Pollution as an Environmental Concern for All Essay

Pollution as an Environmental Concern for All - Essay Example This essay discusses that there is no denying that pollution is a major problem in our world today. This problem poses a threat to the world’s population at the present time and to future generations, in terms of human health and development. There are several forms in which pollution can be observed. Each type of pollution has its own characteristics that make it unique from the other forms. Some forms of pollution are able to have a residual effect on the earth and inhabitants even a long while after it first originates. Some of these forms of pollution include heavy metal contamination and organic pollutants which persist over a long time period. A wide variety of different forms of pollution are affecting the quality of the soil, water and air that composes our environment. There are ways to cope with these problems, but it some cases the damage caused by pollution is irreversible. These pollutants originate from sources such as mining, improper waste management, smelting and processing plants, industrial mining activities, urban activities and improper recycling of materials such as lead acid batteries. Some of the worst pollution problems are in many forms a product of poverty. Urbanization at high levels and lack of infrastructure, overextended governments who are ill equipped to deal with crisis, present a dangerous situation for human health as people are exposed to pollution or are forced resort to dangerous forms of income generation that expose them to pollutants. Contaminated Water Sources Mercury contamination of groundwater and the environment is a major problem as a result of artisanal gold mining. Toxic materials are used quite commonly used in order to recover metals and gems from the earth. As a result of this practice, large amounts of mercury are released into the environment. The mercury is combined with gold carrying silt to form a compound that contains most of the gold that was in the silt. The mercury is later evaporated with th e use of blow torches or open flame to heat the compound and release the gold pieces. Mercury is released into the air and surrounding environment, which includes faraway places as it is deposited far from its place of origin. A variety or organisms are also affected as they absorb this substance from their environment. The mercury is then transformed through this process into methyl mercury, which is one of the most dangerous toxins that can find its way into the food chain. This substance acts as a neurotoxin. The fish and seafood we eat, and the air we breathe, may be contaminated by this mercury. However, the people and miners who are working in this industry are even more at risk for experiencing health problems due to exposure. It is estimated that for every gram of gold produced, two grams of mercury are emitted into the atmosphere. To deal with this problem, certain technologies can be used to reduce mercury vapours and recapture the mercury from the amalgamated compound so that it can be reused. There are programs initiating these techniques such as the UNIDO’s Global Mercury Project. The programs are effective when implemented at a community level but they do require much work and are challenging to deploy especially in low income areas. Surficial water contamination is threatening the health of each person on the planet. If water treatment plants are not able to keep up with high water consumption demands, we will all suffer the consequences. Currently one third of the world is experiencing some sort of water pollution issues and must face the challenges of only having contaminated water available. In the developing world, almost 5 million deaths are related to water