Atmospheric Pollution

We’re entering crisis state with our global contributions to visible AND non-visible pollutants into the atmosphere

Atmospheric Pollution Facts & Figures

*Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole

*Most air pollutants come from energy use and production

*In particular, the burning of fossil fuels (i.e. coal) releases gases and chemicals into the air

*It is estimated that more than 40 percent of the world’s garbage is burned, releasing carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, mercury, particulate matter, and other toxins into the air contributing to air pollution

Atmospheric Pollution Facts & Figures cont.

*Air pollution is the 4th largest threat to human health, behind high blood pressure, dietary risks and smoking

*World Health Organisation reported that an estimated 8.2 million deaths per year are linked to air pollution

*That’s 11.6% of all global deaths – more than the number of people killed by HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and roadway injuries combined

*The health risks of breathing dirty air include…

* respiratory infections

*cardiovascular diseases

*strokes

*chronic lung disease

* lung cancer

Atmospheric Pollution

*Similar to fresh water pollution, the approach to air pollution has always taken the ‘out of sight – out of mind’ approach

*The rationale was always that any form of pollution would dissipate into atmosphere and no longer remain harmful

*Over the past number of decades, this mentality began to shift as a number of serious consequences were proven

*The immediate concerns include:

*Acidic Precipitation

*Ozone Depletion

*Global Warming

*Smog

Acidic Precipitation

*The burning of fossil fuels, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are released into the atmosphere.

*These chemical gases bond with water vapour in the atmosphere and form mild solutions of sulfuric and nitric acid.

*These acids get carried great distances by prevailing winds and eventually return to the earth as rain, snow or fog

*Becomes particularly controversial when it crosses borders

*Impacts are prevalent across Ontario and Quebec (& eastern USA) where industry is centralized

*Particularly bad across Europe

*Almost all countries in the Developed World battle with Acid Rain

Acidic Precipitation cont.

*Sources of the problem largely fall on the burning of fossil fuels as an energy source

*Burning coal in particular is a major concern as it’s the main fossil fuel used worldwide in industry to generate electricity

*Beyond coal, exhaust from vehicles also release these chemicals into the air

*Environmental policies in developed countries have heavily reduced these pollutants in our part of the world, but new administrations (Trump) can quickly change a countries position on this

*Trump has recently scrapped the Obama rules on coal powered plants

Acidic Precipitation Impacts

*Acid rain has many ecological effects, but none is greater than its impact on lakes, streams, and aquatic environments

*Acid rain makes waters acidic, and eventually toxic to crayfish, clams, fish, and other aquatic animals*Leads to disrupted food chain and impacts even the species that can

tolerate high acidity levels

*Damages forests, especially those at higher elevations.

*Erodes stone structures & monuments in cities

How Acid Precipitation Develops

How Acid Precipitation Impacts Forests & Vegetation

Acidic Precipitation Solutions

*The only way to fight acid rain is by curbing the release of the pollutants that cause it such as the burning of fossil fuels

*Many gov’ts have curbed emissions by cleaning up industry smokestacks and promoting alternative fuel sources

*Vehicles also contribute to acid rain, so eliminating it entirely is not easily obtainable, but can easily be reduced and managed

*Even if acid rain could be stopped today, it would still take many years for its harmful effects to disappear

*‘91, Air Quality Accord was signed between the USA & Canada

*Called for a 50% reduction of sulphur dioxide by the year 2000, and significant cuts to nitrous oxide emissions

It gets political…. very political…President Donald Trump pledged to revive the beleaguered American coal industry and put miners back to work.So far, coal production and exports ticked up in 2017, but mining employment barely budged and coal-fired power plants continued to close.

Ozone Depletion

*The ozone layer acts as a giant filter high up in the stratosphere, and absorbs harmful incoming ultraviolet radiation from the sun and protects all life on earth

Ozone Depletion cont.

*First identified in the 80’s

*Due the Earth’s rotation, the harmful chemicals are pushed over the polar regions.

*Huge hole in the ozone layer identified over the Antarctic area

Ozone Depletion cont.

* The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) are the main problem as they chemically bond to the ozone layer and eat away the ozone structure

Where do we use CFC’s?

*The use of CFC’s has been around since the 1930’s. Commonly found in refrigeration units, A/C units, Styrofoam and aerosol spray cans

Effects of Ozone Depletion

*Higher levels of UV-radiation hitting the earth

*Eye cataracts

*Skin cancers (right) on the rise, especially in the southern hemisphere (Australia) where ozone depletion is at it’s worst

*Weakened immunity

*Disrupts ecosystems – a ripple effect in the food chain

*Damages crops and forests

Montreal Protocol (Ozone cont.)

*1987, industrialized nations agreed to cut the use of CFC’s

*If international agreements are adhered to, the ozone layer is expected to recover by 2050

*Countries that fail to comply with the regulations face trade sanctions from the USA (assuming the current president pursues the sanctions) and pressure from environmental groups

*In 2003, scientists in the Antarctic reported the hole in the ozone has marginally decreased in size

*There is hope…

Climate Change

*Over the past 50 years, the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. *Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air

pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that has bounced off the earth’s surface & is meant to return to space*These pollutants can last for years to centuries in the atmosphere

and trap the heat in resulting in the planet getting hotter. This is known as the greenhouse effect