1

1. Write detailed notes on the sources, effects and control of water

pollution (AU June 2005, May 2007, Dec 2008, Nov 2011, Dec 2012)
Water pollution can be defined as alteration in physical, chemical or biological
characteristics of water making it unsuitable for designated use in its natural
state.
Sources of Water Pollution:
Water pollutants originate from both natural and human activities. The
sources of water pollution are classified as Point and non-point sources.
Point sources are specific sites near water which directly discharge effluents
into them. Major point sources of water pollution are industries, power plants,
underground coal mines, offshore oil wells etc.
Point sources of pollution are discrete and identifiable and hence easy to
monitor and regulate
Non-point Sources of pollution are those which cannot be readily identifiable
and are scattered over a wide area.
Example: run-off of chemicals from farm lands, urban streets, parking lots and
lawns
Surface water pollution: The major sources of surface water pollution are:
1. Infectious agents: Emptying of untreated human or animal wastes into
water resources pollute it with infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, fungi,
etc. which cause diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and hepatitis.
2. Oxygen demanding wastes: Organic matter which reaches water bodies is
decomposed by micro-organisms present in water. For this degradation, oxygen
dissolved in water is consumed. Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the amount of oxygen
dissolved in a given quantity of water at a particular temperature and
atmospheric pressure. Amount of dissolved oxygen depends on aeration,
photosynthetic activity in water, respiration of animals and plants and ambient
temperature.
2

Sources of Oxygen demanding wastes are sewage, animal feed lots, and wastes
from paper mills and food processing industries.
The saturation value of DO varies from 815 mg/L. For active fish species
(trout and Salmon) 58 mg/L of DO is required.
Lower DO may be harmful to animals especially fish population.
3. Plant nutrients: Common plant nutrient present in water are soluble
compounds like nitrates phosphates and ammonium ions.
The main sources of these nutrients are sewage, manure and runoff from
agricultural lands and fertilizer manufacturing industry.
Addition of compounds containing nitrogen and phosphorus helps in the
growth of algae and other plants which when die and decay consume oxygen of
water. Under anaerobic conditions foul smelling gases are produced. Excess
growth or decomposition of plant material will change the concentration of CO2
which will further change pH of water. Changes in pH, oxygen and temperature
will change many physico-chemical characteristics of water.
4. Toxic compounds: Pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, cyanides
and many other organic and inorganic compounds are harmful to aquatic
organisms.
Sources of these toxic compounds are Industrial effluents, runoff from
agricultural land and household cleaners.
Many of the organic pesticides are found to be carcinogenic, further the
presence of heavy metals in water severely affect the vital organs like kidney,
liver, brain and nervous system.
Sediment: Presence of soil and silt in water due to land erosion.
The presence of sediments in water reduces photosynthesis of aquatic plants
and also disturbs the food web.
They settle out and destroy feeding and spawning grounds of fish.
They clog and fill lakes, reservoirs, streams and channels
3

Radioactive Materials: Some important radioactive materials present in water
are radioactive iodine, Uranium, Cesium and Thorium.
The main sources of radioactive materials in water are nuclear power plants,
mining and processing of uranium and other ores.
Radioactive pollutants in water cause genetic mutation, birth defects and
certain cancers.
Thermal pollution: Excessive heat of water bodies due to the discharge of hot
industrial effluents is called thermal pollution.
Nuclear and thermal power stations and some industries which use water as
coolants are main source of thermal pollution of water.
Increase of temperature of water reduces its dissolved oxygen level.
Sudden increase of temperature causes thermal shock to aquatic animals.
Control of Water Pollution
It is easy to reduce water pollution from point sources by legislation. However,
due to absence of defined strategies it becomes difficult to prevent water
pollution from non-point sources.
The following points may help in reducing water pollution from non-point
sources.
(i) Judicious use of agrochemicals like pesticides and fertilizers which will
reduce their surface run-off and leaching. Use of these on sloped lands
should be avoided.
(ii) Use of nitrogen fixing plants to supplement the use of fertilizers.
(iii) Adopting integrated pest management to reduce greater reliance on
pesticides.
(iv) Prevent run-off of manure. Divert such run-off to basin for
settlement. The nutrient rich water can be used as fertilizer in the fields.
(v) Separate drainage of sewage and rain water should be provided to
prevent overflow of sewage with rain water.
4

(vi) Planting trees would reduce pollution by sediments and will also
prevent soil erosion.
For controlling water pollution from point sources, treatment of waste waters is
essential before being discharged.
Parameters which are considered for reduction in such water are: Total solids,
biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrates and
phosphates, oil and grease, toxic metals etc.
Waste waters should be properly treated by primary and
secondary treatments to reduce the BOD, COD levels upto the permissible
levels for discharge.

