Environment Mangament Notes 2

7/29/2019 Environment Mangament Notes 2

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Water Pollution

The contamination of water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater caused byhuman activities, which can be harmful to organisms and plants that live in these water

bodies. It occurs when pollutants are discharged directly into water bodies without treating it

first.

What causes water pollution?

Contributors & causes of Water Pollution


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Agriculture waste water Factories/Industrial processes Natural factors effects ground water Oil spills Refineries Mining Trash on common roads/ground Silt from construction sites

What is Water Pollution?

Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly into water bodies suchas rivers, lakes and seas.

It also occurs when air and land pollutants are blown by wind or washed by rain intowater bodies.

Urban settlements discharge many forms of pollutants into canals, drains and sewerpipes which eventually find their way into the rivers and seas. Sources of pollutants

include factories, sewage treatment plants, runoff of chemicals from agricultural

plantations and live-stock farms.


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Causes of water pollution

1) Improper disposal of sewage

Sewage refers to solid or liquid waste that is produced by households or industries. Itcontains human waste, detergent and chemicals. When untreated sewage is discharged into rivers and seas, water pollution occurs.


1) Improper disposal of sewage (continued)


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Industrial waste contains large amounts of toxic chemicals. Heavy water pollutionoccurs when untreated industrial waste is irresponsibly discharged into water bodies.

Sewage is treated at sewage treatment plants to remove its waste products before it isreleased into water bodies.

2) Oil spills

Oil spills occur when the hull of an oil tanker is torn by sharp rocks or when a tankercollides with another ship, causing the oil it is carrying to spill into the sea.

Oil Spills and How it Spreads!


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2) Oil Spillages

However, much more oil is released from other smaller, day-to-day and less visibleactivities.

Current studies have shown that most ocean oil pollution comes from activities onland.

These include normal operation of offshore wells, washing oil tankers, loading andunloading of oil tankers at ports, and leaks from oil pipelines, refineries and storage

tanks.


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Extent of water pollution


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1) Endangering plant and animal species

In an oil spill, sea birds cloaked with oil will freeze to death as their feathers cannotinsulate air to protect them from the cold.

The oil also clogs the birds feathers and makes them unable to fly or float on water.They will drown as a result.


1) Endangering plant and animal species- Eutrophication

Household waste contains excess nitrogen and phosphorus which encourage thegrowth of algae on river and ocean surfaces.

With the algae covering the water surface, sunlight cannot penetrate and reach theaquatic plants beneath the water surface, causing them to die as photosynthesis cannot

occur.

As a result, aquatic and marine animals that depend on these plants for food will beaffected.


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2) Negative impact on human health

Chemicals and toxic metals contaminate shellfish beds, kill spawning fish andaccumulate in the tissues of bottom marine feeders.

Our trash kills.

3) Eating Poisonous marine food

When odds and ends of life on land-- particularly plastics--end up in the sea, theypose hazards to marine life.

Animals drown or strangle from getting tangled in discarded or lost fishing gear, orsuffer and even die from eating plastics and other garbage.

Biologists who performed an autopsy on an emaciated male whale beached at SeaSide Heights, New Jersey, found this party balloon, ribbon still attached, blocking the

animal's digestive tract. Courtesy of Marine Mammal Stranding Center

Negative impact on human health


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People, especially in poor developing countries, can suffer from cholera and typhoidwhen they drink contaminated water.


Economic loss

Oil spills threaten the fishing industry and fishermens livelihood.Economic loss

Oil spills can also pollute beaches and affect tourism. Needles and syringes washed up onto Long Island and New Jersey beaches during the

summer of 1988.

Estimated costs from lost tourism and recreation that year were as high as $3 billionEconomic loss

Cleaning up oil spills requires an international effort and is a very expensive task. Scientists have estimated that no more than 15 percent of the oil from a major oil spill

is recovered in a cleanup operation.

The cheapest way and the most effective approach is to prevent oil pollution.


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Effects

Water pollution has damaged the food chain

Contaminated drinking water causes cholera, typhoid, poor blood pressure, vomiting,

and damage to nervous system

Pollution in water alter overall chemistry of water, causing a lot of changes in

temperature which adversely effects the marine life and destroys it.

Minimata Disaster.

Background

Minamata is a small factory town dominated by the Chisso Corporation. The town faces the Shiranui Sea, and Minamata Bay is part of this sea. In Japanese, "Chisso" means nitrogen. The Chisso Corporation was once a fertilizer and carbicle company, and gradually

advanced to a petrochemical and plastic-maker company.


