MODULE 8 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND CONTROL

Environmental pollution

• associated with adverse health effects experienced or measured in the short or long term that clinically may be described as either acute or chronic.

• is the addition to the natural environment of any substance or energy form (e-g. heat, sound) at a rate that results in higher than natural concentrations of that substance.

• sum total of the unhealthful elements in the environment (water, air, land) in concentrations higher than natural.

• is any undesirable change in physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of any component of the environment.

Pollution

• Biologists define it as the undesirable change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of an ecosystem that injures or kills living organisms and makes part of the ecosystem unfit for the use we want to make of it.

• when harmful substances contaminate the environment.

• refers to a very bad condition of the environment in terms of quantity and quality.

Soil Pollution/Contamination

• refers to the contamination of soil with anomalous concentrations of toxic substances.

• is a serious environmental concern since it harbors many health hazards.

Benzene

high concentration of this substance increases the risk of contracting leukemia.

Two types of Soil Pollution

1. Naturally caused soil pollution.

2. Anthropogenic soil pollution

Naturally caused soil pollution

• some pollutants are naturally accumulated in soils.

• occur due to the differential deposition of soil by the atmosphere.

• in which this type of soil pollution can occur is via the transportation of soil pollutants with precipitation water

Anthropogenic soil pollution

• caused by human activity.

• demolition of old buildings

• Usage of lead-based paint during construction

• Spillage of petrol and diesel during transportation

• Activities associated with metal casting factories

• Underground mining activities

• Improper disposal of highly toxic industrial/chemical waste

• Chemical pesticides contain several hazardous substances

• Sewage produced in urbanized areas

Domestic and municipal waste

• Household wastes

• contain many substances and materials such as fruit and vegetable peels, unused food products, newspapers and plastics which are mixed in the soil.

• not dealt with properly and become home for rats, flies and mosquitoes

Industrial waste

• main sources of soil pollution are industries such as oil refining, chemical and fertilizers, food processing, iron and steel, pulp and paper, textile and mining, etc.

• mixed in the soil, thus increasing the extent to the soil pollution.

Agriculture Pollution

• salinity of soil from irrigation increases to such levels that its productivity decreases

• Intensive use of fertilizers causes damage to nitrogen fixation. Pesticides residues stay in the soil for a long time.

Mineral production

• is always associated with solid waste generation in the form of overburden, tailing and slim.

Biological agent

• Improper emission disposal can be the reason for soil

  pollution, water pollution, and the spread of flies.

• can be caused by pollution are a host of typhoid and paratified fever, dysentery, diarrhea, cholera, hookworm disease, ascariasis, viral hepatitis and other intestinal infections.

Radioactive material

• Nuclear waste is harmful because it contains radioactive substances that emit nuclear radiation

Air Pollution

• physical and chemical alteration of the properties of air which is harmful to human health, vegetation and animals.

• mix of chemicals, particulate matter,

  and biological materials that react with each other to form tiny hazardous particles.

• contributes to breathing problems, chronic diseases, increased hospitalization, and premature mortality

Short-term symptoms resulting from exposure to air pollution.

• include itchy eyes, nose, and throat; wheezing, coughing; shortness of breath; chest pain; headaches; nausea; and upper respiratory infections (bronchitis and pneumonia).

• it also exacerbates asthma and emphysema.

Long-term symptoms resulting from exposure to air pollution.

include lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory illness, and developing allergies. Air pollution is also associated with heart attacks and strokes (International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers

Prevention

• Comply with air pollution advisories

• Travelers with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should carry an inhaler, antibiotic, or oral steroid

• Older travelers with pre-existing conditions should get a physical exam that includes a stress and lung capacity test prior to departure.

• Newborns and young children should minimize exposure as much as possible or consider not travelling to areas with poor air quality.

• Ask your medical practitioner if a face mask is advisable for you.

Water pollution

• Any physical, chemical, or biological changes to the water that affect its use by living organisms.

• Presence of solid, liquid, or gaseous contaminants in such concentrations that may alter the quality

Point source

Discharges pollutants or any effluent, wastewater, through pipes, ditches, and sewers into bodies of water at a specific location.

• sewage treatment plants of factories

• electric power plants

• active and abandoned underground coal mine

• Oil tankers

• Offshore oil wells

Non-point source

one of many widely scattered sources that discharge pollutants over a large area.

• runoffs in surface water

• seepage into underground in urban and suburban lands

• construction areas

• parking lots

• roadways

Common types of pollutants

1. Disease-causing organisms

2. Oxygen-demanding wastes

3. Water-soluble inorganic chemicals

4. Inorganic plant nutrients

5. Organic chemicals

6. Sediments of suspended matter

Sediments of suspended matter

insoluble pesticides of soil, salt, and inorganic and organic materials that can remain suspended in water

Organic chemicals

insoluble and water soluble oil, gasolines, plastics, pesticides, cleaning solvents, etc.

