FREE ESSAY ON THE PROBLEMS OF AIR POLLUTION

THE PROBLEMS OF AIR POLLUTION

The Problems of Air Pollution
Problem
What causes pollution? What can we do to prevent it, and get rid of it? Is it fair to the
children of the future to have to suffer the consequences that pollution causes? Why not
take care of the problem now? Factory and business owners have the ability to prevent air
pollution. 
"Air pollution is the presence of harmful gases, liquids, or solids in the atmosphere.
Air pollution, known as smoke pollution for many years, resulted from coal combustion"
(Hodges 526). Smog has been a problem in coal-burning areas for several centuries. Smog
finally decreased when coal combustion was replaced by oil and gas combustion. Air
pollution is caused by a number of different types of pollutants. 
The first type, particulate matter, consists of solid and liquid aerosols suspended in
the atmosphere. These arise from the burning of coal and from industrial processes.
Atmospheric particles can scatter and absorb sunlight, which reduces visibility.
Particles also reduce visibility by attenuating the light from objects and illuminating
the air causing the contrast between the objects and their backgrounds to reduce. Not
only does it effect visibility, but it hastens the erosion of building materials and the
corrosion of metals, interferes with the human respiratory system, and brings toxic
materials into the body. "The small particles cause chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma,
emphysema and lung cancer" (Hodges 59). 
The second type is sulfur oxide, which come from the burning of coal and industrial
processes. Damage to building materials, vegetation, and to the human respiratory system
are caused by the acidic nature of oxides. "Small quantities of sulfur oxides can
increase illness and mortality" (Hodges 59). 
The third type of pollutant is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless,
tasteless gas against which humans have no protection. "Carbon monoxide comes from the
exhaust of gasoline-powered vehicles and secondarily from industrial processes" (Hamer
45). Hemoglobin, which is in the blood, combines with carbon monoxide and carries less
oxygen to body tissues causing health and heart effects. Some health problems come from
the exhaust fumes leaking into the interior of the automobile. Several hundred Americans
die from CO poisoning each year. Sodium oxide levels below .25 PPM have been associated
with increased morbidity in New York as measured by hospital admissions. In all cases in
which adverse health effects have been noted, the elderly patients have been affected
severely (Hodges 60). 
The fourth type is hydrocarbons, which are chemical compounds containing only carbon and
hydrogen. Hydrocarbons also arise from gasoline-powered vehicles and from industrial
processes. "Hydrocarbons are an important part of the production of photochemical smog"
(Hodges 61).
The last type is nitrogen oxide that come from high-temperature combustion, such as that
occurring in motor vehicle engines, electric power plants and other fuel usage. Nitrogen
oxide contributes to acidity in precipitation and production of photochemical smog.
Nitrogen oxide is also dangerous because it causes serious illness and possibly death
even if the exposure to NO2 is short. The gas was responsible for 124 deaths in a fire at
Cleveland's Crile Children Hospital on May 15, 1929, when x-ray film containing
nitrocellulose accidentally caught fire and produced NO2 (Hodges 63).
Solution 
As one can surely see these types of air pollutants are harmful to our atmosphere,
environment and personal health. Factory owners can help prevent all of these effects.
Researchers have found different ways to remove these pollutants from the air. One device
designed to remove hydrocarbons from the atmosphere is an improved low pollution
invisible flare burner, which comprises a tall stack lined with ceramic. Primary air is
introduced under pressure in a tube below and coaxial with the stack. The top of the tube
contains a burner for the vented hydrocarbon gases (Sittig 227). Within this device
different air mixtures provide means for complete combustion of the vented gases with low
emission of smoke and light. Another method wherein "gases contaminated with vapors from
volatile organic liquids are recovered by containing the vapor- gas mixture in an
absorbed tower with a sponge coil which absorbs the vapors" (Sittig 348). Both methods
can successfully remove hydrocarbons. 
A method has been discovered for removing nitrogen oxides from gases. "An ionizing
radiation allows the noxious gas pollutants to enable a collection of the particles or
mist electrostatic precipitators" (Sittig 409). 
Another air pollutant, which can be reduced, is carbon monoxide. Factories simply have to
change their coal or oil burning machinery to natural gas combustion machinery. Also,
"afterburners can cause the combustion of CO. This combustion can be used as a source of
heat as in blast furnaces" (Sittig 415).
Action
In my opinion, the government should take action by passing a restriction on equipment
within factories and businesses. The restriction should consist of requiring four
different conditions or devices: a flare burner, an ionizing radiation, crosscurrents
contacting of the waste gas stream with an acceptor, and change all non-natural gas
combustion machinery to natural gas. 
There are important advantages to passing extra restrictions on factories and businesses
that are involved within this action. Not only will the factories realize how much
pollution they have caused without these conditions, but also it would prevent hurting
the health of others hopefully. Each of these devices, in my opinion, are exactly what we
need in order to stop air pollution. Save the children of tomorrow and the environment of
today by doing something to prevent air pollution. 
Justification
Each method mentioned above can be used in factories all over the world. The question is
does it cost a lot of money? Yes, it does. In order to apply all of the above methods it
can cost the factory and businesses millions. "The estimated costs are $800,000,000 alone
from public sectors. For private sectors it can cost up to $17,000,000,000. Reducing
pollution might cut salaries for many workers due to the cost of expenses, which would
rise" (Hodges 582). 
The estimations of the cost of devices to reduce pollution are accurate, but what about
the money it takes to repair the damages caused by air pollution? The annual total for
air pollution is $16 billion in the U.S. The amount spent dealing with air pollution
leaves less money for our government to give to researchers to find cures for diseases,
military expenses, or for government debt. It is like throwing away money just because
factory and business owners do not want to take the time and money and invest in new
methods and devices to prevent air pollution. $240 million goes to cleaning equipment
dirtied by air pollution each year. For livestock and agricultural crops 500 million is
used for damages. Millions are used in a year for medical costs, and maintenance of
cleanliness in production of foods and beverages. "$18.6 billion worth of damages are
done due to motor vehicle pollution" (Hodges 568). It might seem to cost a lot of money
to prevent air pollution, but as one can see it may cost far more to repair the damages
from air pollution.