Pesticides and
Pollution
When there is contact,
effects can be disastrous.
The most severe toxic effect
of a pollutant is lethal death,
There may be damage to
the brain and other parts of
the nervous system, bones
and other important organs
of the human body, One
example of this is the
contact with lead through
paint, crayons or discarded
lead batteries inhalation of
some pollutants can cause
cancer, e.g cigarette smoke
or airborne asbestos.
What are
Pollutants?
Harmful materials and forms
of energy are called
pollutants. Pollutants are the
by-products or waste
produced from many human
activities.
Examples include:
Gas and smoke from
factories and cars
Heated water
(thermal waste) from
cooling systems at
electric power plants
drilling tanker
fertilizers from washing and
agricultural activities industrial effluent
Dust from quarries
Land
Excessive noise from Solid wastes generated
musical instruments, during industrial processes
machinery, motor are sometimes
vehicles, etc. indiscriminately dumped on
Untreated human land. This can result in
waste (sewage) poisonous substances
entering the sol. These
poisons can seep through
the soil and into the
Types of underground water systems,
Pollution eventually reaching the
A useful way of classifying rivers and streams and
pollution is in terms of the entering the food chain.
media (air, water or land)
that are affected by the In addition, solid waste is
pollutants. constantly generated
through discarding into
ditches, gullies and
backyards such things as:
Old tyres or old car
parts
Water Old lead motor car
Polluted water adversely batteries
affects coastal and manne Miscellaneous
environments. Some building materials
sources of water pollution Animal carcasses
include:
Sewage effluent These block waterways and
(treated and can cause serious health
untreated) hazards. Another source of
Surface runoff from pollution is the dumping of
agricultural sources garbage on open sites.
which may carry
solid waste and Air
dissolved chemicals
Air pollution is the presence
such as pesticides
of contaminants or
Oil pollution from
substances in the air that
offshore oil spills
interfere with the health of
living organisms, air
pollutants include:
What Can You
Chemicals, smoke Do?
and dust Dispose ot and store
Radiation chemicals property
Vehicle exhaust Learn more about
Burning Garbage the proper disposal
Agricultural and of waste
Get involved in
environmental action
groups
Reduce noise
Report offensive
odours and
emissions from
factories and
commercial sites
Do not bum your
industrial wastes garbage
Do not throw
garbage into gullies,
drains and rivers
Reduce, reuse and
recycle