Pollution takes its toll on marathon field Twenty-two people were sent to hospital yesterday, two

remaining in critical condition last night, after taking part in Hong Kong's biggest marathon amid the worst air pollution since September.

Many of the record 40,000 runners complained the "choking" air affected their performance in the 10th annual Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, half-marathon and 10km events.

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, PROBLEMS,

CONSEQUENCES, CONSEQUENCES, AND INTERRELATIONSAND INTERRELATIONS

Global WarmingGlobal Warming

DeforestationDeforestation

Biodiversity Biodiversity Loss fromLoss from

DeforestationDeforestation

Wetlands Wetlands DestructionDestruction

Biodiversity Biodiversity Loss fromLoss from

Toxic, Toxic, Carcinogenic, Carcinogenic,

Endocrine, Endocrine, Immune System Immune System

Disrupting…Disrupting…

PollutionPollution

Nutrient (sewage, fertilizers) Nutrient (sewage, fertilizers) OverloadOverload

Images showing the changes in chlorophyll concentration during the period of red tide.

Red tide in Hong Kong

Heavy Metals: E-wasteHeavy Metals: E-waste

Nuclear Nuclear PowerPower

Stratospheric Ozone DepletionStratospheric Ozone Depletion

October 1999 (average)Historically, the Antarctic ozone hole is largest during October. This image shows the data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) Earth Probe, for the month of October 1999.

September 17th 2001Satellite data show the area of the 2001 Antarctic ozone hole peaked at a size roughly equal to that of recent years about the same area as North America. Researchers have observed a levelling-off of the hole size and predict a slow recovery.

Carrying CapacityCarrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals of a The maximum number of individuals of a species that can be sustained by an species that can be sustained by an environment without decreasing the environment without decreasing the capacity of the environment to sustain that capacity of the environment to sustain that same amount in the future.same amount in the future.

Compartments and Compartments and Pollution/ExtractionPollution/Extraction

Air: emissions, GHGs, ozone loss, Air: emissions, GHGs, ozone loss, abrading, offgassing, noiseabrading, offgassing, noise

Water: Nutrient BOD, chemical emissions, Water: Nutrient BOD, chemical emissions, pharmaceuticals, underground leaking, air pharmaceuticals, underground leaking, air falloutfallout

Land: landfill, hazardous and nuclear Land: landfill, hazardous and nuclear waste, abrading, soil erosionwaste, abrading, soil erosion

Biosphere (life): habitat destruction, alien Biosphere (life): habitat destruction, alien species, exploitation, global warming, species, exploitation, global warming, pollutantspollutants

HK Alien SpeciesHK Alien Species

Mikania micrantha

Water Dragon

Fire Ants

ConsequencesConsequences

Human HealthHuman Health Human WealthHuman Wealth Nature’s HealthNature’s Health

Human HealthHuman Health

Toxins: heavy metals,organic compounds, Toxins: heavy metals,organic compounds, particulates, oxides.particulates, oxides.

CarcinogensCarcinogens RadiationRadiation NoiseNoise UV radiationUV radiation Global warming>>disease increaseGlobal warming>>disease increase StressStress

Human WealthHuman Wealth

Resource depletion: renewable and Resource depletion: renewable and nonrenewable resourcesnonrenewable resources

Environmental degradation: ecosystem Environmental degradation: ecosystem services services

Economic and social disruptionsEconomic and social disruptions

Nature’s HealthNature’s Health

Pollution: birth rate, death rate, distribution, growth Pollution: birth rate, death rate, distribution, growth rate abundancerate abundance

Loss of space and habitat destructionLoss of space and habitat destruction Biogeochemical balance upsetBiogeochemical balance upset Ecological balance upset by biodiversity lossEcological balance upset by biodiversity loss

Interrelationships Of Environmental Interrelationships Of Environmental ProblemsProblems

Sources, sinks and flowsSources, sinks and flows Point and area originsPoint and area origins Space and time dimensionsSpace and time dimensions Synergistic and cumulative affectsSynergistic and cumulative affects

Environmental impact of Environmental impact of petrochemical industrypetrochemical industry

Air: noxious and toxic emissions from Air: noxious and toxic emissions from refining, processing plantsrefining, processing plants

