Air Pollution - Preventive Measures,

Causes and Types

Pollution is one of the greatest problems the world is facing today. Anything
that leads to the contamination of natural environments like land, air, water,
and so on can be termed as pollution. Pollution can cause a greater threat
to the environment which can affect the lives of animals and plants in a
harmful way. There is land pollution, air pollution, water pollution, etc. Here,
we will discuss air pollution in detail and how to prevent it. We will see the
control measures of air pollution.
To prevent air pollution from happening, we have to learn what causes air
pollution. Let us understand what air pollution is.
What is Pollution?
Pollution is defined as anything that causes the contamination of the
environment. Pollution occurs when harmful substances are introduced into
the environment. We can divide the pollution into different types of pollution
depending upon the environment in which pollution occurs. The different
types of pollution are air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, and so on.
The substance which causes pollution is called pollutants. These pollutants
can be harmful chemicals, gases, or even solid substances like plastic, etc.
The prevention of any kind of pollution is possible if we can identify the
pollutants that are polluting the environment. If we could find a way to stop
these pollutants from reaching the environment. We will learn more about
air pollution here and also about the preventive measures that help in the

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control of air pollution. There are different air pollution solutions we must
follow to control air pollution.
Air Pollution
Air pollution is the contamination of the earth’s atmosphere due to the
presence of harmful substances in the air. Air pollution consists of
chemicals or particles in the atmosphere that causes serious health or
environmental threats. But the important question that arises is what
causes air pollution and what change it can cause to the atmosphere?
It is a misconception that air pollution is caused only by human activities.
Not only through human activity, but air pollution can also occur through
natural processes. Well, there is some air pollution that comes from natural
sources like volcanic eruptions, wildfires, or substances that can cause
allergic reactions. But most air pollution occurs from human activities. There
are different types of human-made pollution. Let us discuss some of the
important causes of air pollution due to human activities.
Emission of Greenhouse Gases
When we burn fossil fuels, it produces heat energy along with byproducts.
Some of the byproducts can act as pollutants. They release greenhouse
gases into the air. These emissions like carbon dioxide, methane and
nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases trap the heat coming from the sun in
the earth’s atmosphere. This leads to a rise in the temperature of the
atmosphere all over the place. This rise in global temperature creates
cycles of air pollution that contribute to climate change. These climate
changes produce a rise in temperature. This higher temperature in turn
magnifies some types of air pollution. For example, climate changes
increase smog because smog is formed in the presence of high
temperatures and increased levels of ultraviolet radiation. The most
frequent extreme weather condition such as flooding contributes to damp
conditions therefore a rise in mold. The formation of molds can cause a
variety of health problems when we are exposed to them. Warmer weather
also leads to long pollen seasons. This leads to more production of pollen
which is considered an allergen.
Formation of Smog
The word smog arises from combining the words smoke and fog. Smog is
formed when the smoke arising from the burning of coal combines with the
moisture in the atmosphere. Smog is a type of air pollution that reduces
visibility by the formation of a yellow-brownish screen. Smog can cause
some serious health problems.

