AIR POLLUTION ANAS SAFWAN BIN JAMIL

CONTENTS
KEY POINTS

PAGE

Definition of air pollution

2-3

Examples of air pollutants

4-5

Sources of air pollutants

6-7

The effects of air pollution

8 - 13

The steps to prevent and control air

pollution

14 - 16

The ways to maintain clean air

17 - 22

Practice to maintain clean air

23 - 27

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Definition of
Air Pollution

Air Pollution Definition :

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1. The addition of harmful chemicals to the atmosphere. The

most serious air pollution results from theburning of fossil
fuels, expecially in internal-combustion engines.
2. Air pollution is the introduction of particulates, biological
molecules, or other harmful materials into the Earth's
atmosphere, possibly causing disease, death to humans,
damage to other living organisms such as food crops, or
the natural or built environment.
3. Air pollution is unwanted and harmful substances that are
released to the air by factories, motor verhicles, forest
fires, the development of housing estates and the
extensive use of clorofluorocarbon.

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EXAMPLES OF AIR
POLLUTANTS

1.The unwanted and harmful substances are called the

pollutants.
2.Examples of air pollution include smoke, toxic acid, dust,
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and pesticides.
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3.Man must control his activities so that they do not

pollute the air because clean air is essential for a healthy
life.

Factorys smoke

Forest burning

Cars smoke

Smoking

SOURCES OF AIR
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POLLUTANTS

AIR POLLUTION ANAS SAFWAN BIN JAMIL

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THE EFFECTS OF
AIR POLLUTION

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1. Air pollution causes harmful effects on living things,

including man and on the environment.
2. Some of these harmful effects are explained below.
3. Health problems
a) Harmful gases, dust and soot in the air cause several
health problems such as :
i)
headaches
ii) skin diseases
iii) asthma
iv) bronchitis
v) lung and throat cancer
vi) damages the respiratory system
b) Radioactive waste thrown into the environment
causes :
i)
giddiness and vomiting
ii) infertility
iii) cancer
iv) defects to unborn babies

c) Haze caused by dust and smoke :

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i)
reduces visibility
ii) increases the risk of road accidents
4. Depletion of food resources
a) Dust and soot on the leaves of plants reduce the rate
of photosynthesis, causing less food and to be
produced by plants.
b) Acid rain causes plants to die because they become
unable to absorb water.
c) Acid rain causes aquatic animals such as fish and
prawns to be killed.
5. Destruction of habitats
a) Acidic gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen
oxide which dissolve in water to form acid rain have
destroyed large areas of forests and made ponds and
rivers unsuitable for plants and animals.
b) As a result, the natural habitats are destroyed.

6. Extinction of species
a) Destruction of natural habitats has caused many
plants and animals to die and several species become
extinct.
b) Plants and animals in danger of going extinct include
Rafflesia, orang utan, tapir, hornbill and leatherback
turtle.
7. Destruction of property
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a) Acid rain is corroding buildings and important historic

monuments.
b) Smoke and soot caused many buildings to turn black.
8. Global warming
a) The Earths atmosphere now contains excess carbon
dioxide. This is due to fewer forests to absorb the gas
and industries releasing a lot of carbon dioxide.
b) This layer of carbon dioxide traps heat radiated from
the ground and prevents it from escaping into outer
space. As a result the Earths temperature is rising.
The phenomenon is called the greenhouse effect or
global warming.

c) Global warming causes :

i)
Ice bergs in the poles to melt quickly.
ii) Level of sea water to rise.
iii) Floods in low-lying areas such as some coastal
regions.
iv) Tropical diseases to spread to temperate regions.
9. Thinning of the ozone layer
a) The ozone layer in the atmosphere of the Earth
protects us from the harmful rays of the Sun.
b) Harmful ultraviolet rays from the Sun can cause :
i)
Cataract
The eye lens becomes opaque and the patient
cannot see. He has to replace the lens with a
synthetic one.
ii) Skin cancer
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Constant exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays can

cause skin cancer. A general skin cancer, known
as melanoma, cannot be cured.

iii)

Lowering of the bodys defense system

Harmful ultraviolet rays make the body less able
to resist diseases such as tuberculosis and
diphtheria.
iv) Reducing the yield from plants
Plant crops such as paddy give lower yields when
exposed to harmful ultraviolet rays.
c) Air pollutants mainly chlorofluorocarbon (CFC),
have made the ozone layer very thin and allowing a lot
of harmful ultraviolet rays to reach the Earth.

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THE STEPS TO
PREVENT AND
CONTROL AIR
POLLUTION

1. The steps to prevent and control air pollution consists of

two strategies, namely
a) Enforcement of anti-pollution laws
b) Managing pollutants
2. Enforcement of the Clean Air Act 1979 would ensure that
industrial activities are not carried out in a housing area,
open burning is not carried out and chimneys of factories
are built to a certain height.
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3. Managing pollutants includes removing sulphur from

fuels, using catalytic converters to make poisonous
fumes from car engines harmless and fixing electronic
devices on chimneys to trap dust, smoke and soot.
4. Air pollution must be controlled so that its harmful
effects can be reduced. Some ways for controlling air
pollution are explained below.
a) Rubbish
Do not allow open burning in residential areas.
b) Motor vehicles
Ensure that the engines of motor vehicles do not give out
excessive exhaust gases and black smoke.

c) Factories
Treat waste gases in air cleaning systems before
releasing them into the air.
d) Agriculture
Advise farmers to reduce the use of pesticides.
e) Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
Reduce the use of chlorofluorocarbon and other gases
which destroy the Earths ozone layer.
f) Nuclear substances
Store and throw radioactive waste in the recommended
ways.
g) Reforestation
Replant forests for absorbing carbon dioxide. This
reduces global warming.
h) Educating the public

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Educate members of the public to be aware of the

dangers of air pollution and how to control them.

