Bangladesh is now apparently in the grip of all sorts of pollution like air pollution,soil pollution and water pollution. The dwellers of the urban areas are the worst
sufferers of such pollution. The indiscriminate industrialisation process in
Bangladesh over the past decades has created significant environmental problems.
We will now know about some of the most common types of environmental
pollutions and ways of coping with them.
Air pollution
Air pollution comes from a wide variety of sources. In Bangladesh poisonous exhaust
from industrial plants, brick kilns, old or poorly-serviced vehicles and dust from
roads and construction sites are some of the major sources of air pollution.
We can reduce this type of pollution by making less use of motor vehicles and
avoiding the use of vehicles older than 20 years. We may also use proper lubricants
to lessen the level of emission and pollutants. We can encourage people to use
Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) for fuelling their
cars. The government may relocate hazardous industries like brick kilns to areas
away from human habitations.
Water pollution
Water pollution can occur in oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds and underground reservoirs.
As different water sources flow together, the pollution can spread easily and quickly.
Causes of water pollution include:
increased sediment from soil
erosion
improper waste disposal and littering
leakage of soil pollution into water supplies
organic materials that decay in water supplies etc.
In fact, polluting the land means polluting the water. Throwing away a toxic
substance on the ground near a water space means it eventually reaches a body of
water. As a result, the water is polluted. Industrial wastes must not be disposed in
rivers or lakes. We need to be more careful about disposing household wastes too.
Use of pesticides means that when it rains on the lawn or garden, chemicals wash
into the water bodies. Therefore, we must be aware of the dangers of using pesticides
as they may pollute our rivers, canals and lakes.
Soil pollution
Among the most significant causes of soil pollution is the enormous volume of
industrial waste which is being produced every day but not disposed properly. The
mismanagement of household wastes, particularly the polythene shopping bags, has
caused serious threat to the soil, and the drainage system. Another cause for soil
pollution is the use of agricultural pesticides, fertilizers etc. Sometimes fuel leakages
from automobiles may get washed away by rain and seep into the nearby soil.
Pesticides and fertilizers are useful for plant growth but their overuse has led to soil
pollution. Natural fertilizers and compost can be used instead of their chemical
alternatives. Recycling is another way to reduce and control soil pollution. Recycling
papers, plastics and other materials reduces the volume of refuse in landfills. Deforestation
also causes erosion, pollution and the loss of fertility in the topsoil.
Planting trees and re-forestation help prevent soil erosion and pollution.
