Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other

living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into theatmosphere. The atmosphere is a complex dynamic natural gaseous system that is essential to support life on planet Earth.Stratospheric ozone depletion due to air pollution has long been recognized as a threat to human health as well as to the Earth's ecosystems. Indoor air pollution and urban air quality are listed as two of the world's worst pollution problems in the 2008 Blacksmith Institute World's Worst Polluted Places report.[1]
Contents
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1 Pollutants 2 Sources
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2.1 Emission factors

3 Indoor air quality (IAQ) 4 Health effects

o o o

4.1 Effects on cystic fibrosis 4.2 Effects on COPD 4.3 Effects on children

4.4 Health effects in relatively "clean" areas

5 Reduction efforts
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5.1 Control devices

6 Legal regulations
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6.1 Canada

7 Cities 8 NATA 9 Governing Urban Air Pollution a regional example (London) 10 Carbon dioxide emissions 11 Atmospheric dispersion 12 Environmental impacts of greenhouse gas pollutants 13 See also 14 References 15 External links

Pollutants
Main articles: Pollutant and Greenhouse gas

Before flue gas desulfurization was installed, the emissions from this power plant in New Mexicocontained excessive amounts of sulfur dioxide.

Schematic drawing, causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect, (2) particulate contamination, (3) increased UV radiation, (4) acid rain, (5) increased ground level ozone concentration, (6) increased levels of nitrogen oxides.

A substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment is known as an air pollutant. Pollutants can be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. In addition, they may be natural or man-made.[2] Pollutants can be classified as primary or secondary. Usually, primary pollutants are directly emitted from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption, the carbon monoxide gas from a motor vehicle exhaust or sulfur dioxide released from factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact. An important example of a secondary pollutant is ground level ozone one of the many secondary pollutants that make up photochemical smog. Some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: that is, they are both emitted directly and formed from other primary pollutants. Major primary pollutants produced by human activity include:

Sulfur oxides (SOx) - especially sulphur dioxide, a chemical compound with the formula SO2. SO2 is produced by volcanoes and in various industrial processes. Since coal and petroleum often contain sulphur compounds, their combustion generates sulfur dioxide. Further oxidation of SO2, usually in the presence of a catalyst such as NO2, forms H2SO4, and thus acid rain.[2] This is one of the causes for concern over the environmental impact of the use of these fuels as power sources.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) - especially nitrogen dioxide are emitted from high temperature combustion. Can be seen as the brown haze dome above or plume downwind of cities.

Nitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula NO2. It is one of the several nitrogen oxides. This reddish-brown toxic gas has a characteristic sharp, biting odor. NO2 is one of the most prominent air pollutants.

Carbon monoxide - is a colourless, odorless, non-irritating but very poisonous gas. It is a product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular exhaust is a major source of carbon monoxide.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) - a colourless, odorless, non-toxic greenhouse gas associated withocean acidification, emitted from sources such as combustion, cement production, andrespiration

Volatile organic compounds - VOCs are an important outdoor air pollutant. In this field they are often divided into the separate categories of methane (CH4) and non-methane (NMVOCs). Methane is an extremely efficient greenhouse gas which contributes to enhanced global warming. Other hydrocarbon VOCs are also significant greenhouse gases via their role in creating ozone and in prolonging the life of methane in the atmosphere, although the effect varies depending on local air quality. Within the NMVOCs, the aromatic compounds benzene, toluene and xylene are suspected carcinogens and may lead to leukemia through prolonged exposure. 1,3-butadiene is another dangerous compound which is often associated with industrial uses.

Particulate matter - Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM) or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. In contrast, aerosol refers to particles and the gas together. Sources of particulate matter can be man made or natural. Some particulates occur naturally, originating from volcanoes, dust storms, forest and grassland fires, living vegetation, and sea spray. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants and various industrial processes also generate significant amounts of aerosols. Averaged over the globe, anthropogenic aerosolsthose made by human activitiescurrently account for about 10 percent of the total amount of aerosols in our atmosphere. Increased levels of fine particles in the air are linked to health hazards such as heart disease,[3] altered lung function and lung cancer.

Persistent free radicals connected to airborne fine particles could cause cardiopulmonary disease.[4][5]

Toxic metals, such as lead, cadmium and copper. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - harmful to the ozone layer emitted from products currently banned from use.

Ammonia (NH3) - emitted from agricultural processes. Ammonia is a compound with the formula NH3. It is normally encountered as a gas with a characteristic pungent odor. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to foodstuffs and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or indirectly, is also a building block for the synthesis of many pharmaceuticals. Although in wide use, ammonia is both caustic and hazardous.

Odors such as from garbage, sewage, and industrial processes Radioactive pollutants - produced by nuclear explosions, war explosives, and natural processes such as the radioactive decay of radon.

Secondary pollutants include:

Particulate matter formed from gaseous primary pollutants and compounds in photochemical smog. Smog is a kind of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Classic smog results from large amounts of coal burning in an area caused by a mixture of smoke and sulfur dioxide. Modern smog does not usually come from coal but from vehicular and industrial emissions that are acted on in the atmosphere by ultraviolet light from the sun to form secondary pollutants that also combine with the primary emissions to form photochemical smog.

Ground level ozone (O3) formed from NOx and VOCs. Ozone (O3) is a key constituent of the troposphere. It is also an important constituent of certain regions of the stratosphere commonly known as the Ozone layer. Photochemical and chemical reactions involving it drive many of the chemical processes that occur in the atmosphere by day and by night. At abnormally high concentrations brought about by human activities (largely the combustion of fossil fuel), it is a pollutant, and a constituent of smog.

Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) - similarly formed from NOx and VOCs.

Minor air pollutants include:

A large number of minor hazardous air pollutants. Some of these are regulated in USA under the Clean Air Act and in Europe under the Air Framework Directive. A variety of persistent organic pollutants, which can attach to particulate matter.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are organic compounds that are resistant to environmental degradation through chemical, biological, and photolytic processes. Because of this, they have been observed to persist in the environment, to be capable of long-range transport, bioaccumulate in human and animal tissue, biomagnify in food chains, and to have potential significant impacts on human health and the environment.

