Chapter 9: Pollution in the World

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CHAPTER 9CHAPTER 9Pollution in the WorldPollution in the World


In this lesson, you will understand:

• EQ1: What is Pollution?

• What causes Air, Water Land Pollution?

• What are the effects of Air and Water

Pollution?


Smog covering the city of Hong Kong


EQ1: What is Pollution?Pollution• refers to the introduction of substances

into the environment such that it results in unpleasant or damaging effects on people, animals, plants and buildings


EQ1: What is Pollution?Pollution• may be caused by

human activities and natural events


EQ1: What is Pollution?

Waste • refers to materials that are useless

and no longer wanted• is generated by households,

agricultural and industrial activities



• One type of pollution can often lead to other types of pollution



• e.g. air pollution from motor vehicles and factories can lead to the formation of acid rain causing water pollution

Air pollution can lead to water pollution.


EQ2: What is Air Pollution?

Air pollution • occurs when substances such as dust,

smoke or harmful gases are released into the environment



Smog• is a serious form of air pollution



Smog• forms when dust and smoke particles

combine with water vapour and toxic gases

• is common in industrialised areas of China, India and some eastern European countries


I. Causes of Air Pollution

Natural causes of air pollution

• Volcanic eruptions

release volcanic ash, smoke and gases

into the air


Natural causes of air pollution

• Forest fires

High temp. and low rainfall can create dry conditions



Human causes of air pollution

• Industries

Dust, smoke and sulphur dioxide emitted into air




• Motor vehicles

Carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.




• Construction work

Dust and smoke particles



II. Impacts of Air PollutionExtent of air pollution• Air pollutants can be carried by winds

from their source to other places, regions and countries


Extent of air pollution

• e.g. smoke carried by winds from burning forests in Indonesia often causes haze in the Southeast Asian region

II. Impacts of Air Pollution


1. Health Problems• Dust and smoke can irritate throats

and eyes, causing breathing difficulties

• People can even develop respiratory problems such as bronchitis and asthma due to prolonged exposure to dust and smoke



Smog covering the city of Hong Kong


1. Health Problems• Air pollutants e.g. nitrogen oxide and

sulphur dioxide can increase the risk of developing lung and heart diseases



2. Traffic hazards• Poor visibility occurs when there is

too much dust and smoke in the air - Airports may have to suspend operations and ground flights - Dangerous to drive vehicles on

roads





3. Environmental problems• Acid rain is formed when acidic gases

like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the air mixes with water vapour in the clouds

• It is common problem in industrial areas




3. Environmental problems• Acid rain destroys forests, kills

aquatic life and corrodes buildings




EQ3: What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution • occurs when pollutants are discharged

directly into water bodies e.g. rivers, lakes and seas


EQ3: What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution • also occurs when air and land

pollutants are blown by wind or washed by rain into water bodies


I. Causes of Water Pollution1. Improper disposal of sewage• Sewage refers to solid or liquid waste

produced by households or industries. • e.g. human waste, detergent etc


I. Causes of Water Pollution1. Improper disposal of sewage• When untreated sewage is discharged

into rivers and seas, water pollution occurs.


I. Causes of Water Pollution1. Improper disposal of sewage• Some substances in treated sewage

are non-biodegradable e.g. detergent


I. Causes of Water Pollution2. Oil spills• Oil spills occur when

the hull of an oil tanker is torn by sharp rocks or when a tanker collides with another ship, causing the oil it is carrying to spill into the sea


I. Causes of Water Pollution2. Oil spills• e.g. In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil

tanker went off course, hit rocks, and released large amounts of oil into Alaska’s Prince William Sound

• Cost US$2.1 billion to clean up


II. Impacts of Water Pollution1. Endangering plant and animal

species• Sea birds cloaked with oil will freeze

to death as their feathers cannot insulate air to protect them from the cold



species• The oil clogs the birds’ feathers and

makes them unable to fly or float on water



species• Household waste contains excess

chemicals which encourage the growth of algae on water bodies



species• Aquatic plants in the water cannot

photosynthesize and die• Other aquatic and marine animals

that depend on these plants for food will be affected


II. Impacts of Water Pollution2. Negative impact on human

health• Chemical waste can

contaminate marine life and kill spawning fish


II. Impacts of Water Pollution2. Negative impact on human health• Humans may become severely ill after

consuming contaminated seafood• e.g. many people in LDCs suffer from

cholera and typhoid when they drink contaminated water


II. Impacts of Water Pollution3. Economic loss• Oil spills threaten the fishing industry

and fishermen’s livelihood


II. Impacts of Water Pollution3. Economic loss• Oil spills can also pollute beaches and

affect tourism• Cleaning up oil

spills requires an international effort and is very expensive



EQ4: What is Land Pollution?

