Pollution, Waste Management & ISO 14001 – Lecture Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering pollution types, sources, effects, control methods, waste management strategies, and ISO 14001 concepts.

Pollution

Undesirable change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of the environment that can harm life and property.

Air Pollution

Presence of substances in the atmosphere at concentrations high enough to cause harm to humans and the environment.

Natural Sources (Air Pollution)

Volcanic eruptions, forest fires, sea-salt sprays, biological decay, pollen grains, marshes, photochemical oxidation of terpenes.

Anthropogenic Sources (Air Pollution)

Human-made sources such as thermal power plants, vehicular emissions, and industrial units.

Primary Pollutant

Contaminant emitted directly from its source into the atmosphere.

Secondary Pollutant

Substance formed in the atmosphere through reactions between primary pollutants.

Necrosis

Damage or death of plant tissue caused by pollutants entering through stomata.

Chlorosis

Reduction or loss of chlorophyll in plants due to pollution, leading to yellowing leaves.

Abscission

Premature dropping of leaves induced by pollutant stress.

Epinasty

Downward curling of leaves as a plant response to air pollutants.

Water Pollution

Contamination of water bodies with substances that render them unfit for use.

Point Source Pollution

Water contamination discharged from a single, identifiable location.

Non-Point Source Pollution

Diffuse water contamination originating over a broad area without a single discharge point.

Surface Water Pollution

Degradation of rivers, lakes, and streams by sewage, industrial effluents, detergents, agrochemicals, oil, or waste heat.

Sewage

Wastewater discarded from households containing organic and inorganic matter.

Industrial Effluents

Wastewater produced from manufacturing or chemical processes in industries.

Agricultural Runoff

Fertilizers and pesticides washed from fields into water bodies during rainfall or irrigation.

Groundwater Pollution

Contamination of subsurface water, often limited by soil filtration but possible via septic tanks, mining, or deep-well injection.

Pathogen Spread

Proliferation of disease-causing organisms in stagnant or untreated water.

Malaria

Mosquito-borne disease described as the most widely distributed and damaging to human health in polluted water regions.

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)

Measure (mg/L) of the oxygen required for microbial decomposition of organic matter in water; key parameter of organic pollution.

Soil Pollution

Degradation of soil quality through dumping of wastes, fly ash, fertilizers, pesticides, sewage sludge, and radioactive materials.

Fly Ash

Fine particulate waste from thermal power plants that can contaminate soil and air.

DDT

Persistent organochlorine pesticide contributing to soil and water pollution.

Strontium-90

Radioactive isotope that mimics calcium and can enter the food chain, posing health risks.

Solid Waste

Any discarded solid material from households, businesses, industries, agriculture, or mining.

Hazardous Waste

Waste that is poisonous, reactive, corrosive, or flammable and threatens human health or the environment.

Waste Management

Handling of waste through collection, transport, processing, recycling, or disposal.

Waste Reduction

Strategies aimed at minimizing the amount of waste generated.

Integrated Waste Management

Combining waste reduction, recycling, composting, and safe disposal to manage solid waste efficiently.

Material Recovery Facility (MRF)

Plant where mixed recyclables are sorted and processed for reuse.

Source Separation

Sorting recyclables by households or businesses before collection.

Composting

Biological decomposition of organic waste by bacteria to form nutrient-rich humus.

Open Dump

Unregulated waste pile where trash is simply heaped on the ground.

Sanitary Landfill

Engineered site where waste is buried, compacted, and covered to minimize environmental impact.

Leachate

Contaminated liquid that drains from a landfill and can pollute soil and water.

Bioremediation

Use of microorganisms to detoxify or remove pollutants from contaminated sites.

Phytoremediation

Use of plants to absorb, concentrate, and/or detoxify pollutants from soil or water.

Plasma Arc Torch

Technology that uses an electric arc and high temperatures to break down hazardous waste into simpler molecules.

Carbon Capture

Process of trapping CO₂ emissions from sources like power plants to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Desalination

Removal of salts from seawater to produce fresh water.

Green Building

Structure designed to be environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout its life-cycle.

Environmental Management System (EMS)

Framework of processes and procedures enabling an organization to achieve its environmental objectives.

EMS Drivers

Factors motivating EMS adoption, including customer expectations, cost reduction, pollution prevention, and regulatory compliance.

ISO 14001

International standard that specifies requirements for establishing and maintaining an Environmental Management System to support environmental protection and pollution prevention.

Continual Improvement (CI) Model

ISO 14001 cycle: Environmental Policy → Planning → Implementation & Operation → Checking → Management Review → back to Policy.