2. Write notes on Water quality parameter
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the amount of oxygen dissolved in given quantity of
water at a particular temperature.
The demand of DO increases with addition of biodegradable organic matter
which is expressed as biological oxygen demand.
Biological oxygen demand (BOD) is defined as the amount of DO required to
aerobically decompose biodegradable organic matter of a given volume of water
over a period of 5 days at 20C. Higher BOD values of any water sample are
associated with poor water quality.
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is defined as the amount of oxygen required
by a strong oxidizing agent to oxidize all oxidizable pollutants in water.
COD is an important water quality parameter. It gives information about
amount of oxidisable organic compounds present in water.
Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification Substances like DDT are not water
soluble and have affinity for body lipids. These substances tend to accumulate
in the organisms body from the medium food. This process is called
bioaccumulation. The concentration of these toxic substances builds up at
successive levels of food chain. This process is called biomagnification.
5

Following is the example of biomagnification of DDT in aquatic food chain:

3. Discuss the sources, effects and control of air pollution in detail (Jan
2006, Dec 2006, June 2007, May 2008, Dec 2008)
It is an atmospheric condition in which certain substances (including the
normal constituents in excess) are present in such concentrations which can
cause undesirable effects on man and his environment.
Classification of Air Pollutants
Air pollutants may occur in gaseous or particulate form and may be organic or
inorganic in nature. On the basis of origin of pollutants they can be classified
as primary or secondary pollutants.
Primary pollutants: These are emitted directly from the point source
(identifiable source) e.g. carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), oxides
of sulphur (SOx), hydrocarbons, radioactive substances etc.
Secondary pollutants: These are formed by interaction of primary pollutant(s)
with other primary pollutant(s) or with some natural constituents of the
atmosphere, e.g. ozone (O3), peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), photochemical smog
etc.
(A) Causes/Sources of Air Pollutants: The sources of air pollution are natural
and man-made (anthropogenic).
Natural Sources: The natural sources of air pollution are volcanic eruptions,
forest fires, sea salt sprays, biological decay, extra terrestrial bodies, pollen
grains of flowers, spores etc. Radioactive minerals present in the earth crust
are the sources of radioactivity in the atmosphere.
Man-made sources:
Man-made sources include thermal power plants, industrial units, vehicular
emissions, fossil fuel burning, agricultural activities etc.
6

Thermal power plants have become the major sources for generating electricity
in India. The main pollutants emitted are fly ash and SO2. Metallurgical plants
also consume coal and produce similar pollutants.
Automobile exhaust is another major source of air pollution. Automobiles
release gases such as carbon monoxide (about 77%), oxides of nitrogen (about
8%) and hydrocarbons (about 14%). Heavy duty diesel vehicles spew more NOx
and suspended particulate matter (SPM) than petrol vehicles which produce
more carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.
Fertilizer plants, smelters, textile mills, tanneries, refineries, chemical
industries, paper and pulp mills are other sources of air pollution.
Many houses in the under-developed and developing countries including India
use fuels like coal, dung-cakes, wood and kerosene in their kitchens. Complete
combustion of fuel produces carbon dioxide which may not be toxic. However,
incomplete combustion produces the toxic gas carbon monoxide. Coal contains
varying amounts of sulphur which on burning produces sulphur dioxide.
Fossil fuel burning produces black soot. These pollutants i.e. CO, SO2, soot
and many others like formaldehyde, benzo-(a) pyrene (BAP) are toxic and
harmful for health. BAP is also found in cigarette smoke and is considered to
cause cancer. A housewife using wood as fuel for cooking inhales BAP
equivalent to 20 packets of cigarette a day.
Effects of air pollution
Effects of Air Pollution: Air pollution has adverse effects on living organisms
and materials.
Effects on human health.
Exposure to air pollutants (including cigarette smoke) adversely affects these
natural defences and can result in lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis and
emphysema.
Carbon monoxide (CO) reaches lungs and combines with haemoglobin of blood
to form carboxyhaemoglobin. CO has affinity for haemoglobin 210 times more
than oxygen. Haemoglobin is, therefore, unable to transport oxygen to various
7