Water: factory emissions to water bodiesWater: factory emissions to water bodies Land: landfill disposal of waste solids & Land: landfill disposal of waste solids &

sludge; accidental spills during transport & sludge; accidental spills during transport & storagestorage

Human:toxicity and disruption of lifestyleHuman:toxicity and disruption of lifestyle

Environmental impact of Environmental impact of metal industrymetal industry

Air: particulate, gas emissions during Air: particulate, gas emissions during forging, working, fabricationforging, working, fabrication

Water: discharge of pickling liquors & Water: discharge of pickling liquors & other waste disposal; heavy metalsother waste disposal; heavy metals

Land: slag, waste products from Land: slag, waste products from processingprocessing

Human:toxicityHuman:toxicity

Environmental impact of Environmental impact of mining industrymining industry

Air: particulates from surface mining & Air: particulates from surface mining & transportation; noxious & toxic fumes from transportation; noxious & toxic fumes from smeltingsmelting

Water: runoff from mines and waste Water: runoff from mines and waste disposaldisposal

Land: dumping of tailings & processed Land: dumping of tailings & processed wastes; disruption of agriculture, forestry, wastes; disruption of agriculture, forestry, recreationrecreation

Human: heavy metals, particulatesHuman: heavy metals, particulates

Environmental impact of food Environmental impact of food industryindustry

Air: noxious fumes from food processingAir: noxious fumes from food processing Water: sewage with high organic contentWater: sewage with high organic content Land: uncomposted organics and other Land: uncomposted organics and other

wastes to landfillwastes to landfill

Environmental impact of Environmental impact of agriculture industryagriculture industry

Air: drift of agricultural chemicals Air: drift of agricultural chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, (pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers), pollen, & dustfertilizers), pollen, & dust

Water: runoff of agrochemicals to surface Water: runoff of agrochemicals to surface waters; percolation to groundwater; silting waters; percolation to groundwater; silting of waterof water

Land: erosion, depletion of organic Land: erosion, depletion of organic material & organismsmaterial & organisms

Human: toxicity of chemical; loss of soilHuman: toxicity of chemical; loss of soil

Environmental impact of pulp Environmental impact of pulp & paper industry& paper industry

Air: noxious fumesAir: noxious fumes Water: emissions of mercury, chlorines, Water: emissions of mercury, chlorines,

organics; silt from deforestation; loss of habitatorganics; silt from deforestation; loss of habitat Land: destruction of habitat by clear-cutting; Land: destruction of habitat by clear-cutting;

erosionerosion Human: mercury contaminated seafoodHuman: mercury contaminated seafood

Wastes generated from manufacture of common Wastes generated from manufacture of common productsproducts

Plastics: organic chlorine compounds, organic solventsPlastics: organic chlorine compounds, organic solvents Pesticides; organic chlorine compounds, organic phosphate Pesticides; organic chlorine compounds, organic phosphate

compoundscompounds Medicines: organic solvents and residues, heavy metalsMedicines: organic solvents and residues, heavy metals Paints: heavy metals, pigments, solvents, organic residuesPaints: heavy metals, pigments, solvents, organic residues Petroleum products: oil, phenols, organic compounds, heavy Petroleum products: oil, phenols, organic compounds, heavy

metals, ammonia, salt acids, causticsmetals, ammonia, salt acids, caustics Metals: heavy metals, fluorides, cyanides, acid and alkaline Metals: heavy metals, fluorides, cyanides, acid and alkaline

cleaners, solvents, pigments, abrasives, plating salts, oils, phenolscleaners, solvents, pigments, abrasives, plating salts, oils, phenols Leather; heavy metals, organic solventsLeather; heavy metals, organic solvents Textiles: heavy metals, dyes, organic chlorine, compounds, Textiles: heavy metals, dyes, organic chlorine, compounds,

solvents.solvents.

Product, Material, & Product, Material, & Energy Flow in an Energy Flow in an

IndustryIndustry

ResourceExtraction

MaterialsProcessing

PartsManufacture

ProductAssembly

Distribution

Consumption

MaterialsCollection

Recycling

Social Infrastructure:Gov’t, industry assoc.s,

NGOs, etc.

Material & Energy Inputs

Pollution Outputs

Physical Infrastructure:roads, sewers, land use,

electricity, etc.