natural resources but also produce large amount of wastes that leads to pollution
of air, water, soil, and oceans; global warming and acid rains. Untreated or improperly
treated waste is a major cause of pollution of rivers and environmental degradation causing
ill health and loss of crop productivity. In this lesson you will study about the major causes
of pollution, their effects on our environment and the various measures that can be taken to
control such pollutions.

OBJECTIVES
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
•

define the terms pollution and pollutants;

•

list various kinds of pollution;

•

describe types of pollution, sources, harmful effects on human health and control
of air pollution, indoor air pollution, noise pollution;

•

describe water pollution, its causes and control;

•

describe thermal pollution;

•

describe soil pollution, its causes and control;

•

describe radiation pollution, sources and hazards.

10.1 POLLUTION AND POLLUTANTS
Human activities directly or indirectly affect the environment adversely. A stone crusher
adds a lot of suspended particulate matter and noise into the atmosphere. Automobiles
emit from their tail pipes oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon
monoxide and a complex mixture of unburnt hydrocarbons and black soot which pollute
the atmosphere. Domestic sewage and run off from agricultural fields, laden with pesticides
164

MODULE - 4

Environmental Pollution
and fertilizers, pollute water bodies. Effluents from tanneries contain many harmful chemicals
and emit foul smell. These are only a few examples which show how human activities
pollute the environment. Pollution may be defined as...