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From 1932 to 1968, Chisso Corporation, a company located in Kumamoto Japan,dumped an estimated 27 tons of mercury compounds into Minamata Bay.

When Chisso Corporation dumped this massive amount of mercury into the bay,thousands of people whose normal diet included fish from the bay, unexpectedly

developed symptoms of methyl mercury poisoning.

The illness became known as the "Minamata Disease".What was it?

Minamata Disease is a poisoning disease of central nervous system caused by methylmercury compound, which was produced as by-product in the process of

manufacturing acetaldehyde at Chisso Co., Ltd. in Minamata City and Showa Denko

Co., Ltd. located upstream of Agano River, and was discharged with the factory

effluent and polluted the environment, and then, through the food chain, it was

accumulated in fish and shellfish.

Consequently Minamata Disease occurred when the inhabitants ate high amount ofthese sea foods.


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Symptoms

Not until the mid-1950's did people begin to notice a "strange disease".


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Victims were diagnosed as having a degeneration of their nervous systems. Numbness occurred in their limbs and lips. Their speech became slurred, and their

vision constricted.

Some people had serious brain damage, while others lapsed into unconsciousness orsuffered from involuntary movements.

Furthermore, some victims were thought to be crazy when they began touncontrollably shout.

People thought the cats were going insane when they witnessed "suicides" by the cats. Finally, birds were strangely dropping from the sky. Series of these unexplainable occurrences were bringing panic to Minamata.

Doctor

Dr. Hajime Hosokawa from the Chisso Corporation Hospital, reported on May 1,1956 that, "an unclarified disease of the central nervous system has broken out".

Dr. Hosokawa linked the fish diets to the disease, and soon investigators werepromulgating that the sea was being polluted by poisons from the Chisso Corporation.

The Chisso Corporation denied the accusations and maintained their production. However, by 1958, Chisso Corporation transferred their dumping from the Minamata

Bay to the Minamata River hoping to diminish accusations toward the company.

Finally, in July 1959, researchers from Kumamoto University concluded that organicmercury was the cause of the "Minamata Disease".

Finally, Dr. Hosokawa performed concealed cat experiments in front of the ChissoCorporation management, and illustrated the affects of mercury poisoning by feeding

the cats acetaldehyde.

Dr. Hosokawa was the first person who made a valiant effort in proving to ChissoCorporation that they were the ones accountable for the mercury poisoning.

After the meeting with Chisso officials, Dr. Hosokawa was restricted fromconducting any further research or experiments, and his findings were concealed by

the corporation.

Political Action


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Finally, Minamata can teach us about politics, particularly as they might apply toenvironmentalism.

The patients of Minamata disease suffered not only from a physical handicap alone.

Due to their economic status and the social dimensions of the disease, the victimswere also politically handicapped.

They--and the fishermen whose livelihoods (if not whose lives) had been destroyed--did not initially command the power or the resources to obtain proper compensation

from Chisso.

Political lessons may seem inappropriate in a biology classroom. However, students today are increasingly exposed to acts of violence intended to

"resolve" conflicts.

An example where bearing witness, patience and persistence have proven theireffectiveness can provide a significant alternative model for action.

People fight back

The fishermen of Minamata began protesting against Chisso Corporation in 1959. They demanded compensation, and that Chisso quit dumping toxic waste. Chisso in turn tried to make deals with people affected by mercury poisoning using

legal documents that stated it would compensate individuals for their illnesses, but

would accept no present or future liability.

Many people felt this was their only chance at receiving any compensation, andsigned the papers.

Measures against Minamata Pollution Effluent

Control Drainage of the Chissos factory effluent (containing methylmercury) to Minamata

bay got regulated

In 1970, Water Pollution Control Law was enacted The law enforced control of discharge of effluent in all water areas in Japan, in

relation to toxic substances

Conversion of production method was advised against caustic soda plants thatmight discharge mercury


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RAIN WATER HARVESTING

What Is Rainwater Harvesting?

RWH consists of simple systems to collect, convey, and store rainwater. Rainwatercapture is accomplished primarily from roof-top, surface runoff, and other surfaces.

RWH either captures stored rainwater for direct use (irrigation, production, washing,drinking water, etc.) or is recharged into the local ground water and is call artificial

recharge.

It is the activity of direct collection of rain water

Rain water can be stored for direct use or can be recharged into the ground water aquifer

Why Rainwater Harvesting?