parts of the body. This causes suffocation. Long exposure to CO may cause
dizziness, unconsciousness and even death.
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) causes constriction of respiratory passage and can
cause bronchitis like conditions. In the presence of suspended particulates,
SO2 can form acid sulphate particles, which can go deep into the lungs and
affect them severely.
Oxides of nitrogen especially NO2 can irritate the lungs and cause conditions
like chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Hydrocarbons like benzene (from unleaded petrol), formaldehyde and
particulates like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), toxic metals and dioxins
(from burning of polythene) can cause mutations, reproductive problems or
even cancer.
Suspended particulates can cause damage to lung tissues and diseases like
asthma, bronchitis and cancer.
Many other hazardous materials like asbestos, beryllium, mercury, arsenic and
radioactive substances cause lung diseases and/or affect other vital organs like
kidney, liver, spleen, brain and some may also cause cancer.
Effects on plants: Air pollutants affect plants by entering through stomata
(leaf pores through which gases diffuse), destroy chlorophyll and affect
photosynthesis.
Particulates deposited on leaves can form encrustations and plug the stomata
and also reduce the availability of sunlight.
SO2 causes bleaching of leaves, chlorosis, injury and necrosis of leaves.
NO2 results in increased abscission and suppressed growth.
O3 causes flecks on leaf surface, premature aging, necrosis and bleaching.
Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) causes silvering of lower surface of leaf, damage to
young and more sensitive leaves and suppressed growth.
Fluorides cause necrosis of leaf-tip while ethylene results in epinasty, leaf
abscission and dropping of flowers.
8

Remedial Measures for Air Pollution: Air pollution can be minimized by the
following methods:
Siting of industries after proper environmental impact assessment
studies.
Using low sulphur coal in industries.
Removing sulphur from coal (by washing or with the help of bacteria).
Removing NOx during the combustion process and controlling the flow of
air and fuel in industrial boilers.
Vehicular pollution can be checked by regular tune-up of engines;
replacement of more polluting old vehicles; installing catalytic converters;
by engine modification to have fuel efficient (lean) mixtures to reduce CO
and hydrocarbon emissions; and slow and cooler burning of fuels to
reduce NOx emission.
Using mass transport system, bicycles etc.
Shifting to less polluting (clean) fuels (hydrogen gas).
Using non-conventional sources of energy.
Using biological filters and bio-scrubbers.
Planting more trees.
Reduction of pollution at source by installing air pollution control devices
like cyclones, baghouse filters, wet scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators
etc.
4. What are the Threats to biodiversity? Explain (June 2005, Jan 2006,
June 2013)
Some of the major causes and issues related to threats to biodiversity are (i)
Loss of Habitat, (ii) Poaching and (iii) Man-Wildlife Conflicts
Loss of Habitat
The loss of biodiversity due to the destruction of natural habitat of the wild
animals for the developmental activities by the human beings is called Habitat
9

loss. Destruction and loss of natural habitat is the single largest cause of
biodiversity loss. Billions of hectares of forests and grasslands have been
cleared over the past 10,000 years for conversion into agriculture lands,
pastures, settlement areas or development projects. The wetlands are destroyed
due to draining, filling and pollution thereby causing huge biodiversity loss.
It has been reported that tropical forests in our country is destructed at a rate
of about 0.6% per year. With the current rate of loss of forest habitat, it is
estimated that 20-25% of the global flora would be lost within a few years.
Marine biodiversity is also under serious threat due to large scale destruction
of the fragile breeding and feeding grounds of our oceanic fish and other
species, as a result of human intervention.
Poaching
Illegal trade of wildlife products by killing prohibited endangered animals i.e.
poaching is another threat to wildlife. Despite international ban on trade in
products from endangered species, smuggling of wildlife items like furs, hides,
horns, tusks, live specimens and herbal products worth millions of dollars per
year continues. The trading of such wild life products is highly profit making
for the poachers who just hunt these prohibited wild lives and smuggle it to
other countries mediated through a mafia.
Man-Wildlife Conflicts
Sometimes we come across conflicting situations when wildlife starts causing
immense damage and danger to man and under such conditions it becomes
very difficult for the forest department to pacify the affected villagers and gain
local support for wild-life conservation.
Causes of Man-animal conflicts: The root causes of these conflicts are
discussed below:
(i) Habitat loss compels wild animals to move outside the forest and
attack the field or sometimes even humans.
10

