Industrial Pollution: Types, Effects and Control of Industrial Pollution!

In order to provide daily needs of the growing population, differ­ent types of industries are setup to produce different products. The industries use raw materials, process them and produce fin­ished products. Besides the finished products, a good number of by-products are produced. Out of all the by-products, if some are in huge quantities and the processing is cost effective, the indus­trialist preserves the by- products.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

If the processing of waste is a cost prohibitive one, then the industrialist throws the waste into the environment in the form of gas, liquid or solid. The gases are usually released into the atmosphere, the liquids are discharged into aquatic bodies like canals, rivers or sea and solid wastes are either dumped on the land or in aquatic bodies. In all the cases, either the air or water or land is polluted due to dumping of wastes.

Till now, there are about 17 industries which are declared to be most polluting. These include the caustic soda, cement, dis­tillery, dyes and dye intermediaries, fertilisers, iron and steel, oil refineries, paper and pulp, pesticides and pharmaceuticals, sugar, textiles, thermal power plants, tanneries and so on. The table 6.5 enlists few of the industries, their wastes (important) and the type of pollution these induce in the environment.

The wide variety of pollutants as shown above enter the envi­ronment and disturb the natural eco-system affecting the biota. Due to industrial activities, a variety of poisonous gases like NO, SO2, NO2, SO3, Cl2, CO, CO2, H2SO4 etc.- volatile chemicals, dusts etc., are liberated into the atmosphere causing acute pollution problem. Besides, the accidental leakage of poisonous gases can cause havoc.

For example, Methyl Isocyanate gas leakage from Union Carbide factory at Bhopal caused mass killing which is known as Bhopal gas tragedy. In addition to accidents, many of the above poisonous gases induce depletion of ozone layer, crea­tion of ozone hole. Green House effect, Global warming. Acid rain, destruction of monument and killing of living organisms disturbing the natural eco-systems.

India is once again heading into the worst time of year for air pollution, a season where the country’s notoriously poor quality becomes even more toxic.

Soot, dust, ozone, and sulfur oxides are a growing threat for billions of people around the world. TheWorld Health Organizationreported this week that 93 percent of all children in the world breathe air with pollution levels that exceed their guidelines.

A whopping nine in 10 people on Earth breathe highly polluted air, and more than 80 percent of urban dwellers have to endure outdoor pollution that exceeds health standards, according to the WHO’s

thank you very much