Inorganic plant nutrients

water soluble nitrate and phosphate salts

Water soluble inorganic chemicals

acids, salts, toxic metals, and their compounds

Oxygen-demanding wastes

domestic sewage, animal manure, and other biodegradable organic wastes that deplete water of dissolved oxygen

Disease-causing organisms

bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites

Measurement of water quality

• to determine water quality

• include temperature, acidity (pH), dissolved solids (specific conductance), particulate matter (turbidity), dissolved oxygen, hardness and suspended sediment.

Physical

• Related to the quality of water for domestic use

• Associated with the appearance of water E.g. Color, turbidity, temperature and odor

Chemical

Sometimes evidenced by their observed reactions (comparative performance of hard and soft water in laundering)

Biological

• Very important in their relation to public health

• Significant in modifying the physical and chemical characteristic of water

Radiological

Considered in area where there is a possibility that the water may have come in contact with radioactive substance

Effects of Water Pollution

1. Death of aquatic organisms

2. Diseases like Cholera, Malaria, and Typhoid (spread during the rainy season.

3. Shortage in drinking water

4. Increased BOD (biochemical oxygen) demand is defined as the measure of dissolved oxygen required to decompose the organic matter in water biologically.

Solid Waste

all discarded household waste, commercial waste, non-hazardous institutional and industrial waste, street sweepings, construction debris, agricultural waste, and other nonhazardous/non-toxic solid waste

Focal Problems

The primary roots of the solid waste problems lie on the following factors: high volume of solid waste generation, lack of proper disposal facility and economic development.

Waste sources, composition and generation

Solid waste refers to wastes from households, municipal services, construction debris and the agricultural sector. This also includes non-hazardous, non-liquid wastes from institutions and Industries

Disposal facility

• waste disposal methods such as sanitary landfill, incinerator, or other facility which receives waste for disposal.

• facility may have one or many disposal methods available for use

Rapid urbanization affects waste generation.

• the process in which an increasing proportion of an entire population lives in cities and suburbs.

• is fueled by fast economic growth.

• seeking economic opportunities to somehow improve their standard of living.

Rapid Economic Development affects waste generation

• Economic opportunities are the driving force of people living in rural areas to move in urban cities for the quest of improving the standard of living.

• severe negative environmental externalities are no exception such as pollution, increasing solid waste generation, increasing growth of slums thus threatens human health.

Financial, technical limitations and insufficient capacities of LGUs

• lack of proper facilities causing severe stress on the lake and its watershed areas, these limitations are due to lack financial capital and technical expertise in the investment of disposal facility.

• the challenge is its implementation since the proper disposal of waste such as sanitary landfills or controlled dumpsites has not been strengthened, taking financial mechanism constraint as one factor.

Water & Air Pollution Affects Human health

Pollution has negative impact on human health and its impact will depend on the type of pollutant and how it is delivered. Solid waste and other wastes thrown in to landfills, dumpsites, streets, roads could result to both air and water pollution

Contamination of heavy metals in surface and ground water

Heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), hexavalent chromium (Cr); dissolved copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and others in high concentration are toxic and notable effects to consumers’ are nervous, renal, respiratory, muscular, reproductive, skeletal, and circulatory systems disorders and in worse cases, death

Flooding

The lack of attention to waste management, improper management of uncollected wastes and inadequate/lack of maintenance of drainage channels or could say the loose implementation of waste management laws that resulted to flooding problems especially in congested urbanized areas triggered public health

RA 9003

• The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000

• Was signed into law by the Philippine Government on January 26, 2001.

• first legislation that supports an integrated approach to solid waste management.

• provides for waste reduction at source; segregation at source for recovery of reusable, recyclables, and compostable; segregated transportation, storage, transfer, processing, treatment and disposal of solid waste; and all other waste management activities which do not harm the environment.

• is the core environmental policy in institutionalizing a national program in managing the transfer, transport, processing, and disposal of solid waste

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

act as overall of the Commission to be created; prepare a National Solid Waste Management Status Report; provide technical and capacity-building assistance to local government units; issue rules and regulations in the implementation of the Act

Department of Health (DOH)

in coordination with the DENR and other concerned agencies prepare the National Solid Waste Management Status Report which shall be the basis for the National Solid Waste Management Framework; and together with the DENR and DILG shall publish the inventory of all solid waste disposal facilities

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)

shall formulate and implement a coding system for packaging materials and products to facilitate waste recycling and reuse and with DENR establish and manage a solid waste management information database and publish a study of existing markets for processing and purchasing recyclable materials and the potential steps necessary to expand these markets

Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG)

together with the DENR and DOH shall publish the inventory of all solid waste disposal facilities

Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) with the DENR

shall conduct continuing education and information campaign on solid waste management

DepEd and CHED

the national government through the DepEd and in coordination with concerned agencies, non-government organizations and private institutions, shall strengthen the integration of environmental concerns in school curricula at all levels