Health effects
The World Health Organization states that 2.4 million people die each year from causes directly attributable to air pollution, with 1.5 million of these deaths attributable to indoor air pollution.[14] "Epidemiological studies suggest that more than 500,000 Americans die each year from cardiopulmonary disease linked to breathing fine particle air pollution. . ."[15] A study by the University of Birmingham has shown a strong correlation between pneumonia related deaths and air pollution from motor vehicles.[16] Worldwide more deaths per year are linked to air pollution than to automobile accidents.[citation needed] Published in 2005 suggests that 310,000 Europeans die from air pollution annually.[citation needed] Causes of deaths include aggravated asthma, emphysema, lung and heart diseases, and respiratory allergies.[citation needed] The US EPA estimates that a proposed set of changes in diesel engine technology (Tier 2) could result in 12,000 fewerpremature mortalities, 15,000 fewer heart attacks, 6,000 fewer emergency room visits by children with asthma, and 8,900 fewer respiratory-related hospital admissions each year in the United States.[citation needed] Air pollution is also emerging as a risk factor for stroke, particularly in developing countries where pollutant levels are highest.[17] The worst short term civilian pollution crisis in India was the 1984 Bhopal Disaster.[18] Leaked industrial vapours from the Union Carbide factory, belonging to Union Carbide, Inc., U.S.A., killed more than 25,000 people outright and injured anywhere from 150,000 to 600,000. The United Kingdom suffered its worst air pollution event when the December 4 Great Smog of 1952 formed over London. In six days more than 4,000 died, and 8,000 more died within the following months.[citation needed] An accidental leak of anthrax spores from a biological warfare laboratory in the former USSR in 1979 near Sverdlovsk is believed to have been the cause of hundreds of civilian deaths.[citation needed] The worst single incident of air pollution to occur in the United States of America occurred in Donora,Pennsylvania in late October, 1948, when 20 people died and over 7,000 were injured.[19] The health effects caused by air pollution may include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. These effects can result in increased medication use, increased doctor or emergency room visits, more hospital admissions and premature death. The human health effects of poor air quality are far reaching, but principally affect the body's respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. Individual reactions to air pollutants depend on the type of pollutant a person is exposed to, the degree of exposure, the individual's health status and genetics.[citation needed] A new economic study of the health impacts and associated costs of air pollution in the Los Angeles Basin and San Joaquin Valley of Southern California shows that more than 3800

people die prematurely (approximately 14 years earlier than normal) each year because air pollution levels violate federal standards. The number of annual premature deaths is considerably higher than the fatalities related to auto collisions in the same area, which average fewer than 2,000 per year.[20] Diesel exhaust (DE) is a major contributor to combustion derived particulate matter air pollution. In several human experimental studies, using a well validated exposure chamber setup, DE has been linked to acute vascular dysfunction and increased thrombus formation.[21][22] This serves as a plausible mechanistic link between the previously described association between particulate matter air pollution and increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Effects on cystic fibrosis

Main article: Cystic fibrosis A study from around the years of 1999 to 2000, by the University of Washington, showed that patients near and around particulate matter air pollution had an increased risk of pulmonary exacerbations and decrease in lung function.[23] Patients were examined before the study for amounts of specific pollutants likePseudomonas aeruginosa or Burkholderia cenocepacia as well as their socioeconomic standing. Participants involved in the study were located in the United States in close proximity to an Environmental Protection Agency.[clarification needed] During the time of the study 117 deaths were associated with air pollution. Many patients in the study lived in or near large metropolitan areas in order to be close to medical help. These same patients had higher level of pollutants found in their system because of more emissions in larger cities. As cystic fibrosis patients already suffer from decreased lung function, everyday pollutants such as smoke, emissions from automobiles, tobacco smoke and improper use of indoor heating devices could further compromise lung function.[24]

Effects on COPD
Main article: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and some forms of asthma.[25] A study conducted in 1960-1961 in the wake of the Great Smog of 1952 compared 293 London residents with 477 residents of Gloucester, Peterborough, and Norwich, three towns with low reported death rates from chronic bronchitis. All subjects were male postal truck drivers aged 40 to 59. Compared to the subjects from the outlying towns, the London subjects exhibited more severe respiratory symptoms (including cough, phlegm, and dyspnea), reduced lung function (FEV1and peak flow rate), and increased sputum production and purulence. The differences

were more pronounced for subjects aged 50 to 59. The study controlled for age and smoking habits, so concluded that air pollution was the most likely cause of the observed differences.[26] It is believed that much like cystic fibrosis, by living in a more urban environment serious health hazards become more apparent. Studies have shown that in urban areas patients suffer mucus hypersecretion, lower levels of lung function, and more self diagnosis of chronic bronchitis and emphysema.[27]

Effects on children
Cities around the world with high exposure to air pollutants have the possibility of children living within them to develop asthma, pneumonia and other lower respiratory infections as well as a low initial birth rate. Protective measures to ensure the youths' health are being taken in cities such as New Delhi, India where buses now use compressed natural gas to help eliminate the pea-soup smog.[28] Research by the World Health Organization shows there is the greatest concentration of particulate matter particles in countries with low economic world power and high poverty and population rates. Examples of these countries includeEgypt, Sudan, Mongolia, and Indonesia. In the United States, the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, however in 2002 at least 146 million Americans were living innon-attainment areasregions in which the concentration of certain air pollutants exceeded federal standards.[29] Those pollutants are known as the criteria pollutants, and include ozone, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and lead. Because children are outdoors more and have higher minute ventilation they are more susceptible to the dangers of air pollution.

Health effects in relatively "clean" areas

Even in the areas with relatively low levels of air pollution, public health effects can be significant and costly, since a large number of people breathe in such pollutants. A 2005 scientific study for the British Columbia Lung Association showed that a small improvement in air quality (1% reduction of ambient PM2.5 and ozone concentrations) would produce a $29 million in annual savings in the Metro Vancouver region in 2010.[30] This finding is based on health valuation of lethal (death) and sub-lethal (illness) effects.