THE WAYS TO
MAINTAIN CLEAN AIR

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1. Clean air is vital to human health and all the parts of

our ecosystem. Most air pollutants come from
manufacturing industries, vehicles and burning oil, gas or
coal. But many come from smaller-scale, everyday
activities. Just a few small changes in routine habits
can make a significant difference in the quality of the
air you and your family breathe.
2. Examples of the ways to maintain clean air :
a) Rubbish
Burning should only be done in approved sites or in
incinerators built for the purpose.
Recycle paper, cans and bottles to reduce waste and
rubbish.
b) Motor vehicles
Encourage the use of liquid petroleum gas as fuel in
motor vehicles.
Use unleaded petrol in motor vehicles.

c) Factories
Use wind energy, solar energy and hydroelectric
power as alternatives to fuels such as coal and
petroleum.
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Fix electrostatic precipitators on the chimneys to

attract particles in the waste gases to prevent from
escaping into the air.
d) Agriculture
Encourage farmers to use biological control ways to kill
pest. For example, owls can be reared in oil palm
plantations to catch rats.
e) Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
Use ozone friendly gases such as
hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC).
f) Nuclear substances
Ban nuclear tests through an international agreement.
g) Educating the public
This can be done through campaigns in schools and talks
over radio and television.

Clean Air at Home

Give up your burn barrel, it is now illegal to burn household

trash and leaves
Municipal waste incinerators operate at 1,800 degrees F and use filters to
reduce harmful emissions, but backyard burn barrels rarely exceed 500
degrees F, releasing up to 40 times the toxins and pollutants as
permitted facilities. Especially bad are plastics, foils, batteries and
chlorine-bleached paper. The pollutants found in burn barrel smoke can
be harmful to people, animals and the environment.

Choose pump sprays over aerosol sprays

Aerosols waste much of the product, spewing it into the air (and your
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lungs) instead of where you want it. Also buy non-aerosol products such
as deodorant rolls-on, cooking oil instead of cooking spray, shaving soap
instead of shaving cream, setting lotion or gel instead of hair spray.

Refuel garden equipment carefully

Spilled gasoline + sunlight and summer heat = pollution that irritates the
lungs and causes smog. To avoid spills when refueling garden equipment,
use a spout or funnel. Don't overfill. Tightly close the cap and store in a
cool place, out of direct sunlight.

Use latex paints

Oil-based paints contain solvents that evaporate easily and give off
fumes. Water-based latex paint has better color retention and releases
less pollution into the air.

Check for fever with a digital thermometer

If an old-fashioned thermometer breaks, mercury can evaporate to form a
harmful vapor. Never throw products containing mercury in the trash.
Contact local authorities for disposal programs.

Clean Air on the Road

Gas up after dusk

Refueling any motorized vehicle or appliance allows the escape of vapors
that, on summer days, can lead to ozone formation. Simply waiting until
dusk to refuel can reduce this phenomenon. Ozone damages crops,
forests, structures, and human health.
Don't overfill your tank
Topping off your gas tank after the pump automatically turns off can
harm your vehicle's emissions system. Gas station pumps are designed
to turn off at a fuel level that leaves room in the tank for the emissions
system to operate correctly. If you smell gas while refueling, that means
highly toxic substances are in the air.

Drive smart
Decreasing emissions from vehicles is key to keeping our air clean. Drive
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less by carpooling, combining trips, driving the speed limit and keep your
vehicle in good running order. See the "Gas Saving Tips" page for more
ideas.

Clean Air at Play

Be air quality aware

Being active outside can be dangerous-especially for kids and seniors-if
the ozone level is high. Ozone can cause a variety of respiratory problems
including coughing, shortness of breath, decreased lung function and
increased susceptibility to respiratory infection.

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PRACTICE TO
MAINTAIN CLEAN
AIR

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1. There are many ways of practicing that keep the air

clean.
2. Examples of the ways of practicing that keep the air
clean :
a) Planting flowers
b) Do not burn trash in the open
c) Reduce contaminants such as
Chlorofluorocarbon
d) Sorting waste properly, such as dividing the
paper, glass and plastic
3. Smoking is one of the habits that should be
discouraged, especially among the underaged. It
is better not to experiment with smoking because
once you start smoking, you can easily be
addicted. Cigarette smoke contains harmful
substances such as tar, carbon monoxide, and
nicotine. These substances are harmful to our
health.

4.

Smoking is the cause for many deaths through

diseases such as :
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a) bronchitis
b) lung cancer
c) heart disease
d) emphysema
5. Emphysema is a condition in which the air-sacs in
the lungs are damaged by cigarette smoke and
cannot function properly . As a result, the patient is
short of breath. It cannot be cured.
6. Cigarette smoke contains over a thousand poisonous
chemicals. Some of them may cause lung cancer.
7. Nicotine in cigarette smoke :
a) Damages brain tissues
b) Hardens blood vessels (makes blood difficult
to flow).
8. Tar in cigarette smoke :
a) Consists of tiny black
b) Forms in the lungs as a sticky liquid (blackens
the lungs).
9. Carbon monoxide given out during smoking :
a) Is a poisonous gas
b) Combines with haemoglobin in the blood,
causing the body to be lack in oxygen.
10.
Pregnant women who smoke heavily have the
risk of having smaller babies, premature birth or
still-birth.

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