12.3 Environmental management

Question 1

What is pollution

Answer 1

The introduction of harmful materials into environment.
Harmful materals = pollutants
Pollutants damage quality of air, water and land.

Question 2

Types of pollutants

Answer 2

Natural: volcanic ash
Human activity: trash, factory runoff

Question 3

Pollution as a global issue

Answer 3

Urban areas usually more polluted, but can spread to remote places.
Pesticides and other chemicals have been found in Antarctic ice sheet

Question 4

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Answer 4

Middle of northern Pacific Ocean.
Huge collection of microscopic plastic particles forms the patch

Question 5

Concentration of pollutant is critical

Answer 5

For example
Farmyard manure is beneficial as fertiliser when used sparingly, but too much of it can make it a poisonous pollutant

Question 6

Point pollution

Answer 6

Pollution occurs when the pollutant is issued at one point
E.g., a pipe pouring untreated sewage into river

Question 7

Non-point pollution

Answer 7

Emanates (spreads out) from an area
E.g., exhaust emissions from all vehicles in a city
Cant pin point an exact location

Question 8

Incidental pollution

Answer 8

A one-off event
E.g., Valdez oil spill, Fukushima nuclear accident

Question 9

Sustained pollution

Answer 9

Long-term pollution caused by ongoing human activities
E.g., release of CO2 into atmosphere from burning of fossil fuels
Usually have worse effect than incidental pollution in long run

Question 10

Human induced pollution

Answer 10

Many things useful to humans produce pollution:
1. Cars, exhaust pipes
2. Burning of coal for electricity, GHG
3. Industrial, home generated garbage and sewage polluting land and water
4. Pesticides; chemical poisons used to kill weeds and insects can seep into waterways and harm wildlife or eutrophication

Question 11

Human induced land pollution - Mining

Answer 11

Mining can leave soil contaminated with dangerous chemicals.
Dust is released.
Noise pollution.
Difficult to landscape.
Not much vegetation.

Question 12

Human induced land pollution - pesticides and fertilisers

Answer 12

Pesticides and fertilisers can be blown by the wind.
Harm plants, animals, sometimes humans.
Some fruits and veg absorb pesticides to grow, human ingestion of them can cause cancer or other diseases.

Question 13

DDT (Pesticide) and its harmful impacts

Answer 13

Once commonly used to kill insects, esp mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes can kill millions of people every year with malaria.
DDT reduced malaria in Taiwan and Sri Lanka.
1962, found that it contributed to cancer in humans.
It destroyed bird eggs, causing number of bald eagles, brown pelicans to drop.
1972, DDT banned by US and others
Today, some govts still use it as it is the most effective way to combat malaria.

Question 14

Human induced land pollution - trash

Answer 14

Litter makes it difficult for plants and other producers in food web to create nutrients.
Animals can die if they eat plastic.
Garbage contain dangerous pollutants such as oils and inks that can leak into soil and harm plants, animals and people.
Inefficient garbage collection contributes to this.
Garbage is often brought to landfill.
People are running out of place to dump their trash

Question 15

Tragedy in Quezon City, Philippines landfill (2000)

Answer 15

Hundreds lived on slopes of landfill.
People made their living from recycling and selling items found in landfill.
Landfill was not secure, heavy rain caused landslide.
218 killed.

Question 16

Inadequate garbage collection: Kamilo Beach, Hawaii

Answer 16

Littered with plastic bags and bottles carried by the tide.
Trash is dangerous to ocean life and reduces economic activity in area
Tourism is Hawaii’s largest industry.
Polluted beaches discourage it.

Question 17

Bioaccumulation

Answer 17

Pollutants from landfill leak into earth, plants growing there become contaminated, herbivores eat the plants and become contaminated, and so do the predators that consume the herbivores.
chemical builds up in each level of food web, known as bioaccumulation.
Pollutants can also leak into groundwater supplies and aquatic food web will also suffer from bioaccumulation.

Question 18

Incorrect riddance of trash (land pollution) -> air pollution

Answer 18

Some burn their trash releases dangerous heavy metals and chemicals into air.
While it solves land pollution, it adds to air pollution

Question 19

Human induced land pollution - energy production

Answer 19

Leaks from oil pipeline can contaminate land.
Heat from pipelines damages; trans-alaskan pipeline’s heat is melting permafrost and release methane.
Animals cannot get over pipes
Ash from coal powered power stations is often dumped into holes in ground

Question 20

Human induced land pollution - industry

Answer 20

Produce waste material dumped onto land.
Produce toxic products which drain away into land around factory
Makes reclamation of land expensive when factory closes.