Reduction efforts
There are various air pollution control technologies and land use planning strategies available to reduce air pollution. At its most basic level land use planning is likely to involve zoning and transport infrastructure planning. In most developed countries, land use planning is an important part of social policy, ensuring that land is used efficiently for the benefit of the wider economy and population as well as to protect the environment.

Efforts to reduce pollution from mobile sources includes primary regulation (many developing countries have permissive regulations),[citation needed] expanding regulation to new sources (such as cruise and transport ships, farm equipment, and small gas-powered equipment such as lawn trimmers, chainsaws, andsnowmobiles), increased fuel efficiency (such as through the use of hybrid vehicles), conversion to cleaner fuels (such as bioethanol, biodiesel, or conversion to electric vehicles).

Control devices
The following items are commonly used as pollution control devices by industry or transportation devices. They can either destroy contaminants or remove them from an exhaust stream before it is emitted into the atmosphere.

Particulate control

Mechanical collectors (dust cyclones, multicyclones) Electrostatic precipitators An electrostatic precipitator (ESP), or electrostatic air cleaner is a particulate collection device that removes particles from a flowing gas (such as air) using the force of an induced electrostatic charge. Electrostatic precipitators are highly efficient filtration devices that minimally impede the flow of gases through the device, and can easily remove fine particulate matter such as dust and smoke from the air stream.

Baghouses Designed to handle heavy dust loads, a dust collector consists of a blower, dust filter, a filter-cleaning system, and a dust receptacle or dust removal system (distinguished from air cleaners which utilize disposable filters to remove the dust).

Particulate scrubbersWet scrubber is a form of pollution control technology. The term describes a variety of devices that use pollutants from a furnace flue gas or from other gas streams. In a wet scrubber, the polluted gas stream is brought into contact with the scrubbing liquid, by spraying it with the liquid, by forcing it through a pool of liquid, or by some other contact method, so as to remove the pollutants.

Scrubbers

Baffle spray scrubber Cyclonic spray scrubber Ejector venturi scrubber Mechanically aided scrubber

Spray tower Wet scrubber

NOx control

Low NOx burners Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) Selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) NOx scrubbers Exhaust gas recirculation Catalytic converter (also for VOC control)

VOC abatement

Adsorption systems, such as activated carbon Flares Thermal oxidizers Catalytic converters Biofilters Absorption (scrubbing) Cryogenic condensers Vapor recovery systems

Acid Gas/SO2 control

Wet scrubbers Dry scrubbers Flue gas desulfurization

Mercury control

Sorbent Injection Technology Electro-Catalytic Oxidation (ECO) K-Fuel

Dioxin and furan control Miscellaneous associated equipment

Source capturing systems

Continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS)

Air Pollution Notes Effects of Air Pollutants - more deaths from respiratory disease are found in areas with higher air pollution - higher number of people with common colds where air pollution is higher - people have poor respiratory function in areas of high air pollution - when air pollution is high, there are more hospital admissions for allergies, breathing difficulty, and heart disease - long term exposure to air pollution is known to damage lung tissue

Diseases Associated with Air Pollution - an estimated $110 B in annual health care costs and 130,000 deaths per year in North America - made worse by the amount of time we spend indoors and the chemicals in our environment

Chronic Bronchitis - tiny hairs in the bronchial tubes are damaged - can't sweep mucus out and the mucus interferes with gas exchange - symptoms - shortness of breath, coughing

Bronchial Asthma - bronchial tubes swell and narrows the air passage

- extra mucus is produced - symptoms - shortness of breath, can lead to asthma attack

Emphysema - air sacs in lungs become stiff - they are unable to exchange gases so breathing is difficult - symptoms - shortness of breath, breathing difficulty

Pneumonia and other infections - tend to occur more often in high air pollution - the build up of mucus in the lungs traps bacteria which causes infections

Lung Cancer - inhaled smoke and other pollutants cause cells in the lungs and respiratory tract to become cancerous - some can break away and develop tumors elsewhere in the body

Pollutants Carcinogens - chemicals or other agents that cause cancer - some require long term exposure to be cancer causing - asbestos, benzene, arsenic, vinyl chloride, radiation - tobacco smoke causes over 3,000 deaths per year in non-smokers

Respiratory Irritants - small chemicals that irritate the lining of the lungs - includes sulfates, nitrates, ozone, cigarette smoke, other smoke, dust

Particulates - very small airborne particles that can get dep into the lung tissue - over 60,000 deaths per year - examples are dust and smoke

Carbon monoxide (CO) - this gas is created during the combustion of fossil fuels - it is absorbed by the blood - combines with hemoglobin; stops hemoglobin from carrying oxygen to all cells of the body - causes fatigue, dizziness, impaired judgment, and eventually death

Mercury - absorbed by the body and stored in the blood - present in water ecosystems because of leaching and use by humans - becomes toxic by interfering with the nervous system and kidneys - leads to insanity, nervous disorders, and kidney failure

Lead - interferes with nervous system and development of children. Very dangerous for small children and pregnant women - source used to be leaded gasoline and paint - causes brain damage, mental retardation, kidney disorder

Notes: Indoor Air Pollution

Please note that the labs and resources in the Teacher Exchange have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Environmental Literacy Council.

