Two types of pollution dominate the planet. The first kind is source pollution, a type that occurs directly at the source where the pollutant enters the soil, water or atmosphere. The second kind is nonpoint source pollution, the type of pollution created by dumping waste created elsewhere into water resources or drifting air pollution caused by vehicles or fires. Source pollution and point source pollution refer to the same kind of environmental degradation.
Vehicles
Vehicles in large cities generate source point air pollution, particularly when the cities experience weather inversions or stagnant air conditions. Cars and trucks burning hydrocarbons emit less source point pollution than in the past, and air quality has improved in problematic cities like Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix due to cleaner-burning vehicles. Boats tethered in harbors that leak gasoline or oil into the water are also source point polluters. Sometimes carbon monoxide collects in or near boat motors, creating a hazardous point source pollution for unsuspecting boaters.
CAFOs
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) produce a great deal of source pollution that ranchers need to treat either on-site or transport to a treatment center before releasing the treated waste into a body of water or using the material as composted manure. Prior to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) intervention, the wastes eventually made their way into water tables, rivers, lakes and streams, degrading the water quality and quality of life for plants and fish, along with other animals.
Water Runoff
Rain creates point source pollution when storm runoff collects in storm drains and goes to lakes, rivers and streams. Some cities do not have storm drain systems but rely on retention basins. The runoff that collects in them eventually percolates into the ground water table. All the oil leaks or spilled gasoline residues from streets and driveways, chemical fertilizers and herbicides collect in the rainwater, eventually making their way into the ground water table. Some Southern California cities collect rainfall in storm sewer systems, where the water eventually flows into the Pacific Ocean, resulting in point source pollution at the end of the drainage pipe.
Fires
Forest fires create point source pollution as they burn and emit smoke in the direct vicinity of the burn. As the smoke plume moves through the atmosphere, it creates nonpoint source pollution. Cooking fires also create point source pollution. According to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution from cooking fires is responsible for 1.6 million deaths a year. Many of these deaths occur in third world countries where wood and dung provide fuel for cooking in huts over unvented stoves. Women and small children are the most vulnerable.
No comments:
Post a Comment