Conserve and supplement existing water resources Supply water at one of the lowest costs possible for a supplemental supply source. Commitment as a corporate citizen - showcasing environmental concerns Replenishing local ground water, where lowering of water tables has occured


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Why Rain water be harvested

To conserve & augment the storage of ground water

To reduce water table depletion

To improve the quality of ground water

To arrest sea water intrusion in coastal areas

To avoid flood & water stagnation in urban areas

Why Not RWH?

Not applicable in all climate conditions over the world Collected water quality might be affected by external factors Performance seriously affected by climate fluctuations that sometimes are hard to

predict

Collected rainwater can be degraded with the inclusion of waste water runoff

Storage


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Storage devices may be either above or below ground Different types include

Storage Tanks Water Containers Lagoons or Lined Ponds Size based on rainfall pattern, demand, budget and area

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES :

Roof top rainwater harvesting.

Surface runoff harvesting .


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METHODS OF ROOFTOP RWH

Storage of direct use

Recharging ground water aquifer

- Recharging dug wells

- Recharging pits

- Recharging tube well

SURFACE RUNOFF HARVESTING

Harvesting of surface runoff and storage of the same into reservoirs such as water pans

makes it available for use when required.

In this method of collecting rainwater for irrigation, water flowing along the ground duringthe rains will be collected to a tank below the surface of the ground..

TRADITIONAL RWH STRUCTURE

BAWODI:

Traditional step wells are called vavadi in Gujarat, orbaoris orbavadis in Rajasthan and

northern India.

They were secular structures from which everyone could draw water.

Most of them are defunct today.

JOHADS

A johad is a crescent-shaped bund which is built across a sloping catchment to capture the

surface water before it runs off.

Water accumulating in the johad percolates in the soil to augment the groundwater. The

groundwater then can be used when there is no rainfall.

Kunds

Covered underground tank, developed primarily for tackling drinking water problems.

Usually constructed with local materials or cement, kunds were more prevalent in regions

where groundwater is saline.

Before the onset of rains every year, meticulous care was taken to clean up the catchment of

the kunds.


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Cattle grazing and entry with shoes into the catchment area of the kunds was strictly

prohibited.

The proximity of a kund to the house or village saved time and effort in searching for

drinking water.

USES OF RAINWATER HARVESTING

Domestic Use

Agricultural Use

Increase groundwater supplies

POTENTIAL OF RWH

Impacts on downstream flows.

Reduce soil erosion.

Increase the crop production.

Increase infiltration and groundwater recharge.

Improve food & economic security.

ADVANTAGE

It uses local construction materials and labor.

Sources of energy are not needed to operate the systems.

The owner/user can easily maintain the systems.

The water is convenient and accessible; valuable time and effort are saved in collecting

and/or hauling water.

It provides a supply of water to meet future agricultural needs.

SO AS WE ALL ARE THE HUMAN BEINGS

AND ITS OUR RESPONSIBILTY TO SAVE OUR GROUND WATER LEVEL

AND MAKE THEM RECHARGE AT TIME TO TIME

BY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

What is a Wetland?


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Wetlands are difficult to define:

Range of hydrological conditions Great variation in size, location, and human influence

Distinguishing features of wetlands:

Presence of standing water Unique wetland soil Vegetation adapted to or tolerant of saturated soils

Why Protect Wetlands?

Healthy wetlands provide important services:

Ecological

Recreational

Scientific

Cultural

Economic

Drivers of Degradation & Destruction of Wetlands

Implications of Loss of Storm Protection Services

Decreased natural barrier

against extreme weather events

Increased flooding

Increased destruction due to storms


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Destruction of fisheries and their infrastructure

What Are Wetlands?

Areas with water on top of or close to the surface year round or close to it Commonly known

as bogs, marshes, or swamps (What do wetlands do for you; Wetlands; WetlandsHabitat)

How Are Wetlands being destroyed?

Drainage projects Polluting with runoff Land clearing Logging Development Waste Dumping

Why Are Wetlands Important?

Provide habitat for fish and wildlife Control floods Control erosion Enhance water quality

Providing Habitat for Fish and Wildlife :

Providing Habitat for Fish and Wildlife According to the US EnvironmentalProtection Agency one-third of endangered species reside in Wetlands. Fish use

wetlands as breeding grounds Migratory birds use wetlands for nesting, resting,

feeding, and breeding

Environment Mangament Notes 2

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