How Pollutants affect the Environment, Industrial Employees and the Communities around the Plant
There are many pollutants resulting from manufacturing industries,these Pollutants divided into manya parts with it's subpart as it listed bellows
Types of industrial pollutants
Industries release a diversity of pollutants which include gases, liquid waste, noise and particulate matter. The effects of these pollutants are as outlined below:
Gases
Industries are the main sources of gaseous pollutants especially in heavily industrialized countries. These pollutants include carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
- Effects on employees:The gases may be inhaled by the employees and cause serious health problems. For example, carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas which combines with haemoglobin in the blood and stops the haemoglobin carrying oxygen from the lungs to body tissue and vital organs (most notably the heart and the brain). Inhaling high levels of the gas can cause vision problems, physical or mental impairment and even death.
- Effects on the environment:The effects of industrial gases on the environment are many and have far-reaching consequences. The most notorious and notable effects include global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rain, ocean acidification and soil pollution.
- Effects on the surrounding community:The gases may also affect the community living close to the industry. The effects include health problems, blurred visibility, coughing, and aggravation or complication of medical conditions of individuals with asthma, lung and heart diseases, and respiratory allergies. Some gases, particularly sulphur dioxide, are the main cause of acid rain which destroys the buildings, the soil and harms the animals. This can lead to low agricultural production and hence famine to the surrounding community.
Particulate matter
- Effects on employees:The particulate matter can cause serious health problems to employees which include aggravating asthma, acute respiratory symptoms such as coughing and difficult or painful breathing, chronic bronchitis and decreased lung function that can be experienced as shortness in breathing.
- Effects on the environment:The main effects of particulate matter to the environment include reduced visibility (haze), soiling, and damage to materials. Solid particles, especially dust, can cover the plant leaves and hence interfere with the process of photosynthesis.The particles may be carried over long distances by wind and then settle on the ground or water. The effects of this settling include making the lakes and stream acidic, changing the nutrient balance in coastal waters and large river basins, depleting nutrients in the soil, damaging plants and crops, and affecting the diversity of ecosystem.
- Effects on the surrounding community:The particulate matter can deplete the nutrients in the soil and hence affected agricultural production, leading to a drop in food production and hence famine. Particle pollution can also stain and damage buildings and other materials, including culturally important objects such as statues and monuments.
Liquid waste
Industries produce the liquid wastes that contain toxic and poisonous chemicals. These wastes are often dumped in water bodies and sometimes on land. The chemicals contained in industrial wastes may include lead, mercury, sulphur, asbestos, nitrates and many other harmful substances.
- Effects on employees:The harmful liquid waste may cause skin diseases or burns if they come in contact with the skin. When they are accidentally ingested or if they get into the body through wounded skin, they may poison the body and can even cause death.
- Effects on the environment:Untreated liquid industrial waste may pollute water bodies and the land, and harm living organisms. When damped in water, they can poison fish and other marine flora and fauna. The chemicals can also pollute the soil and consequently destroy soil properties, kill beneficial soil microorganisms, and poison the crops.
- Effects on the surrounding community:The industrial chemicals can pollute the soil and make it unproductive, so this can limit or stop agricultural production. The crops grown on a soil polluted with chemicals can absorb the chemicals, which may get incorporated in plant bodies. When man eats such crops, the chemicals can pass into his body and affect him adversely.The chemicals can pollute drinking water sources, thus rendering the water unwholesome for community consumption and commercial uses. If people use the water from polluted water bodies the chemical in water may harm their health in one way or another. It can also kill fish and other marine life due to chemicals dumped in water.
Noise
Industries produce a lot of noise which can have adverse effects on the environment and the community.
- Effects on employees:Prolonged exposure of employees to loud noise may cause loss of hearing and give rise to rapid ear damage. Noise can not only cause hearing impairment but it also acts as a causal factor for stress and headache. It is also known to cause blood pressure. Additionally, it can be a causal factor in employee accidents both by masking hazards and warning signs, and by hindering concentration.
- Effects on the environment:Loud noise may cause migration of animals from a certain area and hence result in the imbalance of ecosystem. Intense vibrations caused by a loud noise may loosen the soil, making it vulnerable to soil erosion agents.
- Effects on the surrounding community:Noise can cause loss of concentration and hearing to people living close to industries.The loud noise also interferes with people’s sleep making them less productive. It also makes it difficult for people to hold talks as they have to use a lot of energy to shout so as to hear and understand each other. It may also lead to poor health in young children by interfering with their normal sleeping routines.
Ways of reducing industrial pollution
- Industries should be located far away from residential areas.
- All industrial wastes must be thoroughly treated before being dumped into water bodies. Doing so will reduce or even eliminate the possibility of harming aquatic life, people or polluting the soil.
- Recycling of industrial wastes should be emphasized.
- Using energy-efficient combustion engines so as to minimize the release of harmful gases to the environment.
- Lubrication of moving parts of machinery should be done timely and effectively in order to reduce the amount of noise produced. Employees should use ear plugs (ear muffs) to protect their ears from damage by extreme noise during work.
- The government should formulate policies that govern sustainable industrial production without causing environmental pollution, and any industry violating the rules should be fined heavily or even get closed altogether.
- Developing and using alternative energy sources such as solar energy and wind power which do not pollute the environment
Generally pollutant resulting from industrial process are HARMFULL to the Environment and can cause death to animals nearly by, so ways used to reduce these Pollutants must applied early before effects has been seen.
