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Pollution (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography)

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Bridgette Barrett

Written by: Bridgette Barrett

Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn

Pollution

  • Pollution is the introduction of harmful contamination into the environment

  • As development has occurred around the globe levels of pollution have increased 

  • There are five main types of pollution;

    • Air

    • Water

    • Land

    • Visual 

    • Noise

Type of Pollution

Sources

Impact

Air - combination of indoor and outdoor particulates

  • Motor vehicles powered by petrol/diesel

  • Factories

  • Power stations burning fossil fuels

  • Forest fires

  • Open fires and wood burning stoves

  • Contributes to 12% of annual deaths worldwide

    • Highest in middle and low income countries

  • Indoor pollution in LEDCs due to the use of fuelwood for cooking and heating increases health impacts

  • Increased release of greenhouse gases contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect

Water - when harmful substances contaminate streams, rivers, aquifers, oceans

  • Fuel spillages

  • Agricultural waste/pesticides/fertilisers

  • Leaching of toxic materials from waste

  • Sewage disposal into rivers and seas

  • Boat oil/diesel waste

  • Deforestation leading to soil erosion and soil being washed into waterways

  • Plastic waste - becoming micro plastics

  • Radioactive waste

  • Reduces the amount of available clean drinking water

  • Reduces crop yields and may kill crops

  • Damages ecosystems and habitats

  • Death of wildlife 

  • Abnormalities in fish and other sea/water wildlife

  • Accumulation of toxins in the food chain

  • Spread of diseases such as cholera and typhiod

Land - the presence of contaminants in the soil at high enough concentrations to pose a risk to humans and the environment

  • Solid waste - from domestic and industrial sources

  • Agricultural waste/pesticides/fertilisers

  • Mining waste - toxic heavy metals such as mercury 

  • Demolition and construction waste

  • Reduced crop yields 

  • Leaching of toxins into water system

  • Pollutants entering the food chain through plants

  • Ecosystem and habitat destruction

  • Economic losses 

Visual - the impacts of human made constructions or pollution that affect the visual landscape

  • Buildings

  • Energy production - power stations, wind turbines

  • Signs and advertising (billboards with lights)

  • Power lines and structures (pylons, mobile phone masts)

  • Waste

  • Lower quality of life

  • May cause stress and anxiety

  • Impact on the economy 

  • Distraction - may lead to accidents

Noise - harmful or annoying levels of noise in an environment

  • Transport - roads and airports

  • Construction

  • Industry

  • Night activities - night clubs, bars

  • Energy production - wind turbines, power stations

  • Hearing loss

  • Scares wildlife - affects feeding and breeding

  • Sleep disturbance

  • Stress and anxiety

  • Contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease

  • Affects child development

Worked Example

Study Fig 1, which shows information about threats to the natural environment in the Caspian Sea.

caspian-sea-pollution

Using evidence from Fig 1 only, suggest three likely impacts on the natural environment of pollution in the Caspian Sea.

[3 Marks]

  • Answer:

    • Damage to wetlands/river delta [1]

    • Kills species in wetlands/river deltas/impacts food chains in wetlands/river deltas [1]

    • Fish killed/numbers decrease/abnormalities [1]

    • Fish unable to spawn/spawning/breed/breeding grounds destroyed [1]

    • Habitats destroyed [1]

Sustainable management of pollution

  • Sustainable management of pollution means ensuring that industries, urban growth, agriculture and domestic activities impact the soils, air, water, landscape and noise levels as little as possible 

  • There are many ways in which this can be achieved

Air 

  • Improved public transport and electric vehicles to reduce transport emissions

  • Increase the use of renewable energy

  • Congestion charges in large cities such as London to reduce use of vehicles

  • Use of unleaded and low sulphur fuels

  • Filters on the chimneys of factories and power stations

  • Smokeless fuels 

  • International agreements (Paris and Kyoto) regarding gas emissions

  • Reduced use of energy to reduce the need for fossil fuel power stations

Water

  • Regulations on the amounts of fertilisers and pesticides used

  • Increased use of water treatment works to treat sewage waste before releasing back into the water ways

  • Education regarding disposal of plastic waste

  • Fines for factories/industry discharging waste into water ways

Land

  • Recycling and reuse of materials to reduce the amount of waste

  • Separation of waste into compostable and recyclable waste by householders 

  • Regulations regarding the use of fertilisers and pesticides

  • Targets set for local councils and authorities regarding recycling

Visual 

  • Reduction in the number of billboards/advertising boards that can be in an area

  • Planting of trees to screen roads/quarries and other developments

  • Buildings which blend into the environment

  • Disguising mobile phone masts 

  • Putting electrical and telephone cables underground

  • Regular waste collection and provision of bins

Noise

  • Limiting hours of work for construction sites and factories

  • Noise barriers between houses and main roads

  • Siting activities away from population centres

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    Author
    Reviewer
    Bridgette Barrett

    Author: Bridgette Barrett

    Expertise: Geography Lead

    After graduating with a degree in Geography, Bridgette completed a PGCE over 25 years ago. She later gained an MA Learning, Technology and Education from the University of Nottingham focussing on online learning. At a time when the study of geography has never been more important, Bridgette is passionate about creating content which supports students in achieving their potential in geography and builds their confidence.

    Jenna Quinn

    Author: Jenna Quinn

    Expertise: Head of New Subjects

    Jenna studied at Cardiff University before training to become a science teacher at the University of Bath specialising in Biology (although she loves teaching all three sciences at GCSE level!). Teaching is her passion, and with 10 years experience teaching across a wide range of specifications – from GCSE and A Level Biology in the UK to IGCSE and IB Biology internationally – she knows what is required to pass those Biology exams.