O LevelGeographyCambridge (CIE)Revision Notes3. Economic Development3.7 Environmental Risks of Economic Activity3.7.3 Pollution

Pollution (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Geography)

Revision Note

Bridgette Barrett

Expertise

Geography Lead

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

You've read 0 of your 0 free revision notes

Get unlimited access

to absolutely everything:

  • Downloadable PDFs
  • Unlimited Revision Notes
  • Topic Questions
  • Past Papers
  • Model Answers
  • Videos (Maths and Science)

Join the 100,000+ Students that ❤️ Save My Exams

the (exam) results speak for themselves:

    Next topic

    Did this page help you?

    Bridgette Barrett

    Author: Bridgette Barrett

    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.