Effects of Unplanned Industrialization in Dhaka City

Introduction
Industrialization is a process that happens in countries when they start to use machines to do
work that was once done by people. Bangladesh is apparently now in the grip of different sorts of
pollution, like water pollution, soil pollution, air pollution, etc. The indiscriminate
industrialization process in Bangladesh over the past decades has created significant
environmental problems. Factories, power plants, and sewage treatment plants are considered to
be point sources of water pollution. Water pollution implies the addition of any foreign material
or any change in the natural water body which may affect the aquatic environment directly or
indirectly, immediately, after some time or after a long time. In Bangladesh, most industries are
located along the banks of the rivers, and as a consequence of their actions, industrial units drain
effluents directly into the rivers without any consideration of the environmental degradation. The
most problematic industries for the water sector are textiles, tanneries, pulp and paper mills,
fertilizer, industrial chemical production and refineries. Complex mixtures of hazardous
chemicals, both organic and inorganic, are discharged into the water bodies from all these
industries usually without treatment (UNEP 2001a).

Objectives

 To find out the root causes of unplanned industrialization.

 To show the effect of unplanned industrialization on environment.
 To overview the consequences of unplanned industrialization.
 To overview the role of government or non government organizations with the
industrialization sector.
 To overview some policies that are related with planned industrialization.
 To give some recommendations regarding on the proper way of industrialization
Literature Review

Qualitative analysis of respondents living in factory areas

Among the randomly selected 50 respondents from each of the four industries, the majority (73
%) had been living within the surrounding industrial areas of our study for more than 10 years
and faced various environmental problems. All the respondents commented on dirty water, bad
smells and dust pollution as being the main problematic issues. At the same time, 63 % of the
respondents also stated noise pollution as a problem. Remarkably, 100 % of our respondents
wanted the introduction of proper waste management systems, while 84 % of the respondents
mentioned that government should take proper pollution-solving initiatives. In more detailed
writing, the solutions included the introduction of new policies and the real implementation of
the existing laws to reducing pollution. So it is thus evident that most of the respondents are not
satisfied with the industrial antipollution efforts. The general dirty and unhealthy conditions in
and around the industrial sites have affected human health and happiness. Diseases, unheard of
before, are spreading far and wide. Due to rapid industrialization and more building of industries
pollution in rivers and water bodies and also release of smoke to the atmosphere can lead to
diseases for example cancer and respiratory diseases and can also lead to genetic disorders if one

Hasan 3

is exposed to radioactive chemicals thus leading to deformities of which affect health of an

individual. Overpopulation in urban areas has led to the spread of diseases for example cholera,
tuberculosis and all other diseases of which are spread through contact, airborne or waterborne
thus leading to deteriorating of health to individuals. The diseases are not easily controlled due to
huge numbers affected. Most of the respondents are affected with several diseases.

Air Pollution

Industrial pollution contributes a startling amount of air pollution to the atmosphere, as 80

different categories of toxins. Examples of common industrial emissions deemed hazardous to
the environment include asbestos, dioxin, hydrozen chloride, perchlorethylene and metals like
lead and chromium. Oil refineries, coal-fired power plants, steel mills, dry cleaners and
chromium electroplating facilities are among the worst air polluters also trucks used in shipping
goods and services to these industries discharge toxic benzene and toluene from fuel oil.
Water Pollution

Lakes and rivers near factories typically have higher levels of pollution than bodies of water in
rural areas. According to S.K. Agarwa, the author of “Water Pollution.” Industrial toxins enter
the water supply in gaseous, liquid or solid form. For example, pollution from smokestacks falls
as acid rain on land and water. Highly toxic waste from incinerators is deposited in landfills
where it can leach into ground water. Inadequately treated waste water from paper mills can
release pollutants into rivers. Worse still, about 70 percent of industrial waste generated in
developing countries is dumped untreated into waterways, as reported by National Geographic.

Soil Contamination

Industrial waste often contains heavy metals that pollute urban soil and cropland. Lead is the
most common toxin found. Soil becomes contaminated when toxic industrial emissions fall as
precipitation. Other sources include improperly lined industrial landfills, mining tailings and
chemicals spilled during transport. Most heavy metals don’t degrade like carbon-based materials,
making soil decontamination difficult and very costly.

