4 Types Of Pollution, Causes & Their Effects
In the 21st century, pollution has become a vital concern. It’s considered the most depressing factor hampering the environment right now. In simple terms, pollution is the introduction of harmful substances into the environment, drastically affecting the quality of air, water, food and other vital resources. Such harmful substances that pollute the environment are termed as pollutants. A pollutant can be attributed to human activity or non-human activity. They leave a harmful effect on the land, soil and water, severely affecting the environment. In this blog, we will talk about pollution, its causes and the health effects of pollution. Go through them to understand how different types of pollution affect our environment.
Types Of Pollution: A Detailed Description
Environmental pollution has several negative consequences. It affects the entire ecosystem and human health in multiple ways. Whether it’s air pollution, due to which people suffer from respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, or noise pollution, by which people suffer from hearing disorders, they all end up harming the people and environment. Let’s discuss the 4 types of pollution comprehensively.
Air Pollution
The release of harmful gases into the atmosphere is termed air pollution. The presence of such disastrous substances in the atmosphere can adversely affect human health and surroundings.
Causes: There are several causes of air pollution. The majority of these are caused by the burning of fossil fuels like coal, air, and gas. Apart from this, it’s also caused by industrial emissions from manufacturing and power plants, pesticides and fertilisers and harmful emissions from heavy transport vehicles like cars, buses or trucks.
Effects: Due to air pollution, people suffer from respiratory diseases like asthma, lung cancer and severe cardiovascular diseases. It also leads to acid rain, global warming and depletion of the ozone layer.
Water Pollution
Water Pollution takes place when harmful chemical substances are released into water bodies like rivers, lakes, oceans, etc. These toxic chemical substances in the water eventually lead to water degradation.
Causes: It’s caused when industrial waste and chemicals are released into water bodies. Agricultural runoff consisting of pesticides and fertilisers also causes water pollution. Moreover, sewage from households and oil spills also affect the water ecosystem.
Effects: Those who drink contaminated water are likely to suffer from typhoid, cholera, and dysentery. The entire chain of the marine ecosystem also gets affected by the bioaccumulation of toxic substances. Many marine species die while some migrate, leading to the disruption of the food chain.
Soil Pollution
Improper agricultural practices and degradation of soil due to mining or industrial waste leads to soil pollution. This leads to the depletion of soil layers and the endangerment of food safety.
Causes: The improper disposal of industrial waste from factories is a leading cause. Secondly, the usage of chemical pesticides and fertilisers during farming practices also leads to soil pollution. Apart from this, oil spills from underground storage tanks and deforestation practices also degrade the soil quality.
Effects: Affecting the entire farming process, soil pollution causes the reduction of soil fertility and reduction in plant growth. The quality of the crops degrades due to the introduction of contaminated substances in the soil. Moreover, the occurrence of toxic dust like silica can lead to respiratory issues in human beings.
Noise Pollution
The loud, disturbing noise that hinders the natural balance and negatively affects the human population and animals is termed noise pollution. As per the Indian government, sound levels above 50 dB (Day) and 40 dB (night) fall under the category of noise pollution. Commonly known as sound pollution, it’s a cause of destruction in urban areas due to high population and industrialisation.
Causes: We can categorise the causes into two divisions. One is the indoor source, and the other is the outdoor source. Radios, generators, air coolers, televisions, and other home appliances are the indoor causes, while thunder and loudspeaker noise are the external sources.
Effects: Due to the sudden increase in noise pollution, people tend to suffer from hearing loss. At times, it can even lead to permanent damage to the auditory system and sleep disorders. Noise pollution can cause cardiovascular diseases like hypertension due to high-stress levels.
Conclusion
Top schools like K.R. Mangalam World School, Vaishali place huge importance on teaching students about types of pollution and their health effects. Our expert faculty ensures that students are aware and contribute efficiently to creating a pollution-free ecosystem. Subsequently, we also organise various environment friendly drives to promote a clean natural environment. Enrol your child at KRMWS today and let them become a part of this healthy initiative.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the various types of pollution?
Air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and noise pollution are some forms of pollution.
Is a loudspeaker a noise pollutant or a water pollutant?
A loudspeaker is a form of noise pollutant. Its noise can lead to harmful hearing effects.
What is AQI?
AQI stands for Air Quality Index. This term is used to measure the quality of air in a specified area at a given point of time.
How to prevent water pollution?
For this, you need to reduce the consumption of plastic bags. Also, avoid disposing of harmful industrial oils and cleansers into the drain.
