Pollution In The

Earth
Meaning of Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful
materials are called pollutants. Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be
created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the
quality of air, water, and land.

(source:
National Geographic)
Forms of Pollution (Part 1)

There are many types of Pollution, the most important of them are:-

1. Air pollution: is the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere.

(4.2 million deaths every year as a result of air pollution)

(Sources: Wikipedia,
WHO)

2. Water pollution: is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human

activities, in such a manner that negatively affects its legitimate uses.  Water pollution
reduces the ability of the body of water to provide the ecosystem services that it would
otherwise provide. Water bodies include for example lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers,
streams and groundwater. Water pollution results when contaminants are introduced
into these water bodies. (Source: Wikipedia)
Forms of Pollution (Part 2)

3. Plastic Pollution: is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (ex. plastic bottles,
and bags) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects wildlife and humans. Plastics act as
pollutants in water and air (when it had burned it produces CO2 gas that adversely affects on
atmosphere). Plastics are unexpensive and durable making them very adaptable for different
uses; as a result humans produce a lot of plastic. However, the chemical structure of most
plastics renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation and as a result they
are slow to degrade. Together, these two factors allow large volumes of plastic to enter the
environment as mismanaged waste and for it to persist in the ecosystem.

(Source: Wikipedia
)
Forms of Pollution (Part 3)

3. Land Pollution: it is a part of land degradation is caused by

the presence of strange (human-made) chemicals or other alteration
in the natural soil environment. It is caused by industrial activity,
agricultural chemicals or improper disposal of waste. Pollution is
correlated with the degree of industrialization and intensity of
chemical substance. The concern over soil contamination stems
primarily from health risks, from direct contact with the polluted soil
or vapour from the contaminants.

(Sources: National Geographic, Wikipedia)

Pollutants

Pollutants means sources of Pollution, there is 5 chemical substances are the most pollutants ever :-

1. Ozone (O3)
2. Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
3. Sulpher Dioxide (SO2)
4. Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5) :PM is a mixture of solids or liquid drops in the air that are
categorized by size:

PM10: Inhalable particles that are less than or equal to 10 micrometers in diameter. Examples include
dust, pollen, and mold.

PM2.5: Fine particles that are less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter. To put this in
perspective, they are about 1/30th of a strand of human hair (too small for the human eye to see).

5. Carbon Monoxide (CO) (Source:Kaiterra)

Pollution History (Part 1)

1. Prehistoric: Since the Paleolithic period, humans have made some effects on the
environment. The human attempt to set fire to it had bad effects on it, and the
manufacture of tools in the Iron Age led to slight accumulations of environmental
pollutants.
2. Advanced Civilizations: The first advanced civilizations of Mesopotamia (Iraq), Egypt,
India, China, Persia, Greece and Rome increased levels of environmental pollution, yet
pollution at that time did not disrupt ecosystems.
3. The Middle Eras: The Population growth increased towards the end of the Middle Ages
and more concentration within cities with the increase in the culture of impurity in the
Dark Ages in Europe, which created hotbeds of pollution that contributed to the spread
of infectious diseases and epidemics such as the plague.
Pollution History (Part 2)

4. Modern Era: Pollution became a popular issue after World War II, and the use of nuclear
weapons in it, which led to the emergence of many laws and treaties calling for combating
pollution. However, most of the countries that signed the treaties did not abide by the laws and
continued the polluting environmental activity, and many individuals were not sufficiently
educated about the issue of environmental pollution in the world.

( Source:
Arabic Wikipedia)
Pollution Control Treaties

Because all the disadvantages of Pollution, there were worldwide Treaties like:-

1. Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to

Justice in Environmental Matters, Aarhus, 1998.
2. Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their
Disposal, Basel, 1989.
3. Biological Weapons Convention (Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and
Stockpiling of Bacteriological [Biological] and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction) (BWC)
4. Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matters like Plastic
5. Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification
Techniques

(Source:
Wikipedia)