Habitat Destruction

Reduced species biodiversity can occur when the ecosystem is disrupted by urban expansion and
industrialization. For example, the bison population was decimated when settlers cleared the land
for homes, businesses and agriculture. Modern day examples include displacement of birds and
animals by logging operations, gravel pits, strip mines, industrial explosions, road construction,
oil spills and proliferating factories. Global warming can render an area inhospitable to certain
species of flora or fauna. The risk of species extinction from global warming may be even
greater than the risk of extinction from deforestation, according to a study reported in
Conservation Biology.

Discussion and Analysis

Since the ages of industrial and technological revolutions, economic growth has been regarded as
the major fundamental of the world’s growth. Industrial growth has started to affect the entire
environment with its severe downside problems. The formation of massive pollution making
industries are the result of the constant need and greed of the human being. These industries
include transportation and manufacturing, which are exhausting the earth’s resources, but also
causing tremendous stress on the environment. The productiveness of industries generally
depends on the natural resources available. The impact of industrialization on the
environment has led the way with certain positive and large negative outcomes, with progressive
rates and inventions. There are quite a number of resourceful natural elements like, water, air,
soil and fisheries, which are considered to be positive and fertile assets. The pollution of water,
soil and air, are defined as the by-product of economical development in industry and city life.
Global warming and greenhouse effects are the result, which is a massive impact of
industrialization on the environment. The degradation of the entire environment and ecological
system is inclined to become permanent and tends to cause several negative effects on the
economy, by causing human losses, ill health of the employees at large costs to governments,
manufacturing and society. Constant air and water pollution are affecting the quality of human
lives with its harmful pollutants. The rapid growth of industries are leaving harmful effects on
the human life by polluting water and air. The air and water pollution are thus, the main
problems in the environment. The establishment of more industries increase the major
difficulties of degrading the water and soil. The impact of industrialization on the environment
needs to be emphasized with more intensity and feeling as the world is quietly but surely facing
destruction from man-made follies.

I’ll sum this up in a few points regarding the effect of unplanned industrialization on the
environment:

Extraction: Industrialization makes use of resources raw materials from the land, water,
perhaps wood and plants, fossil fuels etc. This has an effect on the environment, since
demand for all these goes up, and more quantities are extracted from the land.

Urbanization: Industrialization needs people to work in factories. So, people move from
rural/agricultural areas that are spread out, to industrialized cities that are concentrated. A
higher population puts added pressure on the local environment.

Waste material: Industrialization produces a greater amount of waste both directly as a

result of production of goods as well as the disposal of those goods once their purpose has
been served. For example, if a factory makes plastic furniture, it produces waste plastic and
once the plastic furniture is worn, it is added to the rubbish pile too. Finally, there is
a possible long term beneficial impact. Industrialization adds to the wealth of society, and
makes a greater quantity of goods available at lower cost, thus uplifting the lives of many. If
managed properly, with ill effects kept limited, this will allow humanity to have the
resources to better manage the environment. 
Conclusion

This study was carried out for some reasons which deemed inadequate to the effect of unplanned
industrialization. Following conclusions can be drawn from this study:
It is time that emphasis is put on a planned and balanced industrialization keeping in view the
preservation of environment. Man should be less dependent on the machine, which once a slave,
tends to become the master. Excessive dependence on the machine makes man unfit for many
things and renders him a helpless creature. Heavy industries and cottage industries must be
complementary to each other, so that sustained development would be possible. It would be a
move in the right direction. It will employ local and regional manpower and utilize the local and
regional resources. It is needed to have a national master plan for industrial development by
which location of industries along with its effluent treatment facilities should be well-defined to
protect the aquatic environment and ecosystem. Low cost effluent treatment techniques,
redesigning production system, changing or substituting raw materials, reusing or recycling
wastes, neutralizing effluents, and use of biotechnologies could significantly minimize the
environmental degradation.

Nevertheless, safe and protected burial of toxic and hospital wastes, controlled solid waste
disposal practice, proper drainage facilities, and public awareness might play a great role for the
environmental restoration.
 References

http://www.geography-papers.com/positive-and-negative-effects-of-unplanned-
industrialization.html

https://www.kenyaplex.com/resources/12473-effects-of-industrialization-on-health-and-
healthcare-delivery.aspx