Environmental pollution is understood as the introduction of foreign substances into it that are not characteristic under ordinary conditions, as well as the excess of the normal concentration of a chemical agent. Currently, environmental pollution is a worldwide problem that has been tried by many developed countries for many years and even decades. Unfortunately, the constant increase in the pace of technological progress, the processing of minerals, the continued popularity of the steel industry, the expansion of cities and other anthropogenic factors only aggravate the negative impact of human civilization on wildlife.
Definition
Types of pollution are often divided into several groups according to the type of impact: it is physical, biogenic, informational and many others. But one of the most dangerous and destructive species is chemical pollution. Such a definition refers to any occurrence of chemicals in areas not intended for them. It is now obvious that the results of a person’s direct influence on his environment throughout his history are negative. And on the first lines in this list should be chemical pollution of nature.
Sources of environmental pollution
The consequences of anthropogenic influence affect not only the state of the natural environment, but also on ourselves. Often, chemicals enter the body and accumulate in it, causing serious poisoning, exacerbate and exacerbate existing chronic diseases. It was also proved that prolonged chemical exposure (even in low concentrations) has a dangerous mutagenic and carcinogenic effect on living things.
Heavy metals can exert an intense toxic effect: a particular danger is that they are practically not eliminated from the body. Such substances can accumulate in plant tissues, which animals then feed on. Well, at the top of this chain, a person may well be. The latter, therefore, runs the risk of undergoing the maximum negative consequences of the effect of toxins on the body.
Another dangerous substance that causes environmental pollution is dioxins, which are produced in large quantities during the production of pulp and metallurgical products. To this should be added the exhaust gases of machines operating on internal combustion engines. Dioxins are dangerous for both humans and animals. Even in small quantities, they can cause damage to the immune system, kidneys and liver.
Currently, new synthetic compounds and substances do not cease to appear. And to predict the destructive consequences of their impact on nature is almost impossible. Also, one cannot fail to mention human agricultural activity: in many countries it reaches such enormous volumes that it provokes pollution of nature faster than all heavy industry enterprises combined.
How to protect the environment from negative impact?
The main measures to combat these processes include the following: strict control over the generation of waste and its subsequent disposal, improving technologies to bring them closer to a waste-free model, increasing the overall cost-effectiveness of production and its reliability. A huge role here is played by preventive measures, since in this case it is much easier to prevent the occurrence of a problem than to deal with its consequences.
Conclusion
Obviously, the days are far away when our influence on nature will at least cease to be constantly aggravated, not to mention a significant reduction in the harm done. This problem should be solved at the highest level, by the efforts of all the inhabitants of the Earth, and not of individual countries. Moreover, the first steps have already been taken several decades ago. So, in the seventies, scientists first released information on the destruction of the ozone layer. It turned out that aerosol cans and air conditioners are a source of the release of atomic chlorine into the environment. The latter, entering the atmosphere, reacts with ozone and destroys it. This information has prompted many countries to agree on a mutual reduction in hazardous production.