Land pollution • occurs due to improper disposal of

waste on land• or when excessive chemicals are

used on farms


I. Cause of Land Pollution1. Improper disposal of waste• More waste is being produced due to

higher population


I. Cause of Land Pollution1. Improper disposal of waste• Great heaps of rubbish are left on

illegal dumping grounds in countries with insufficient control over proper waste disposal


Proper waste disposal

management


I. Cause of Land Pollution2. Excessive use of Chemicals• Soil becomes contaminated when

chemical fertilisers and pesticides are used to improve soil fertility or kill pests


I. Cause of Land Pollution2. Excessive use of Chemicals• Excess chemicals that flow into rivers

cause water pollution- excess feritilisers cause algae to

grow and cover water surface- excess pesticides kill fish and plants


II. Impacts of Land Pollution1. Negative impact on human

health• Improper disposal of

waste attracts pests which spread germs and diseases


II. Impacts of Land Pollution2. Negative impact on human

health• Farmers with much exposure to

pesticides risk developing cancer and liver failure


II. Impacts of Land Pollution3. Poisoning of animals• Pesticides and chemicals may pass on into the

food chain and affect the survival of other animals

• e.g. American bald eagle


MEASURES TO CONTROL

POLLUTION


Measures Taken to Reduce Pollution

International efforts• Pollution can become a regional problem. Therefore,

governments and international organisations like the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) need to work together to resolve the problems associated with pollution.

• For example, after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, many countries have made it compulsory for oil tankers to have double hulls to prevent oil spills.

The United States has implemented the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 which requires all oil tankers to have double hulls by 2015. The European Union has also voted to ban single hull oil tankers from their waters by 2010.



International efforts• The United Nations organised the Earth Summit in

1992 and 2002 for world leaders to commit their countries to sustainable development.

• Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Beijing, China



National effortsEnforcing laws and regulations• Laws are enacted and enforced to monitor,

reduce and prevent different forms of pollution.Using alternative sources of energy• ‘Clean’ energy which does not release harmful

pollutants into the environment can be utilised. Examples are solar and wind energy and hydroelectricity.

Windmills in Spain


Measures Taken to Reduce PollutionNational efforts

Using advanced technology• Sewage treatment plants can be built to treat waste

water before releasing it into the environment.Developing proper waste disposal methods• There are two methods to carefully manage the

disposal of waste — landfill and incineration. For example, Singapore has built the Pulau Semakau Landfill to manage solid waste. However, landfills are expensive to build and maintain and not a long-term sustainable solution to solid waste management.



Developing proper waste disposal methods• By 2009, Singapore will have five incineration plants

to burn solid waste. Although incineration plants can produce electricity and reduce the volume of waste, they still emit air pollutants and are very costly to build.

• The government, under the Singapore Green Plan 2012, has decided to reduce the amount of solid waste generated. This is done by reducing waste going through incineration plants and landfills and by promoting waste recycling and minimisation.



Educating the public• An effective method to reduce pollution is

to encourage people and industries to cut down on waste production.This can be done through public talks and campaigns aimed at informing people about the harmful effects of generating excessive waste.

Environmental conservation concepts like the 3Rs — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, can be promoted through public education.



Individual efforts• As individuals, we can help protect the

environment by adopting practices which reduce waste.

Go ‘green’

Ride bicycles, take public transport, recycle old newspapers


Measures Taken to Reduce PollutionIndividual efforts

• We should be informed about national and international plans for environmental conservation so that we can do our part to help.

• We can help protect and conserve the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling waste.

• It is important to realise that the best and cheapest way to deal with waste and pollution is to produce less pollutants and to practise the 3Rs for most of the materials we use.

Be informed and get involved.


Noise Pollution• Noise pollution occurs when unwanted sounds are

added to the environment by vehicles, industries, household gadgets or even loud music.

• Noise pollution affects our quality of life.

Special/Express stream only

The different degrees of loudness of noise are measured in decibels. Noise above 130 decibels hurts the ears and damages hearing.


Noise Pollution

Causes of noise pollution• Traffic is a common cause of noise pollution,

especially in urban areas.


An airplane taking off from a runway produces noise of about 120 decibels.

Vehicles on a busy street creates about 60 to 90 decibels of noise.


Noise Pollution

Causes of noise pollution• Construction and other human activities

contribute to noise pollution.


Drilling, piling, knocking and use of heavy machinery.

Cheering spectators in a stadium.


Noise Pollution

Extent of noise pollution• Noise pollution degrades our quality of life and

has a negative impact on our health.• Long-term exposure to noise pollution potentially:

1. damages our hearing ability,2. increases our heart rate, anxiety and stress

levels, leading to high blood pressure and3. affects our school and work performance.


Prolonged exposure to noise raises our blood pressure, heart rate, anxiety and stress levels.


Noise Pollution

Measures to reduce noise pollutionNational efforts• Laws and regulations can be enforced to regulate

the acceptable noise levels produced by vehicles, workplaces, industries and construction sites.