Submitted by: Timothy Strout, Jericho High School Key: I. V. = Improved ventilation, TSRM = Tobacco Smoke Reduction Method Pollutant Source(s) Insulation, floor and ceiling tiles, spray-on fire retardant, roof shingles, millboard Effects on health Lung cancer, lung disease, mesothelioma, asbestosis, respiratory problems Prevention and clean-up Removal, encapsulation, appropriate Legislative measures Improved ventilation, maintenance of appliances, alternate heating method (i.e., electric), stop smoking, appropriate legislative

Asbestos

Carbon Monoxide

Headaches, drowsiness, Wood burning irregular stove/ fireplace, heartbeat, tobacco smoke, fatigue, motor vehicles, impaired kerosene, natural vision, gas, fuel oil dizziness, appliances confusion, nausea, flulike

symptoms, reduced oxygen carrying capacity of RBC's, death Cancer (lung, mouth, throat, bladder), respiratory problems, heart disease, emphysema, ear infections Irritation of eyes, nose, throat, skin, and lungs, nasal and lung cancer, nausea and dizziness, asthma, impaired breathing

measures

Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)

Cigarettes, cigars, pipe smoking, etc. Must be a combustion of tobacco

Stop smoking, smoke outdoors, improved ventilation, appropriate legislative measures Improved ventilation, alternative building materials, control of temperature and humidity environment, appropriate legislative measures

Formaldehyde

Furniture stuffing, paneling, particle board, fiberboard, foam insulation, chipboard, ceiling tile, new furniture, plywood, carpeting Radioactive soil, rock foundations and building materials. Uranium deposits. Radioactive well water Cleaning products

Radon

Lung cancer or lung tissue Improved damage as it ventilation, relates to sealing cracks cancer effects

Ammonia

Respiratory irritant

Improved ventilation, alternate cleaning

products, appropriate legislative measures Improved ventilation, stop smoking, alternative pest control, appropriate legislative measures

Arsenic

Smoking, pesticides, rodent poisons (rodenticides)

Toxic, carcinogen

Bacteria

Air-handling systems, damp building materials, and furnishings

Improved ventilation, Bacterial humidity diseases and control, infections maintenance of (Legionnaires, filter systems, strep, etc.) water treatment Improved ventilation, alternate energy source Improved ventilation, stop smoking, proper maintenance of stove/fireplace, alternative heating source, appropriate Legislative measures Improved ventilation, tobacco smoke

Benzene/ Gasoline

Gasoline/gasoline powered See VOC's equipment

Benzo a-Pyrene

Wood burning stove/fireplace, tobacco smoke

Lung cancer

Cadmium

Tobacco products, fungicides

Lung cancer and kidney damage

reduction methods, appropriate legislative measures I.V., alternative disinfection methods

Chloroform

Chlorine-treated water

Cancer

Carbon Dioxide

Oxygen deficiency Problems: See carbon Headaches, monoxide Also drowsiness, accept "people" irregular (if building type heartbeat, is designated as fatigue, overcrowded and impaired poorly vision, ventilated) dizziness, confusion, nausea Solvent, paint stripper Fiberboard products: awnings, tables, skateboards, tabletops, etc See VOC's Potential carcinogen, respiratory irritant, skin irritant Respiratory irritant, aggravates asthma conditions, allergic reactions (watery eyes, sneezing,

See carbon monoxide

Carbon Tetrachloride

I.V., alternate products I.V., alternate building materials, product maintenance

Fiberglass

Fungi

Air-handling systems, damp building materials/ furnishings

I.V., humidity control, maintenance of air-handling systems

rashes, coughing) Impaired mental and physical development, fatigue, headache, Lead paint muscular particulates (dust), smelters, tremor, Lead Particulates clumsiness, contaminated loss of (must be soil, exhaust memory, airborne) from leaded convulsions, gasoline coma, high blood combustion. pressure, death, anemia, miscarriage/ premature birth

I.V., alternate paints, indoor Filtering systems, sealing of old paint, smelter Filtering systems, alternative gasoline sources, appropriate legislative measures

Mercury

Fungicides, fossil fuel combustion, thermometers, thermostats

Damages nervous system, carcinogen

I.V., alternate fungicides, alternate energy sources, replacement of mercury containing materials

Methane/ Propane

Oxygen deficiency Leaking natural problems : gas lines and Headaches, appliances, drowsiness, leakage from irregular underground heartbeat, tanks or landfills, fatigue, anaerobic sewer impaired backup vision, dizziness, confusion,

I.V., sealing of leaks, sealing foundations, maintenance of sewer lines/drains

nausea I.V., alternate strippers and thinners, Appropriate legislative measures See Fungi

Methylene Chloride

Paint strippers and thinners

Nervous disorders, diabetes

Mold Spores Moth Flakes/Balls (see Paradichlorobenzene)

See Fungi

See Fungi

See Carbon Nitrogen Dioxide Monoxide

Respiratory irritant, headaches

I.V., alternate heating sources, proper maintenance of appliances, Appropriate legislative measures

Ozone

Respiratory irritant, fatigue, Photocopiers, mucous electrostatic air membrane cleaners, outdoor irritant, air, electrical aggravates equipment asthma and chronic bronchitis Lung cancer, mucous membrane irritant

I.V., legislation - to reduce NOx and VOC's

Air fresheners, Paramoth control dichlorobenzene products (moth flakes/balls)

I.V., alternate products, appropriate Legislative measures

Particulates

Tobacco combustion, outdoor air, trash incineration, wood burning, dust, factories, smelters, coalburning power plant, kerosene heaters, agriculture, unpaved roads and construction, pet dander

Respiratory irritant, mucous membrane irritant, respiratory infections, bronchitis, lung cancer, asthma, lung damage, aggravates allergic reactions

Improved air filtration, alternative energy sources, TSRM, alternate heating sources, paving roads and dust control methods, alternative tilling practices, alternate trash disposal methods, grooming pets, appropriate legislative measures I.V., alternative pest control methods. If source is outdoor air improved air Filtration system.

Pesticides

Possible carcinogen, mucous membrane Pesticides irritant, sprays and strips central and outdoor air nervous system and kidney/liver damage Allergic reactions, mucous membrane irritant, asthma Kidney and liver damage

Pollen

Flowering plants

Improved air filtration, selective removal of problem plants

Styrene

Carpets, plastic products

Alternative flooring/plastic

products, appropriate legislative measures Restriction of airways, mucous membrane irritant, respiratory irritant, aggravation of asthma, emphysema, bronchitis I.V., improved air filtration, alternate energy sources, lowsulfur coal, alternate heating sources, appropriate legislative measures I.V., alternate products, appropriate legislative measures I.V., alternate cleaning methods, Appropriate legislative measures

Sulfur Dioxide

Coal-burning power plants, coal and oil combustion, kerosene space heaters, outside air. If source is outside, must provide method of infiltration.

