- 8 main consequences of environmental pollution
- 1- Increase in pollen
- 2- Increase in waterborne diseases
- 3- Loss of biodiversity
- 4- Health problems in humans
- 5- Negative effects on plant growth
- 6- Global warming
- 7- Depletion of the ozone layer
- 8- Degradation of the environment
- References
The consequences of environmental pollution seriously affect human health, animal health, forests and vegetation, and the environment in general.
Pollution not only causes physical disabilities, but also causes psychological and behavioral disorders in people.
The effects of pollution are quite wide. All types of pollution - air, water and land - have an impact on the environment.
The effects of pollution on living organisms can range from minor ailments to more serious diseases, such as cancer or physical deformities.
Pollution occurs when pollutants affect natural environments, generating changes that negatively affect lifestyles.
Pollutants are the main elements or components of pollution, and they are generally waste materials in various forms.
Pollution disturbs the ecosystem and the balance of the environment. With modernization and current development, pollution has reached its peak; global warming and pollution-related diseases are on the rise.
Pollution occurs in different ways: it can affect water, air, land, it can be radioactive and sonic, among others.
Some causes of contamination are easier to identify, monitor and manage, while other sources are more difficult to control.
8 main consequences of environmental pollution
1- Increase in pollen
Even with fewer trees in the environment, increased carbon dioxide emissions mean that some plants, such as ragweed and other tree species, produce more pollen than in the past.
This has resulted in the increase of rampant allergies, asthma attacks and respiratory problems throughout the world, affecting the health of billions of people.
2- Increase in waterborne diseases
Water pollution is the leading cause of several aquatic transmitted diseases.
Wastewater from industries and wastewater from houses mix, without being treated, in bodies of water. This is quite common in developing countries.
This violation of the parameters pollutes the water. Consequently, many harmful bacteria grow in the water. Additionally, chemical waste, agricultural wastewater, and oil spills also pollute the water.
Most bacteria-related conditions are considered waterborne diseases.
These include typhoid, intestinal disorder, kidney infection, urinary problems, and excretion disorders, among others.
3- Loss of biodiversity
The loss of biodiversity is one of the greatest threats in the world. It is feared that if various species continue to go extinct at the same rate as they do today, a day will come when humans will have to face a scenario with very little biodiversity.
Maintaining biodiversity should be a priority, which translates into keeping the variety of life as wide as possible.
Hundreds of living beings and plants have been extinct from Earth because the pollution of their environment made their existence on the planet impossible.
4- Health problems in humans
The land is the reason why humans are able to sustain themselves, so its contamination has serious health consequences.
Crops and plants grown in contaminated soils absorb much of that pollution, and then pass it on to humans and animals who consume it.
Long-term exposure to such soils can affect the genetic information of individuals, causing congenital diseases and chronic health problems that cannot be easily cured.
In fact, they can sicken livestock to a considerable extent and can cause food poisoning over a period of time.
It is estimated that more than 70% of soil pollutants are carcinogenic in nature, increasing the likelihood that humans exposed to contaminated soil will develop cancer.
Soil pollutants can also cause skin diseases, central nervous system disorders, and muscle blockage.
5- Negative effects on plant growth
The ecological balance of any system is affected due to soil contamination. Most plants are unable to adapt when the soil chemistry changes radically in a short period of time.
Bacteria and fungi found in the soil begin to disappear, creating an additional problem of soil erosion.
Little by little the fertility decreases, making the soils unsuitable for agriculture and for any vegetation to survive.
Soil contamination causes large areas of land to become dangerous for health; said land cannot support most forms of life.
Soil contamination can even lead to widespread famines, if plants are unable to grow in them.
6- Global warming
The emission of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), is increasing global warming.
Every day new industries are created, new vehicles begin to transit and more trees are cut down to make way for new houses.
All these elements, directly or indirectly, lead to an increase in CO2 in the environment. This increase in CO2 causes the polar ice to melt, which increases sea levels and causes a serious danger to people.
7- Depletion of the ozone layer
The ozone layer is a thin layer in the sky that prevents ultraviolet rays from reaching Earth.
The greater the exposure to these rays, the greater the probability of suffering from skin cancer, suffering from eye diseases and even having a weakened immune system.
As a result of human activities, certain chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were released into the atmosphere, which contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer.
8- Degradation of the environment
The deterioration of the environment is the first effect of the increase in pollution in the air or in the water.
The increase in CO2 in the atmosphere generates smog (a mixture of fog and smoke that appears in polluted atmospheres), which can restrict the path of sunlight. Because of this, plants cannot carry out the photosynthesis process.
Some gases, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, can cause acid rain. Aquatic pollution derived, for example, from oil spills, leads to the death of many species of marine life.
References
- "What is pollution?" at Conserve Energy Future. Recovered from Conserve Energy Future: conserve-energy-future.com
- "Nine devastating effects of soil pollution" in Earth Eclipse. Recovered from Earth Eclipse: eartheclipse.com
- "Environmental pollution". at Conserve Energy Future. Recovered from Conserve Energy Future: conserve-energy-future.com
- "Top five effects of water pollution on life" (2012) in Pollution Pollution. Recovered from Pollution Pollution: pollutionpollution.com
- "What is soil pollution?" In Conserve Energy Future. Recovered from Conserve Energy Future: conserve-energy-future.com
- "Pollution effects on humans, animals, plants in the environment" in Tropical Rainforest Animals. Recovered from Tropical Rainforest Animals: tropical-rainforest-animals.com
- "What is environmental pollution?" in Earth Eclipse. Recovered from Earth Eclipse: eartheclipse.com