1.5 Humans and Pollution Flashcards
What is “pollution”?
“Pollution is the addition of a substance or an agent to an environment by human activity, at a rate greater than that at which it can be rendered harmless by the environment, and which has an appreciable effect on the organisms within it.”
Pollution is: ___
- Adding something to an environment
- Made or caused by human activity
- Added faster than it can be treated
- Affects organisms
What are some impacts of pollution?
- Death
- Decreased levels of health
- Declining water resources
- Reduced soil quality
- Poor air quality
- For some pollutants may be a time lag before an appreciable adverse affect on organisms is evident
- Some pollutants cannot be contained by national boundaries and can act locally, regionally or globally e.g. acid deposition
What are some sources of pollution?
- Transport and energy – combustion of fossil fuels
- Domestic waste
- Industrial waste
- Industry
- Manufacturing processes
- Agriculture
Why are “invasive species” considered pollutants?
- Non-native species that spreads from point of introduction and becomes abundant, causing ecological or economic harm.
- Can be released accidentally – collections
- Deliberate release e.g. for biological control
What is “point source” pollution?
“Discrete sources of contaminants that can be represented by single points on a map and the source of the pollution can be tracked i.e. arises from a single clearly identifiable site.”
What is “non-point source” pollution?
“Pollution which arises from numerous widely dispersed origins”
What is the advantage of “point source” pollution over “non-point” pollution?
As “Point source” pollution arises from a single clearly identifiable site it is far more easy to manage. Whereas it is “non-point source” pollution arises from numerous origins, and is therefore far harder to manage.
What is the difference between primary and secondary pollutants?
Primary pollutants:
- Active on emission
- Released directly from source
Secondary pollutants:
- Arises from primary pollutants undergoing physical or chemical change
What is the difference between acute and chronic effects of pollution?
Acute effects:
- Occurs after a short, intense exposure, symptoms experienced within hours
Chronic effects:
- Occurring after low-level, long-term exposure. Symptoms develop up to several decades later
What is the difference between persistent and biodegradable pollutants?
Persistent pollutants:
- Cannot be broken down by living organisms and so are passed along food chains
Biodegradable pollutants:
- Capable of being broken down by natural biological processes
What are some factors affecting pollution management?
- Cultural
- Political
- Economic
How does “culture” affect pollution management?
- Impoverished pollute less because they consume less
How do “politics” affect pollution management?
- Strength of regulations, and whether these are enforced
- Strong corporate involvement and lobbying in policy decisions
How do “economics” affect pollution management?
- MEDC’s have luxury of worrying about clean environment
- People in poverty recycle more out of necessity
- Cheaper to continue to pollute
- If fines and punishments are less than the cleanup or reduction costs, polluting continues