Trichloroethane

Aerosol sprays

Dizziness, irregular breathing

Tetrachloroethylene

Nerve disorders, liver and Dry cleaning fluid kidney fumes damage, possible cancer

Virus

Improved air filtration Air handling Viral diseases system, systems, (colds, humidity humans, outdoor pneumonia, control, air, animals etc.) sanitary health practices Tobacco combustion, burned food Respiratory and mucous membrane I.V., TSRM, alternate products, air

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's)

products, paints, solvents, varnishes, cleaning products, carpets, building furnishings, draperies, clothing

irritant, weakened immune system, possible carcinogen.

filtering system, appropriate legislative measures

Vinyl Chloride

Plastic plumbing, floor and wall Carcinogen coverings, countertops

I.V., alternate products, appropriate legislative measures

Conditions of a sick building: EPA: A building in which at least 20 % of its occupants suffer persistant syndromes that disappear when they go outside.

10 Causes of Air Pollution

Air pollution is caused by a wide variety of things. The earth is great at cleaning the air on its own. However, air pollution has grown so much, the earth can no longer clean all of it. This is starting to have adverse effects on the environment such as causing acid rain, smog and a wide variety of health problems.

Combustion Engine Exhaust

Cars, trucks, jet airplanes and other combustion engine vehicles cause air pollution. The exhaust from these contains carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and gaseous oxide. This type of air pollution creates smog (as seen in Los Angeles) which causes respiratory health problems and holes in the ozone layer, which increases the exposure to the sun's harmful rays.

Factories

Factories, office buildings, homes and power-generating stations burn fossil fuels, which cause air pollution. The burning of oil and coal (fossil fuels) also contributes to smog. This air pollution destroys plants, damages buildings and creates oxidation on iron.

Petroleum

Petroleum refineries release hydrocarbons and various particulates that pollute the air.

Power Lines

Some power lines are not insulated and are high voltage. This creates air pollution.

Pesticides

Pesticides used to kill indoor and outdoor pests, insecticides used to kill insects and herbicides use to kill weeds all cause air pollution.

Radioactive Fallout

Radioactive fallout causes air pollution from the nuclear energy dispersed, which is a dust.

Fertilizer Dust

Dust from fertilizers used to help plants grow causes air pollution.

Indoor Air Pollution

Sick building syndrome (SBS) is the term used when there is indoor air pollution. This happens when there is not enough ventilation to disburse the toxic fumes from new carpet, paint and/or cleaning chemicals that are used indoors. Mold can also cause SBS.

Mining Operations

Mining causes air pollution by releasing a variety of particles.

Mills and Plants

Mills and plants, include paper mills, chemical plants, iron mills, steel mills, cement plants and asphalt plants, release emissions into the air causing air pollution.

There are many different chemical substances that contribute to air pollution. These chemicals come from a variety of sources. Among the many types of air pollutants are nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxides, and organic compounds that can evaporate and enter the atmosphere. Air pollutants have sources that are both natural and human. Now, humans contribute substantially more to the air pollution problem.

Forest fires, volcanic eruptions, wind erosion, pollen dispersal, evaporation of organic compounds, and natural radioactivity are all among the natural causes of air pollution. Usually, natural air pollution does not occur in abundance in particular locations. The pollution is spread around throughout the world, and as a result, poses little threat to the health of people and ecosystems. Though some pollution comes from these natural sources, most pollution is the result of human activity. The biggest causes are the operation of fossil fuel-burning power plants and automobiles that combust fuel. Combined, these two sources are responsible for about 90% of all air pollution in the United States. Some cities suffer severely because of heavy industrial use of chemicals that cause air pollution. Places like Mexico City and Sao Paulo have some of the most deadly pollution levels in the world.http://www.ehow.com/list_5436713_causes-airpollution.html#ixzz1blr1g4rx_______________________________________________________

Air pollution - Courtesy Nasa The environmental problems in India are growing rapidly. The increasing economic development and a rapidly growing population that has taken the country from 300 million people in 1947 to more than one billion people today is putting a strain on the environment, infrastructure, and the countrys natural resources. Industrial pollution, soil erosion, deforestation, rapid industrialization, urbanization, and land degradation are all worsening problems. Overexploitation of the country's resources be it land or water and the industrialization process has resulted environmental degradation of resources. Environmental pollution is one of the most serious problems facing humanity and other life forms on our planet today. India's per capita carbon dioxide emissions were roughly 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) in 2007, according to the study. That's small compared to China and the U.S., with 10,500 pounds (4,763 kilograms) and 42,500 pounds (19,278 kilograms) respectively that year. The study said that the European Union and Russia also have more emissions than India.
India has been ranked as seventh most environmentally hazardous country in the world by a new ranking released recently. The study is based on evaluation of absolute environment impact of 179 countries, whose data was available and has been done by researchers in Harvard, Princeton, Adelaide University and University of Singapore 0n January 12, 2011. Brazil was found to be worst on environmental indicators whereas Singapore was the best. United States was rated second worst and China was ranked third. India and US clean energy pact: India and the U.S. on November 8, 2010 inked an agreement to establish a bilateral energy cooperation programme to promote clean and energy-efficient businesses,

Indian and U.S. companies inked joint venture deals worth $175 million in the renewable energy sector. The US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the setting up of Joint Clean Energy Research and Development Centre. The proposed centre is part of the Partnership to Advance Clean Energy (PACE), which forms the core of the green partnership. Funding for the centre is expected from national budgets and the private sector. Each government proposes to commit $25 million over the next five years.. "Now the Indian consumer is increasingly conscious of the benefits of environmentally friendly and sustainable practices... 86% Indian consumers surveyed, place faith in energy efficient products and appliances, followed by recyclable packaging (79%)," Global Online Environment and Sustainability Survey by Nielsen said on August 29, 2011.. .