• Various noise reduction methods like erecting sound barriers, planting trees and shrubs, covering walls with sound-proofing materials and installing mufflers in vehicle engines can be used to reduce noise pollution.


Mufflers can be installed in noisy equipment or in vehicles to absorb noise.


Noise PollutionMeasures to reduce noise pollutionIndividual efforts• We can reduce noise pollution by minimising the

amount of noise we create through our daily activities.

• For instance, to show consideration for our neighbours and to make our environment a pleasant one, we can listen to music using headphones at night instead of playing loud music from speakers.



Environmental Protection in Singapore

Environmental planning in Singapore• The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources

(MEWR) is responsible for the state of environmental cleanliness in Singapore.

• The National Environment Agency (NEA), a statutory board under the MEWR, protects and enhances Singapore’s clean living environment by monitoring, reducing and preventing environmental pollution, through waste management, waste recycling and energy conservation.

• The NEA also ensures a high standard of public health, cleanliness and hygiene in Singapore.



Environmental planning in Singapore• The Singapore Green Plan (SGP2012) lays out the

goals and objectives of environmental sustainability in Singapore for the next decade.

• The SGP is reviewed and revised every three years to ensure its relevance.



Environmental planning in SingaporeKey environmental protection efforts: Clean land• Efficient and effective waste disposal and reduction methods

are developed to ensure Singapore’s residential, commercial and industrial areas remain waste and rubbish free. Waste in Singapore is mainly incinerated and the ash remains buried in landfills.

• By 2012, under the SGP2012, Singapore aims to:1. increase overall recycling rate from 44 percent to

60 percent,2. extend the lifespan of Pulau Semakau Landfill to 50

years and strive for ‘zero’ landfill and3. reduce the need for new incineration plants to one

every ten to 15 years.



Key environmental protection efforts: Clean land• Why do you think Singapore aims for ‘zero’ landfill? Do

you think it is possible for Singapore to achieve ‘zero’ landfill? Why?

• The Tuas South Incineration Plant and Pulau Semakau Landfill were built at an exorbitant cost of $900 million and $610 million respectively.

• The substantial cost incurred in building new incineration plants and landfills has discouraged the use of such facilities as a sustainable solution to waste disposal management in Singapore.



Key environmental protection efforts: Clean land• As such, the MEWR has adopted waste minimisation

policies to reduce the volume of solid waste going through our incinerators.

• These waste management policies have seen modest success and our overall recycling rates have gone up, from 40 percent in 2000 to 49 percent in 2005.



Key environmental protection efforts: Clean air • The SGP2012 aims to reduce air pollution by encouraging

industries and individuals to reduce energy consumption and use less polluting fuels like natural gas in power stations and vehicles.

• Singapore has increasingly used natural gas to generate electricity in all its power stations. In 1999, natural gas stood at about 20 percent of fuel composition of the total electricity generated. In 2004, the number rose to about 69 percent.

• A major review of the entire transportation system is also underway to encourage more people to use public transport in the future.



Key environmental protection efforts: Clean water

• Through the efforts of the Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singaporeans can obtain adequate supply of clean water at an affordable cost.

Our drinking water quality is excellent and meets the Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality set by the World Health Organisation.



Environmental planning in SingaporeBuilding partnerships• Singapore believes in building partnerships with

other countries and international organisations to share experiences and work together to resolve environmental problems.

• For example, Singapore has signed many major international environmental agreements like the Montreal Protocol, Basel Convention, Stockholm Convention, Rotterdam Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.



Environmental planning in SingaporeBuilding partnerships• Apart from foreign partners, Singapore also actively

engages other local governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as nature societies and environmental clubs, in environmental issues and protection.



Keeping Singapore clean and green• As a result of our efforts to protect the environment, Singapore

has earned the distinction of being a ‘Clean and Green City’.• As Singapore continues to grow, we must ensure that our

environment is not compromised and damaged at the expense of economic growth.

• For our environmental efforts to truly succeed, everyone of us living in this city must play a part in environment conservation and protection.

Grey or Green? It’s your choice.


Skills Builder: Suggested Answers1. When the people of Bhopal breathed in the toxic gases, they

coughed, vomited and their eyes became inflamed. Some of the people were not able to communicate with each other. Some lost their sight. Many people also lost consciousness.

2. An accident like the Bhopal disaster could happen in Singapore if we are not vigilant in protecting our environment. To prevent such an accident from occurring, the government needs to enforce stringent laws to regulate the manufacturing process of toxic chemicals like pesticides. In addition, the manufacturing factories of toxic chemicals should be located away from residential and commercial areas.

3. No. In an event of a disaster, many people living near the pesticide factory will lose their lives and experience severe health damage.

Education

Chapter 9: Pollution in the World