Why is factories a cause of air pollution

Some people, however, are exposed to more pollutants than others and may be more susceptible to adverse effects of air pollution exposure, for various reasons. The fix for air pollution is reducing emissions at the source. So, before we can attempt to reduce harm, we need to answer the question: where do the pollutants in our air come from? By air pollution, we are referring to air that contains gases, dusts, fumes, chemicals, particulates or odour in harmful amounts.

That is, amounts that are or could potentially be harmful to the health and comfort of humans and animals, or could cause damage to plants and materials. Air pollution may come from industrial, commercial, mobile and domestic sources.

Sources of hazardous air pollutants include vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, solid fuel combustion such as wood smoke , paint fumes and adhesives used on building sites. Soot also known as particulate matter is made up of tiny particles of chemicals, soil, smoke, dust, or allergens—in the form of either gas or solids—that are carried in the air. The sources of smog and soot are similar. Smog can irritate the eyes and throat and also damage the lungs, especially those of children, senior citizens, and people who work or exercise outdoors.

The tiniest airborne particles in soot, whether gaseous or solid, are especially dangerous because they can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and worsen bronchitis, lead to heart attacks, and even hasten death.

Because highways and polluting facilities have historically been sited in or next to low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, the negative effects of this pollution have been disproportionately experienced by the people who live in these communities. In the Union of Concerned Scientists found that soot exposure was 34 percent higher for Asian Americans , on average, than for other Americans. For Black people, the exposure rate was 24 percent higher; for Latinos, 23 percent higher.

A number of air pollutants pose severe health risks and can sometimes be fatal even in small amounts. Almost of them are regulated by law; some of the most common are mercury, lead, dioxins, and benzene. Benzene, classified as a carcinogen by the EPA, can cause eye, skin, and lung irritation in the short term and blood disorders in the long term. Dioxins, more typically found in food but also present in small amounts in the air, can affect the liver in the short term and harm the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems as well as reproductive functions.

Mercury attacks the central nervous system. Another category of toxic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs , are by-products of traffic exhaust and wildfire smoke. In large amounts they have been linked to eye and lung irritation, blood and liver issues, and even cancer.

In one study, the children of mothers exposed to PAHs during pregnancy showed slower brain-processing speeds and more pronounced symptoms of ADHD. In October more than countries reached an agreement to reduce the use of these chemicals—which are found in air conditioners and refrigerators—and develop greener alternatives over time.

Though President Trump was unwilling to sign on to this agreement, a bipartisan group of senators overrode his objections in and set the United States on track to slash HFCs by 85 percent by Mold and allergens from trees, weeds, and grass are also carried in the air, are exacerbated by climate change, and can be hazardous to health.

Pollen allergies are worsening because of climate change. According to the most recent State of Global Air report —which summarizes the latest scientific understanding of air pollution around the world—4. Some four out of ten U. Since the annual report was first published, in , its findings have shown how the Clean Air Act has been able to reduce harmful emissions from transportation, power plants, and manufacturing. The food processing industry uses a wide range of methods for the preparation, cooking and packaging of foodstuffs that release particulates into the atmosphere.

Bulk material handling of grains and flour produce dust. Frying and smoking processes release soot into the air. Rendering and washing in meat and fish processing plants produces volumes of liquid waste that leaves mold and bacterial residues that also pollute the air. Based in London, Maria Kielmas worked in earthquake engineering and international petroleum exploration before entering journalism in Types of Industrial Pollutants.

Which Burns Hotter: Ethanol or Methanol? Environmental Problems Caused by Minerals. Examples of Secondary Pollutants. Carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere if half of global-warming emissions are not absorbed. Human activity is a major cause of air pollution, much of which results from industrial processes.

Credit: cherwell. The Chiwaukum Fire in Washington State in Emissions by vehicles are a major cause of anthropogenic air pollution. Credit: ucsusa. Provided by Universe Today. Citation : What causes air pollution?

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