(ii) Human encroachment into the forest areas raises a conflict between
man and the wildlife, perhaps because it is an issue of survival of
both.
(iii) Usually the ill, weak and injured animals have a tendency to attack
man. Also, the female tigress attacks the human if she feels that her
newborn cubs are in danger.
(iv) Earlier, forest departments used to cultivate paddy, sugarcane etc.
within the sanctuaries when the favourite staple food of elephants i.e.
bamboo leaves were not available. Now due to lack of such practices
the animals move out of the forest in search of food.
(v) Very often the villagers put electric wiring around their ripe crop
fields. The elephants get injured, suffer in pain and turn violent.
(vi) The cash compensation paid by the government in lieu of the damage
caused to the farmers crop is not enough. The agonized farmer
therefore gets revengeful and kills the wild animals
Remedial Measures to Curb the Conflict
a. Adequate crop compensation and cattle compensation scheme must be
started, along with substantial cash compensation for loss of human life.
b. Solar powered fencing should be provided along with electric current
proof trenches to prevent the animals from straying into fields.
c. Cropping pattern should be changed near the forest borders and
adequate fodder, fruit and water should be made available for the
elephants within forest zones.
d. Wild life corridors should be provided for mass migration of big animals
during unfavorable periods.
e. Tiger Conservation Project (TCP) has made provisions for making
available vehicles, tranquillizer guns, binoculars and radio sets etc. to
tactfully deal with any imminent danger.
5. Write notes on Conservation of Biodiversity (Dec 2008, 2009, Nov 2012)
There are two approaches of biodiversity conservation:
11

(a) In situ conservation (within habitat): This is achieved by pro-tection of
wild flora and fauna in nature itself. e.g. Biosphere Reserves, National Parks,
Sanctuaries, Reserve Forests etc.
(b) Ex situ conservation (outside habitats) This is done by establishment of
gene banks, seed banks, zoos, botanical gardens, culture
collections etc.
In Situ Conservation
At present we have 7 major Biosphere reserves, 80 National Parks, 420 wild-life
sanctuaries and 120 Botanical gardens in our country covering 4% of the
geographic area.
The concept of biosphere reserves has been evolved by UNESCO's Man and
Biosphere Programme (MABP). A biosphere reserve preserves a) wild population
b) life style of tribals c) genetic resources of domesticated plants and animals.
It helps in 1) conservation 2) promotes economic development 3) Scientific
research, monitoring and education.
A biosphere reserve is a specified area in which multiple use of the land is
permitted by dividing it into zones, each for a particular activity.
Core zone : No human activity is allowed in this zone. Comprises of legally
protected ecosystem.
Buffer zone : Limited human activity is permitted in the buffer zone.
Manipulation zone or Transition zone: Human activities such as settlements,
cropping, forestry, recreation etc can occur in the manipulation
zone.
The Indian government has established 18 Biosphere Reserves in India
A National Park is an area dedicated for the conservation of wildlife
along with its environment. It is also meant for enjoyment through
tourism but without impairing the environment. Grazing of domestic animals,
all private rights and forestry activities are prohibited within a National Park.
12

