Pollution Management Strategies

Key Questions
1. What challenges does each type of pollution present?
2. Why?
3. What can be or is being done?

Three level model
-Human activity producing pollutants
+Altering human activity through education, incentives, and penalties to promote:
*Development of alternative technology
*Adoption of alternative lifestyles
*Reducing, reusing, recycling

-Release of pollutants into environment
+ Regulating and reducing point of emissions
*Standards
*Measures to extract pollutants from emissions

-Long-term impact of pollutants on ecosystem
+ Cleaning up pollutants and restoring ecosystems
*Extracting and removing pollutants from ecosystem
*Replanting and restocking animal populations

Major Pollutants

Pollutant	Causes and Sources	Effects
Carbon monoxide	Forms during the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials. Motor-vehicles, burning and forest and grasslands, inefficient stoves, open fires	CO reacts with hemoglobin, reducing blood's ability to transport oxygen. Can also cause headaches, nausea, drowsiness.
Carbon dioxide	A result of the carbon cycle, the burning of fossil fuels, and industrial processes	Can alter the pH of water bodies and because of excessive quantities, it is contributing to the greenhouse effect. In the human body, excessive CO2 can cause asphyxiation and kidney damage.
Nitrogen oxides and nitric acid	Combustion of fossil fuels. Motor vehicles are a major contributor. Nitric acid can come from sewage and fertilizers.	Nitrogen oxides harm airways and can lead to respiratory diseases. It also contributes to the formation of ozone. Nitric acid leads to acid rain.
Sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid	Burning of coal and oil, and is also a byproduct of metal and industrial processes.	Both cause acid rain wich results in acidified soils and bodies of water. Health effects include respiratory and cardiovascular problems
Suspended Particulate Matter	Motor vehicles, coal-burning, fireplaces, power plants.	Causes pulmonary problems such as asthma and decreased lung function. In the environment, it reduces visibility.
Ozone	Formed by the reaction of VOCs and nitrogen oxides.	Causes shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, but can lead to severe lung problems such as reduced function and irritation.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)	Motor vehicles, chemical plants, refineries, factories.	Eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness.
Radon	Produced by the decay of uranium in soil and water.	Lung cancer.

Sources of Pollution per Type

Air
Point source: Ammonia is a pollutant that is commonly released because of industrial processes.

Non-point source: Nitrogen oxides are pollutants that are released into the air due to the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities such as cars and other vehicles, and agricultural sources.

Water
Point source:
Wastewater treatment plants are a source of pollutants ranging from organic nutrients to chemical agents. This is considered a point source pollutant because the plants have identifiable discharge pipes.

Non-point source:

1. Excess nutrients that can come from industrial or agricultural runoff or even animal wastes and soil gathered along a water's path.
2. Chemical contaminants that enter a body of water through urban runoff and contaminated stormwater.
   

Soil
Point source: Industrial wastes and agricultural pesticides are a source of contaminants that release chemicals into the soil, compromising its health.
Non-point source: Runoff can also affect soil because contaminated groundwater seeps into it. If the runoff carries excessive nutrients, these could also become soil pollutants.


Notes
It can be seen in this comparison that when talking about waste and pollution management, each case need to be considered on an individual basis because a pollutant can come from a non-point source or a point source.