Air Pollution
The World Health Organization estimates that about two million people die prematurely every year as a result of Air pollution , while many more suffer from breathing ailments, heart disease, lung infections and even cancer. Fine particles or microscopic dust from coal or wood fires and unfiltered diesel engines are rated as one of the most lethal forms or air pollution caused by industry, transport, household heating, cooking and ageing coal or oil-fired power stations. There are four reasons of air pollution are - emissions from vehicles, thermal power plants, industries and refineries. The problem of indoor air pollution in rural areas and urban slums has increased. CNG is not without environmental drawbacks says a new Central Pollution Control Board study on January 05, 2011. The study says burning CNG has the highest rates of potentially hazardous carbonyl emissions. The study also made a case for regulating CNG and other fuels for methane emissions. Methane, a greenhouse gas, is a key contributor to climate change. Among the study's finds were that retrofitted CNG car engines emit 30% more methane than original CNG engines. Almost all CNG car engines in India are retrofitted. One major study in September 2011 found that components of diesel exhaust including particulate matter can cause biologic responses that are related to asthma; this exposure is associated with the inflammatory and immune responses involved in asthma. Studies conducted in various parts of the world have revealed a strong link between type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and continuous exposure to ultra fine particulate matter present in the air. Particluate matter in the air which is very fine and is less than 2.5 microns in size is called PM2.5 and has been known to cause diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Indian air pollution has been blamed for its dry monsoon season, but a scientist has revealed that European pollution may also play a part in it. The volume of the summer monsoon has been weakening since the 1950s. And Yi Ming of Princeton University in New Jersey claimed his experimental models suggest that the effect of European aerosol pollution accounts for about half the drop in the volume of monsoon rainfall the other half is down to pollution over south Asia

Coal pollution: Indias environmental problems are exacerbated by its heavy reliance on coal for power generation. "More than 80 per cent of energy is produced from coal, a fuel that emits a high amount of carbon and greenhouse gases." said Bikash. According to him, coal pollution kills more than 300,000 people every year. Andhra Pradesh, the coastal state of eastern India is experiencing a coal-plant construction boom, including the 4,000-MW Krishnapatnam Ultra Mega Power Project, one of nine such massive projects in planning or under construction across the country. On August 23, 2011 the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board has ordered the closure of 22 BCCL mines in the underground fire zone of Jharia. BCCL had taken over most of the 103

mines from private owners. Hence, none of them had got environmental clearances. Most of the coal mines under the JSPCB's scanner were located in Jharia. The 2,640-MW Sompeta plant proposed by Nagarjuna Construction Company and the 2,640MW Bhavanapadu plant proposed by East Coast Energy have both provoked large nonviolent protests that have ended in police attacks, including four deaths of local residents. As of May 2011, the Sompeta plant had been cancelled and the Bhavanapadu plant had been placed on hold by officials, with corruption investigations continuing. On April 12, 2011 the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has tightened pollution monitoring norms for power projects with a generation capacity of 500 Mw and above, integrated steel plants with a capacity of 1 million tonnes per annum and cement plants with a capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum. Polluting industrial units: On May 26, 2011 the Haryana State Pollution Control Board has ordered closure of 639 polluting industrial units in 2010-11 and directed the highly polluting industries to set up continuous online monitoring stations to ensure compliance of standards of air emissions. The Government has launched prosecution against 151 polluting units in the Special Environment Courts in Faridabad and Kurukshetra, and made 9,239 units install pollution control devices. Aircraft pollutants: According to a study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology (EST) in the first week of October 2010, almost 8,000 people will die due to aircraft pollutants this year, and 3,500 of them would be from India and China. A recent report by Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers says that the harmful pollutants emitted by an aircraft at an altitude of 35,000ft are fatal for people. The report says that nitrogen and sulphur oxides emitted by aircraft at approximately 35,000ft combine with other gases in the atmosphere to create noxious particulate matter. Vehicle emissions are responsible for 70% of the countrys air pollution. The major problem with government efforts to safeguard the environment has been enforcement at the local level, not with a lack of laws. Air pollution from vehicle exhaust and industry is a worsening problem for India. Exhaust from vehicles has increased eight-fold over levels of twenty years ago; industrial pollution has risen four times over the same period. The economy has grown two and a half times over the past two decades but pollution control and civil services have not kept pace. Air quality is worst in big cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, etc. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Indias auto production has doubled from 7 million units in fiscal year 2004 to over 14 million units in year 2010 largely on the back of a buoyant domestic market. Bangalore holds the title of being the asthma capital of the country. Studies estimate that 10 per cent of Bangalores 60 lakh population and over 50 per cent of its children below 18 years suffer from air pollution- related ailments. CHENNAI: Exhaust from vehicles, dust from construction debris, industrial waste, burning of municipal and garden waste are all on the rise in the city. So are respiratory diseases, including asthma. At least six of the 10 top causes of death are related to respiratory disease, says Dr D Ranganathan, director (in-charge), Institute of Thoracic Medicine. Mumbai: Not only are levels of Suspended Particulate Matter above permissible limits in Mumbai, but the worst pollutant after vehicular emissions has grown at an alarming rate. The levels of Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), or dust, in Mumbais air have