Each National Park usually aims at conservation specifically of some
particular species of wildlife along with others.
Wildlife sanctuaries are also protected areas where killing, hunting, shooting
or capturing of wildlife is prohibited except under the control of highest
authority. However, private ownership rights are permissible and forestry
operations are also permitted to an extent that they do not affect the wildlife
adversely.
Ex situ Conservation: This type of conservation is mainly done for
conservation of crop varieties, the wild relatives of crops and all the local
varieties with the main objective of conserving the total genetic variability of the
crop species for future crop improvement or afforestation programmes.
In India, we have the following important gene bank/seed bank facilities:
(i) National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) is located in New
Delhi. Here agricultural and horticultural crops and their wild relatives are
preserved by cryo-preservation of seeds, pollen etc. by using liquid nitrogen at
a temperature as low as -196C. Varieties of rice, pearl millet, Brassica, turnip,
radish, tomato, onion, carrot, chilli, tobacco, poppy etc. have been preserved
successfully in liquid nitrogen for several years without losing seed viability.
(ii) National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR) located at Karnal,
Haryana. It preserves the semen of domesticated bovine animals.
(iii) National Facility for Plant Tissue Culture Repository (NFPTCR) for the
development of a facility of conservation of varieties of crop plants/trees by
tissue culture. This facility has been created within the NBPGR.
6. Discuss the disposal of radioactive wastes in detail. (Dec 2005)
Various disposal methods are adopted for the safe disposal of the ratioactive
wastes. They are mostly depend on the nature of the radioactive waste.
High Level Waste (HLW)
This is radioactive waste produced by the chemical reprocessing of nuclear
fuel. It contains mainly fission products and other heavy nuclei that are
13

generated in the reactor core. Besides being radioactive it is thermally hot.
Disposal methods for high level waste include solidifying the waste in a glass
matrix and sealing it in a corrosion resistant steel lined drum. The drums are
stored in specially engineered cooling pools or storage vaults.
Intermediate Level Waste (ILW)
This is radioactive waste with a radioactive content that requires shielding
but requires no cooling as it is not thermally hot. Intermediate level waste
includes the old components from a nuclear reactor, chemical residues and
other support structures form a nuclear reactor core. Intermediate level wastes
are mixed with cement and solidified in stainless steel drums which are stored
in special facilities above ground or in shaft or trenches underground.
Low Level Waste (LLW)
This is radioactive waste with a low level of radioactivity requiring no
shielding. Examples of low level waste include discarded protective clothing,
packaging material and medical equipment such as syringes and needles.
Other than nuclear power stations this waste is generated from hospitals and
other industries. This type of waste is short lived and is stored on sites with
special licences until it has decayed and is then disposed off as ordinary waste.
7. Write detail note on the management of solid waste ( Dec 2005, 2006)
Generation of solid wastes can be reduced to a significant extent by following
three R policies- Reduce, reuse and recycle before destruction and safe
storage of wastes.
a. Reduction in use of raw materials: Reduction in the use of raw materials
will correspondingly decrease the production of waste. Reduced demand
for any metallic product will decrease the mining of their metal and
cause less production of waste.
b. Reuse of waste materials: The refillable containers which are discarded
after use can be reused. Villagers make casseroles and silos from waste
paper and other waste materials. Making rubber rings from the
discarded cycle tubes which are used by the newspaper vendors, instead
14

of rubber bands, reduces the waste generation during manufacturing of
rubber bands.
c. Recycling of materials: Recycling is the reprocessing of discarded
materials into new useful products. Formation of some old type products
e.g. old aluminium cans and glass bottles are melted and recast into new
cans and bottles. Recycling of paper will reduce cutting of trees for
making fresh paper. Reuse of metals will reduce mining and melting of
ores for recovery of metals from ores and prevent pollution.
For discarding wastes the following methods can be adopted:
Sanitary landfill
In a sanitary landfill, garbage is spread out in thin layers, compacted and
covered with clay or plastic foam.
In the modern landfills the bottom is covered with an impermeable liner,
usually several layers of clay, thick plastic and sand. The liner protects the
ground water from being contaminated due to percolation of leachate.
Leachate from bottom is pumped and sent for treatment.
When landfill is full it is covered with clay, sand, gravel and top soil to prevent
seepage of water.
Several wells are drilled near the landfill site to monitor if any leakage is
contaminating ground water.
Methane produced by anaerobic decomposition is collected and burnt to
produce electricity or heat.
Composting
Due to shortage of space for landfill in bigger cities, the biodegradable yard
waste (kept separate from the municipal waste) is allowed to degrade or
decompose in an oxygen rich medium. A good quality nutrient rich and
environmental friendly manure is formed which improves the soil conditions
and fertility.

