Environmental pollution -By Ijifisoye Folake Elizabeth

“Environmental pollution is an incurrable disease, it can only be prevented- Barry Commoner”

If the air we breath in, the water we drink and the soil which produce our crops are impure, then our chances of having a good health is not certain. Environmental pollution is a serious and major threat to the society. Pollution is the destroying of environment we live in, contaminating and it is causing diseases in human, wildlife and the atmosphere. Environmental pollution is the contamination of the atmosphere system both physically and biologically. It is caused by the reckless attitude of man towards nature. The major types of pollution are Air pollution, Water pollution, Noise pollution, Land pollution and Soil pollution. Environmental pollution is triggered by the introduction of harmful materials such as gaseous pollutants, toxic metals, sewages, industrial effluent, electronic wastes in water bodies.

For the industrial sectors, the transportation of energy can be harmful to the society. For instance, the transportation of petrol through pipeline, if there is a leak on the pipeline, the soil will automatically be polluted. If the tanker transporting petrol from it’s production place to the place it will be consumed leaks or sinks, the water will get polluted. The Agricultural sector is another causal factor of contamination of water and soil. This is caused by the increase use of pesticides. Almost all pesticides are made from chemical substance and are meant to keep diseases and threatening animals away from crops. By keeping these forms of life away, harm is always made to the environment as well. Soil pollution will cause harm and even the destruction of micro organisms which can have dramatic effect of killing the first layers of the primary food chain.

Pollution caused by transport can mainly be attributed to fossil fuels. Noise and Air pollution caused by vehicles (Bus, Car, Motorcycle, Train, Lorry etc) are second to none. The smoke that comes from it pollute the air which is dangerous to the health. Some vehicles ought to have been abandoned. As regard goods, pollution can be caused by packaging which include the use of plastic, nylon etc. The mode is disposal of refuse is very poor. Heap of refuse are dump at every junction in the community. Many pedestrian find it easy to eat and drop the refuse by the wayside, pouring of refuse into the rain.

The effect of Environmental pollution on humans are mainly physical but later turn into neuro-affections in the long term. Long term exposure to air pollution cause Respiratory disorder, Allergies, Asthma, Irritation of the eye, Nasal passages, Lungs cancer, Infant mortality, Increase in stress oxidative, Pneumonia etc. It is proven that Environmental pollution is a major factor in the development of cancer. This can happen when we eat reminiscence of pollutant used in the production of processed foods or pesticides from crops.

To reduce Environmental pollution, the mass media is the main source of information about environmental issues. It should be used to facilitate the transmission of environmental information and positive practices and attitudes. Environmental education should be included in the national education syllabus to be able you have well educated and concerned people about environmental issues. Shifting to eco-friendly transportation such as electric vehicles and hydrogen vehicles and promoting mobility could reduce air pollution. Moving away from fossil fuels and replacing them with sustainable renewables like solar, wind and producing clean energy. Waste water recycling center should be build to reduce water pollution.

There should be strong storage facilities for solid wastes. Actions need to be taken to integrate the solid waste storage facilities that are very close to the city and the nature. To prevent noise pollution, Open markets, Recreational centers, Schools, Parks inside the city should be surrounded by trees. Through all these measures, we would be able correct if not to put an end to Environmental pollution.