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Home / IAS Preparation / Air Pollution Causes Effects

Air Pollution Notes: Meaning, Causes, Effects, Solutions and Control Principals

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The world in the 21st century has been witnessing rapid development. The lives of the people have become relatively easier thanks to the latest innovative products. But with such products comes the problem of harmful by-products and wastes. Air Pollution is one such by-product of this rapid development which is posing great threats to the environment. In order to ensure the survival of human beings on the Earth, controlling pollution is extremely important.

Types of Pollutions

There are four main types of pollution, namely land pollution, water pollution, air pollution and noise pollution. Incorrectly disposing of waste products causes land pollution, while contamination of water causes water pollution. Release of smoke with toxic chemicals is the reason for air, and noise pollution is caused by elevated sounds over a period of time that cause damage to hearing.

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Pollution and Pollutants

A pollutant is a harmful material released into the environment that is extremely harmful. It can be released through multiple ways and in multiple forms such as toxic substances that are released in either the land or the water, or in the form of carbon particles in the smoke, or simply through loud sounds. A pollutant can also be called a substance that harms the natural order of the environment. The release of such pollutants into the environment is called pollution.

Know more about the Design of Sewers, here.

Air Pollution: What it is, Causes, Effects and Solutions

The release of toxins into the air is called air pollution. Air pollution is a continuously growing menace, with more vehicles, factories, etc. being set up daily, it is already starting to manifest into a major problem in some parts of the world. Cities like Delhi and Mumbai have already started to report dangerously high levels of pollution, with more developing cities soon to follow.

Causes of Air Pollution: Just like noise pollution, there are various causes of air pollution all around us. From cars to factories, every activity engaging in the use of fuel contributes to it even if in a little amount. Some causes of air pollution are discussed below: –

  • Vehicles: Cars use petrol and diesel as fuels, when ignited, these fuels create energy and allow the vehicle to operate. But along with vehicular functionality, these fuels also release carbon monoxide, which is harmful when inhaled and contributes to smog.
  • Industries: factories are a major contributor in air pollution, with a large-scale use of fuels, factories produce a huge number of pollutants that mix with the air and result in air pollution. Power plants burn coal to produce electricity, smelting plants, brick kilns, manufacturing plants all burn fuel to operate which releases harmful toxins in the air.
  • Dust:when the dust collected inside buildings, or on any surface for that matter is disturbed, it becomes airborne and pollutes the air we breathe. During the time of the Diwali festival, with mass cleaning operations going on, the air can become quite full of dust particles.
  • Forest Fires:Occasionally on a camping trip or a hike, somebody might start a fire or light a cigarette and forget or irresponsibly put them out, which can spread fire to the surrounding dry leaves and ultimately start a forest fire. With mass burning, a big part of the air in that area becomes polluted from the smoke coming from the forest fire.
  • CFCs:Chlorofluorocarbons or better known as CFCs are chemicals made from atoms of chlorine, fluorine and carbon and are used in refrigerators and in manufacturing of aerosols, when released go up into the atmosphere and harm the ozone layer by breaking it down, these particles can stay in the atmosphere for a long time, constantly harming the ozone layer.

Read more about Water Quality, here.

Effects of Air Pollution: It is responsible for numerous problems seen throughout the world, ranging from breathing problems to global warming, following are some effects of air pollution discussed in detail.

  • Breathing problems: When smoke is released into the air, it is dispersed over an area. Living beings in that area inhale that smoke, which when goes into the lungs, causes harm that can also be life threatening. In cities like Delhi and Mumbai a lot of people suffer from breathing problems, especially people living in urban areas or near places of traffic.
  • Smog: Too much emission of pollutants in the air makes the air dense and this dense air then mixes with the water vapor in the atmosphere to create smog (smoke + fog). Smog is dangerous as not only does it create breathing problems it also impairs vision.
  • Global warming: Release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide traps more heat from the sun that makes the earth warmer, causing glaciers to melt that leads to immense rise in water levels.
  • Skin problems: The release of aforementioned CFCs that damage the ozone allow the harmful UV rays of the sun to reach us. Exposure to these UV rays is harmful to human skin, causing problems like skin cancer.

Solutions to Air Pollution: With such alarming effects caused by air pollution, we must come up with and start implementing some solutions to prevent this. Some of which are discussed below:

 

  1. Using vehicles that do not emit smoke such as electric cars or bicycles.
  2. Getting a pollution check-up on vehicles.
  3. Using filtration for chimneys.
  4. Discarding the use of fossil fuels and using renewable sources of energy instead.
  5. Conserving energy by turning off any appliances, not in use.
  6. People going on camping trips should put out fires properly and make sure not to light one near dry timber or leaves that could catch fire.

Learn more about Water Treatment, here.

Air Pollution: Control and Principles

Air pollution is something that needs to be controlled if humanity is to survive. It is damaging crucial parts of our world that are needed to prosper. Keeping this in mind, various rules and regulations have been placed to contain it. Some of them are as follows.

  • The Indian government has implemented strict laws to keep vehicle pollution in check, if a vehicle does not have a pollution-free certificate it is barred from operating.
  • The National Clean Air Program of 2019 calls on 122 cities to develop clean air plants to help reduce the pollution levels in the cities.
  • The Paris accords have called on many countries to reduce and gradually eliminate the use of CFCs globally.
  • Automobile companies have started to roll out electric cars and are slowly stopping the use of fossil fuels altogether.
  • More and more renewable energy plants have been constructed to reduce the use of fossil fuels, such as hydroelectricity plants, geothermal plants, windmills, etc.

Differences between Air Pollution and Noise Pollution

Although Air and Noise pollution are both harmful to the environment, there are some differences one should know about to differentiate one from the other. These differences are as follows:

 

Air Pollution Noise pollution
Pollutes air in the form of toxins like CO2, CO, SO2, etc. Pollutes the air in the form of soundwaves.
Causes breathing problems impair vision and causes skin problems. Causes hearing problems, stress, anxiety, sleep disturbance.
Mainly caused by smoke emitting elements such as chimneys, vehicles, factories, etc. Mainly caused by vehicle horns, loudspeakers, construction sites, etc.
Hurts the environment for a longer period of time. Hurts the environment for as long as the sound is being emitted, but some damages can be permanent.
Can be dealt with by using better sources of energy, using electric vehicles, etc. Can be dealt with by soundproofing, planting more trees, having quieter events.

Also, check out the notes on Wastewater, here.

With all the important aspects regarding air and noise pollution clear to you, it is time to enhance your knowledge further with help of the best online learning resources. Download the Testbook App now and take your knowledge to the next level.

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Air and Noise Pollution FAQs

Air pollution is the release of toxic substances in the air that contaminate it and make it unsuitable for breathing. Regular intake of polluted air leads to serious health problems.

Sources of air pollution include vehicles, factories, forest fires, household chimneys, etc.

Some of the most potent solutions to air pollution are using alternative sources of energy, using electric vehicles, regular servicing of vehicles, no open fire etc.

As the entire world is now facing the threats from air pollution, many competitive exams feature questions pertaining to the topic. So, candidates must be thorough with the contents of the topic in order to improve the chances of qualifying the respective exam.

In addition to studying the content provided above, candidates can use the Testbook App for more information regarding the topic.
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