continued to increase over the past three years. The air pollution in Mumbai is so high that Mumbai authorities have purchased 42,000 litres of perfume to spray on the citys enormous waste dumps at Deonar and Mulund landfill sites after people living near the landfill sites complained of the stench. The Deonar landfill site, one of Indias largest, was first used by the British in 1927. Today, the festering pile covers more than 120 hectares and is eight storys high. Bhopal: Bhopal gas tragedy was the greatest industrial disaster in the world that took place at a Union Carbide pesticide plant in the Indian city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. At midnight on 3 December 1984, the plant accidentally released methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, exposing more than 500,000 people to MIC and other chemicals. The first official immediate death toll was 2,259. The government of Madhya Pradesh has confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release Others estimate 8,000-10,000 died within 72 hours and 25,000 have since died from gas-related diseases, making it the deadliest man-made environmental disaster in history. On July 14, 2010 Chlorine gas leaked from the Sewri industrial area on land owned by the Mumbai Port Trust and 76 people were treated in hospital. The effects of air pollution are obvious: rice crop yields in southern India are falling as brown clouds block out more and more sunlight. The brilliant white of the famous Taj Mahal is slowly fading to a sickly yellow. In the Tajmahal Case a very strong step was taken by Supreme Court to save the Tajmahal being polluted by fumes and more than 200 factories were closed down. Birds and species affected: Studies conducted by the high altitude zoology field station of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) based in Solan town of Himachal Pradesh have recorded a drastic fall in butterfly numbers in the western Himalayas, famous for their biodiversity. The population of 50 percent of the 288 species recorded in the western Himalayas, comprising areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, have declined more than half in just 10 years. This year 2011 Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) was organizing seminar on nature and biodiversity on World Environment Day 2011. in Mumbai.
Indoor air pollution: Indoor air pollution is the most important cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in India, says a prevalence study conducted by Pune-based Chest Research Foundation (CRF) and the Imperial College, London in November 2010. Over 700 million people in India suffer from high levels of indoor air pollution affecting women and young children as 75 per cent homes use biomass fuel like wood, crop residue and dung cakes. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is working to understand how exposures to environmental agents trigger diseases such as Asthma, and these diseases can be prevented, diagnosed and treated. Additionally, the NIEHS is developing and testing new technologies to help determine environmental triggers and reduce asthma symptoms.

River water Pollution

Contaminated and polluted water now kills more people than all forms of violence including wars, according to a United Nations report released on March 22, 2010 on World Water Day that calls for turning unsanitary wastewater into an environmentally safe economic resource. According to the report -titled "Sick Water?" -- 90 percent of wastewater discharged daily in developing countries is untreated, contributing to the deaths of some 2.2 million people a year from diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe drinking water and poor hygiene. At least 1.8 million children youngerthan 5 die every year from waterrelated diseases.

Fully 80 percent of urban waste in India ends up in the country's rivers, and unchecked urban growth across the country combined with poor government oversight means the problem is only getting worse. A growing number of bodies of water in India are unfit for human use, and in the River Ganga, holy to the country's 82 percent Hindu majority, is dying slowly due to unchecked pollution.

New Delhi's body of water is little more than a flowing garbage dump, with fully 57 percent of the city's waste finding its way to the Yamuna. It is that three billion liters of waste are pumped into Delhi's Yamuna (River Yamuna)each day. Only 55 percent of the 15 million Delhi residents are connected to the city's sewage system. The remainder flush their bath water, waste water and just about everything else down pipes and into drains, most of them empty into the Yamuna. According to the Centre for Science and Environment, between 75 and 80 percent of the river's pollution is the result of raw sewage. Combined with industrial runoff, the garbage thrown into the river and it totals over 3 billion liters of waste per day. Nearly 20 billion rupees, or almost US $500 million, has been spent on various clean up efforts. The frothy brew is so glaring that it can be viewed on Google Earth. Much of the river pollution problem in India comes from untreated sewage. Samples taken recently from the Ganges River near Varanasi show that levels of fecal coliform, a dangerous bacterium that comes from untreated sewage, were some 3,000 percent higher than what is considered safe for bathing

Delhi's air is choking with pollutant PM 2.5

The CSE report claimed that 2010 winter pollution levels are not only high but also different along with high levels of tiny particles, more pollutants have added to the toxic cocktail. The official air quality index shows several locations in Delhi are reeling under concoction of pollutants like nitrogen and carbon monoxide (CO). Patients complaining of chest and throat infections have shot up in the past two weeks. Experts have blamed high pollution levels in the Capital for this. Delhi's air is choking with pollutant PM 2.5 that is only 2.5 microns in diameter and is very very small particle. Being so small, it escapes emission apparatus prescribed by Euro II and III. Any kind of combustion, especially of vehicular origin, contains this particle. If PM 2.5 is not regulated it will ensure major health hazards. The number of Asthma patients will rise and in future there may huge rise of lung cancer cases also. The toxic value of PM 2.5 is such that metals like lead present in the PM 2.5 get inhaled deeper into lungs which deposits there. The children are most affected by depositing lead due to inhaling the poisonous air. The increasing amount of PM 2.5 is like a poison in the air we breathe.

Is Antibiotic-resistant superbugs in Delhi water? Toxic smog is set to engulf Delhi once again this winter after a six-year respite because of the huge number of new cars clogging the roads. New Delhi adds nearly 1,000 new cars a day to the existing four million registered in the city, almost twice as many as before 2000. Pollution levels are up to 350 micrograms per cubic metre in 2006-2007 and the levels of nitrogen oxides have been increasing in the city to dangerous levels, which is a clear sign of pollution from vehicles. Of these it is the diesel cars that are responsible for the pollution. Diesel emissions can trigger asthma and even cause lung cancer. A survey by the Central Pollution Control Board and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences survey showed that a majority of people living in Delhi suffered from eye irritation, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath and poor lung functioning. One in 10 people have asthma in Delhi. Worse, the winter months bring respiratory attacks and wheezing to many non-asthmatics who are old, who smoke, have respiratory infections or chronic bronchitis.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

India emits the fifth most carbon of any country in the world. At 253 million metric tons, only the U.S., China, Russia, and Japan surpassed its level of carbon emissions in 1998. Carbon emissions have grown nine-fold over the past forty years. In this Industrial Age, with the ever-expanding consumption of hydrocarbon fuels and the resultant increase in carbon dioxide emissions, that greenhouse gas concentrations have reached levels causing climate change. Going forward, carbon emissions are forecast to grow 3.2% per annum until 2020. To put this in perspective, carbon emissions levels are estimated to increase by 3.9% for China and by 1.3% for the United States. India is a non-Annex I country under the United Nations Framework Convention on Green house gases and climate Change, and as such, is not required to reduce its carbon emissions. An historical summary of carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions from fossil fuel use in India is increasing rapidly and causes global warming. All inhabitants of our planet have an equal right to the atmosphere, but the industrialized countries have greatly exceeded their fair, per-capita share of the planets atmospheric resources and have induced climate change. The most developed countries possess the capital, technological and human resources required for successful adaptation, while in the developing countries, a large proportion of the population is engaged in traditional farming, that is particularly vulnerable to the changes in temperature, rainfall and extreme weather events associated with climate change. According to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol , the most industrialized countries are mainly responsible for causing climate change. Thus equity requires that they should sharply reduce their emissions in order to arrest further climate change and allow other countries access to their fair share of atmospheric resources in order to develop

The most polluted places in India

Vapi in Gujarat and Sukinda in Orrisa is among the worlds top 10 most polluted places, according to the Blacksmith Institute, a New York-based nonprofit group. Vapi : Potentially affected people: 71,000 -Pollutants: Chemicals and heavy metals due to its Industrial estates. Sukinda: Potentially affected people: 2,600,000. -Pollutants: Hexavalent chromium due to its Chromite mines.

