Impact of Industrial Pollution on our Environment

Industrial pollution is the contamination of the environment by businesses particularly plants and factories that dump waste products into the air and water. Industrial waste is one of the largest contribution to global pollution problem endangering people and the environment.

Thousands of small scale and bigger industrial units simply dump their waste, more often toxic and hazardous in open spaces and nearby water sources. Over the last three decades, many cases of serious and permanent damage to environment by these industries have come to the fore.

Rapid industrialization has resulted in the generation of huge quality of wastes, both solid and liquid in industrial sectors such as sugar, pulp, paper, fruit, and food processing, sago/starch, distillers, dairies, tanneries, slaughterhouses, poultries, etc. despite requirements for pollution control measures, these wastes are generally dumped on land or discharged into water bodies, without adequate treatment, and thus becomes a large source of environmental pollution and health hazard.

Industrial pollution can negatively affect public health by distributing harmful chemicals into water, the air and the soil. The quality of environment is also at risk, as industrial pollution can impact climate changes, hinder the growth of natural plants and gasses, cause the loss of species and aid in the erosion of buildings.

The health of humans and animal is a primary concerns with industrial pollution. Air pollution that impact the ground level ozone can weaken respiratory systems, reduce lung function and increase respiratory inflammation in humans and animals alike. When exposed to air pollution, people may experience nausea, pulmonary congestion and chest pains.

So, factories that wish to emission can practice either pollution prevention or pollution control pollution prevention means changing the way a factory operates so that it produces very little or none of a particular pollution. This usually involves eliminating a certain chemical or material from its operations. Pollution control involves installing equipment that capture pollutant before they enter the environment. Improved filtration system are an example of controls that could help reduce the damage done by these pollutants by improving or refining them. Switching from fossil fuels to natural gas is a way that factories can dramatically reduce certain emission, like mercury, green hue gasses sulfur and particulates.

Written by: Muhammad Hamid Khan