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There are two types of smog, namely sulphurous fog, and photochemical
smog. Sulphurous smogs are caused due to the burning of sulphur bearing
fossil fuels such as coal and the formation of sulphur oxides. The
photochemical smog is formed due to the chemical reaction between the
sunlight, nitrous oxide, and volatile organic compounds. Nitrous oxide is
produced in the atmosphere by car exhaust, coal power plants, and factory
emissions. But in the case of nonvolatile organic compounds, it reaches the
atmosphere from petroleum products, paints, and many cleaning solvents.
In some countries, smog gives a very poor vision such that it makes it very
difficult for the drivers to travel in vehicles. Apart from reduced visibility,
smog is harmful to plants and animals and causes respiratory diseases.
Toxic Pollutants
Another type of important air pollution is the release of toxic pollutants into
the atmosphere. These toxic pollutants include chemicals such as mercury,
lead, dioxins, and benzene that are released into the atmosphere by the
burning of coal, combustion of waste in waste incinerators, burning of
petroleum products, emissions from factories, and so on. The release of
these toxic pollutants into the atmosphere not adversely affects the
environment but also causes serious health problems such as cancer,
reproductive complications, birth defects, etc. The chemical gas wastes
released from the chimneys of the factories can cause intense respiratory
problems to people who are living in the nearby areas of the factories.
Prevention of Air Pollution
We have seen the different causes of air pollution through human activities.
Their adverse effects on the environment and health are also discussed.
Now, it is time to see how we can prevent air pollution by taking control
measures of air pollution. Air pollution can be reduced only if there is a
collective effort from everyone’s side. There are 10 different ways given
below that help in the control of air pollution.
1. Use of Public Transport: The burning of fossil fuels is one of the most
important causes of air pollution. If most people use public transport, then
the number of vehicles on the road decreases and thereby decreases the
burning of fossil fuels. The less burning of fuels leads to less amount of
greenhouse gases being emitted which in turn reduces global warming.
2. Reduce the Consumption of Electricity: We can reduce the electricity
consumption in our homes by switching off the lights and appliances when
not in use. Electricity is produced from the burning of fossil fuels in some

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places. Hence, reducing electricity consumption can greatly reduce air
pollution.
3. Recycling and Reuse of Products: Some of the products which are
thrown away after use can be recycled and reused for a cleaner
environment. It takes less energy to recycle than manufacturing the same
products and thereby reducing the chemical emissions.
4. Avoid Plastic Bags: Plastic bags are becoming a curse to the
environment. Most of the plastic bags are not recyclable and reused. It
takes a long time to decompose into the soil. Also the burning of plastic
releases poisonous gases into the air. The plastic gas can be replaced by
paper bags which can be decomposed easily.
5. Avoid Burning of Plastics: Burning of plastics and other similar
materials release poisonous gases in the atmosphere which worsens the
condition of the air. Make use of the waste management plans by the
government to dispose of plastic materials.
6. Avoid Air Conditioners and Use Fans: The heat released by the air
conditioner into the atmosphere is greater than the heat it absorbs from the
room. This greater heat released into the air causes global warming. The
freon gas which is used as a refrigerant causes the depletion of ozone
layers which prevents the harmful ultraviolet rays from reaching the surface
of the earth.
7. Use Filters in Chimneys: The smoke released from chimneys contains
air pollutants that worsen the quality of air. However, using filters in
chimneys can prevent air pollutants from reaching the earth's atmosphere
to a greater extent.
8. Avoid Crackers and Fireworks: The burning of crackers and fireworks
causes air pollution. During festivals, the use of large amounts of fireworks
and crackers worsen the quality of air and can cause poor visibility.
9. Reduce the Use of Chemicals: The chemicals released into the
atmosphere can act as air pollutants. The toxic pollutants are released from
body sprays, paints which pollute the air at a greater rate.
10. Planting more Trees: The plants can purify the air by taking in carbon
dioxide and releasing oxygen during the time of photosynthesis. This
reduces the greenhouse effect and thereby decreases air pollution again.
Planting more trees also helps to avoid global warming.
Therefore, we have seen different causes and prevention of air pollution.
Now, the time has come for us to act and save our earth.

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Air pollution is the contamination of air by the introduction of air pollutants.
Air pollution can happen due to natural processes as well as human
activities. Natural processes like a volcanic eruption, wildfire, and mold
formation. Air pollution is mainly due to human activities. This includes the
burning of fossil fuels, emission of greenhouse gases, the release of toxic
pollutants, and so on. Air pollution can cause serious health problems like
respiratory disease, cancer, birth defects, and so on. Prevention of air
pollution is possible if there is a collective effort from everyone. We have
already seen some of the control measures of air pollution that can be
followed by everyone easily.

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