The most polluted cities in India

As many as 51 Indian cities have extremely high air pollution, Patna, Lucknow, Raipur, Faridabad and Ahmedabad topping the list. An environment and forest ministry report, released on September 14, 2007 has identified 51 cities that do not meet the prescribed Respirable Particulate Matter (RSPM) levels, specified under the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In 2005, an Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) placed India at 101st position among 146 countries. Taking a cue from the finding, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) formulated NAAQS and checked the air quality, which led to the revelation about air quality in leading cities. According to the report, Gobindgarh in Punjab is the most polluted city, and Ludhiana, Raipur and Lucknow hold the next three positions. Faridabad on the outskirt of Delhi is the 10th most polluted city, followed by Agra, the city of Taj Mahal. Ahmedabad is placed 12th, Indore 16th, Delhi 22nd, Kolkata 25th, Mumbai 40th, Hyderabad 44th and Bangalore stands at 46th in the list. The Orissa town of Angul, home to National Aluminium Company (NALCO), is the 50th polluted city of the country.

Emissions of gaseous pollutants: satellite data

Scientists and researchers from around the world gathered at ESRIN, ESAs Earth Observation Centre in Frascati, Italy, recently to discuss the contribution of satellite data in monitoring nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. Using nitrogen dioxide (NO2) data acquired from 1996 to 2006 by the Global Ozone

Monitoring Experiment (GOME) instrument aboard ESAs ERS-2 satellite, Nitrous oxide emissions over India is growing at an annual rate of 5.5 percent/year. The location of emission hot spots correlates well with the location of mega thermal power plants, mega cities, urban and industrial regions. Emissions of gaseous pollutants have increased in India over the past two decades. According to Dr Sachin Ghude of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), rapid industrialization, urbanization and traffic growth are most likely responsible for the increase. Because of varying consumption patterns and growth rates, the distribution of emissions vary widely across India.

Pollution due to Distilleries

The distillery sector is one of the seventeen categories of major polluting industries in India. These units generate large volume of dark brown coloured wastewater, which is known as ?spent wash?. Spent wash contains high organic pollutants such as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) - 85000 to 95,000 mg/l, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) - 45,000 to 60,000 mg/l and Chemical Oxygen Demand 80,000 to 1, 20,000 mg/l. Thus, the distillery wastewater causes serious pollution problems in the recipient water bodies when discharged, resulting in depletion of dissolved oxygen in water and adverse affect on aquatic life, fish, phytoplankton etc. Also, it pollutes groundwater and drinking water when discharged on land. Application of distillery wastewater for irrigation of crops causes soil pollution i.e. salinity. The Government has notified environmental standards for the distillery sector under the Environment (Protection) act, 1986. The Government is also encouraging the distilleries to achieve zero discharge of effluent.This information was given by Shri Jairam Ramesh in Lok Sabha on August 4, 2010.

Reduce pollutions: suggestions

Projects to save Agra monuments back on trac The growing threat from pollution to India's prized monuments, including the Taj Mahal, has prompted the authorities to speed up action on March 22, 2011. The project aims to insulate the world heritage monuments, including Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal. A set of eight schemes to control pollution and save these monuments has been submitted for clearance from the state government before being presented to the Planning Commission to include them in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-2017). World Bank Cooperation on India's Green Agenda India and the World Bank agreed on January 13, 2011 to further strengthen their partnership to advance India's green-growth agenda. The Bank will now support to strengthen Indian capacity of Central Pollution Controls Board, State Pollution Control Boards and biodiversity conservation in addition to other various projects for which financial support have already been given. India to build advanced coal-fired power plant Indian scientists aim to built an advanced ultra-super critical coal-fired power plant in the next six years. Once realised, the plant is expected to put India in a very select group of nations having the technology which would reduce the amount of pollution when compared with the current thermal power plants. Green Court launched India launched a "green" court on October 19, 2010 to make polluters pay damages as it steps up its policing of the country's environmental laws. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said India was only the third country in the world after Australia and New Zealand to set up such a tribunal. "This is the first body of its kind (in India) to apply the polluter pays principle and the principle of sustainable development," Ramesh told reporters in New Delhi. National Action Plan on Climate Change The Centre has made a provision of Rs. 25,000 crore to mitigate the effects of climate change, a serious problem that India will face in the coming decades, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh told the Rajya Sabha on August 21, 2010. Besides, the Finance Ministry has also sanctioned Rs.

5,000 crore as recommended by the 13th Finance Commission to tackle this serious problem, Mr. Ramesh said About 220 scientists from 120 research institutions were working on assessing the impact of climate change on agriculture, water, health and forests. Steps in Budget 2010-11 for the Environment The increased pollution levels associated with industrialisation and urbanisation, a number of proactive steps have been proposed in the Union Budget (2010-11). The major steps include: National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) - for funding research and innovative projects in clean energy technology. Allocation for National Ganga River Basin Authority has been doubled in 2010-11 to Rs.500 crore. The Mission Clean Ganga 2020 under the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) with the objective that no untreated municipal sewage or industrial influent will be discharged into the National river has already been initiated. Mumbai Cyclothon 2010.

Mumbai witnessed it's first ever Cyclothon on February 21, 2010, with over 7,000 participants at the Mumbai Cyclothon 2010.