15

Incineration
Incinerators are burning plants capable of burning a large amount of materials
at high temperature. The initial cost is very high. During incineration high
levels of dioxins, furans, lead and cadmium may be emitted with the fly ash of
incinerator. Dioxin level may reach many times more than in the ambient
environment. For incineration of materials, it is better to remove batteries
containing heavy metals and plastic containing chlorine before burning the
material. Prior removal of plastics will reduce emissions of dioxins and
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
8. What is thermal pollution? And what are its sources and effects?
Thermal pollution can be defined as presence of waste heat in the water which
can cause undesirable changes in the natural environment.
Causes of thermal pollution:
Heat producing industries i.e., thermal power plants, nuclear power plants,
refineries, steel mills etc. are the major sources of thermal pollution.
Power plants utilize only 1/3 of the energy provided by fossil fuels for
their operations. Remaining 2/3 is generally lost in the form of heat to the
water used for cooling.
Cold water, generally, is drawn from some nearby water-body, passed
through the plant and returned to the same water body, with temperature 10-
16C higher than the initial temperature. Excess of heat reaching such water
bodies causes thermal pollution of water.
Effects of Thermal Pollution
a. The dissolved oxygen content of water is decreased as the solubility of
oxygen in water is decreased at high temperature.
b. High temperature becomes a barrier for oxygen penetration into deep
cold waters.
c. Toxicity of pesticides, detergents and chemicals in the effluents increases
with increase in temperature.
16

d. The composition of flora and fauna changes because the species sensitive
to increased temperature due to thermal shock will be replaced by
temperature tolerant species.
e. Metabolic activities of aquatic organisms increase at high temperature
and require more oxygen, whereas oxygen level falls under thermal
pollution.
f. Discharge of heated water near the shores can disturb spawning and can
even kill young fishes.
g. Fish migration is affected due to formation of various thermal zones.
9. Discuss the major sources of soil pollution and their impact
Sources of soil pollution
Dumping of various types of materials especially domestic and industrial
wastes causes soil pollution. Leachates from dumping sites and sewage
tanks are harmful and toxic, which pollute the soil.
Thermal power plants generate a large quantity of Fly ash. Huge quantities
of these wastes are dumped on soils, thus contaminating them.
Pesticides are used to kill pests that damage crops. These pesticides
ultimately reach the soil and persist there for a long time. Pesticides which
are persistent in nature are chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides.
Radioactive fallout on vegetation is the source of radio-isotopes which
enter the food chain in the grazing animals.
Effects of Soil Pollution
i. Sewage and industrial effluents which pollute the soil ultimately affect
human health.
ii. Sewage sludge has many types of pathogenic bacteria, viruses and
intestinal worms which may cause various types of diseases.
iii. Various types of chemicals like acids, alkalis, pesticides, insecticides,
weedicides, fungicides, heavy metals etc. in the industrial discharges
affect soil fertility by causing changes in physical, chemical and
biological properties.
17

iv. Some of the persistent toxic chemicals inhibit the non-target organisms,
soil flora and fauna and reduce soil productivity.
v. These chemicals accumulate in food chain and ultimately affect human
health.
vi. Chemicals or their degradation products from soil may percolate and
contaminate ground-water resources.
vii. Decomposing organic matter in soil also produces toxic vapours.
viii. Radio isotopes replace essential elements in the body and cause
abnormalities e.g. strontium-90 instead of calcium gets deposited in the
bones and tissues. The bones become brittle and prone to fracture.
ix. Nitrogen and phosphorus from the fertilizers in soil reach nearby water
bodies with agricultural run-off and cause eutrophication.
Other important questions
Photochemical Smog
Photochemical smog is a mixture of pollutants that are formed when nitrogen
oxides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react to sunlight, creating a
brown haze above cities.

Hazardous waste
Hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our
health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, gases, or
sludges. They can be discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or
pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes.

Noise pollution
The noise pollution is defined as the unwanted sound which is released into
the environment. It disturbs the human being and cause an adverse effect on
the mental and psychological well being. It is measured in the units of decibels
and is denoted by the dB.