General Strategies To Control Pollutants Flashcards
Name 3 strategies to control pollution
- CPA: critical pathway analysis
- CGM: critical group monitoring
- emission control strategies
What is the purpose of the Critical Pathway Analysis (CPA)?
To predict the movement of potential pollutants in the environment to assess the severity and the location of where pollution may occur
When would the CPA suggest action would be needed?
If the potential pollutant became concentrated or polluted in important/sensitive locations
When would the CPA conclude that no further action is needed?
If the pollutant would be diluted and dispersed or if in a location where the impact is acceptable
What pollutant properties may be considered/included in the CPA?
-state of matter
- Density
- solubility in water/ lipids
- chemical stability
What environmental features may be considered in the CPA ?
Wind & water currents
Geology
PH
Oxygen availability
Temperature
What does CPA tend to be used for?
To monitor the dispersal of radioactive waste discharges
It can be used to monitor the movements of any mobile and persistent pollutant
Why is it important that the CPA can predict pollutant pathways?
Means environmental monitoring can focus on vulnerable sites, dont waste time sampling locations not at risk
The sampling can then be used to check accuracy of CPA predictions
What is Critical Group Monitoring (CGM)?
A specific method of assessing the risk of public exposure to pollutants
Who classes as the ‘critical group’ in CGM?
The members of the public who because of their lifestyle are most likely to be at risk to the pollutant being monitored
If their risk is low, it is assumed all other members of the public are at an even lower risk
How is CGM normally used?
To monitor exposure and asses potential risks before health impacts occur (not detect the health damages caused)
What happens if the CGM identified a very dangerous risk?
Emissions will be controlled to reduce future exposure
Name 4 environmental factors that can affect pollutants dispersal and which can be managed
- air quality
- meteorological conditions
- hydrology
- emission source: the location and timing of emissions can be managed
Why is it important to control the location of emissions?
The severity of the pollutant can be affected by the location where discharges are released
Describe 3 ways humans can avoid increasing the severity of pollutants by changing the location of emissions
- not having marine discharges where water currents will disperse and dilute emissions
- not releasing emissions downwind of urban areas
- discharging waste onto permeable rocks above aquifers rather than impermeable
Why is it important to control emission timing?
Changes in timing and affect severity
Name two natural events where timing changes can impact the severity of pollutants
-tidal cycle
-temperature inversions
How can the tidal cycle impact pollutants?
-emissions in tidal rivers when tide coming in will be carried upstream
- when the tide is coming out,they will be carried out to sea where they will be dispersed
How can temperature inversions impact pollutants?
-atmospheric emissions during temperature inversions are less likely to disperse
-activities that release pollutants (e.g. diesel cars or industrial combustion) may be estricteces in some cities during temperature inversions
Name 2 principles that affect decisions about pollution control
- the polluter pays principle
- the precautionary principle
What is the ‘the polluter pays’ principle?
The person or organisation that causes the pollution is responsible for he problems caused and so has an obligation to prevent it
when does the ‘the polluter pays’ principle work most effectively?
When the polluter has little chance of escaping their responsibilities
How are incentives used in the ‘the polluter pays’ principle?
There is a clear financial incentive to prevent the pollutant if the cost of preventing damage caused is less than the cost of the damage
If the financial penalties are higher, the incentive to comply is greater
What is the precautionary principle?
An approach that asumes that a waste will cause pollution if it is released
The release will be permitted if research confirms it is unlikely to do so
Why is the precautionary principle safer?
It doesnt allow pollutants to be released in the hope they are safe and waiting for a problem to occur, it prevents a problem from occurring at all
What does the precautionary principle mean for the polluter?
That being unaware of a problem not yet understood is not an excuse and doesnt reduce responsibility
Name 4 different control methods that can be used for different pollutants
- Production prevention
-prevention of release
-post-release remediation
-alternative processes
Give an example of how ‘production prevention’ can be used to control pollutants
It can be used for the desulphurisation of fossil fuels before combustion
Give two examples that prevention of release can be used to control pollutants
- electrostatic precipitators for smoke control
- catalytic converters for control of NOx, CO and hydrocarbons in vehicle exist emissions
Give 2 examples of post-release remediation as a pollution control method
-oil spill cleanup methods
-phytoremediation of land contaminated with heavy metals
Name 3 alternative processes that can be used to control pollutants
- use of electrical rather than diesel/petrol vehicles
- use of Pyrethroid pesticides rather than more polluting organochlorines
- use of renewable energy rather than fossil fuels
How efficient is pollutant control?
- it can be expensive and the relationship between cost and efficiency isn’t linear
- it is rarely practical to reduce pollution emissions to 0
- there may be decision about acceptable levels of emissions, meaning there is still low levels of pollutants and they aren’t removed completely
What approach should emissions follow?
ALARA
What is the ALARA approach?
Means emissions should be “as low as reasonably achievable”
It can be achieved by using new equipment that is “BATNEEC”
What does it mean for equipment to be “BATNEEC”?
Best Available Technology, Not Entailing Excessive Cost
How can pollution control methods achieve acceptable environmental conditions?
-making changes to emissions control
- pollutant sources may increase as industries and cities expand which might mean the original methods may not be sufficient anymore
