Different Types Of Environmental Pollution And Roles Played By Multinationals
Different Types Of Environmental Pollution And Roles Played By Multinationals
Explain the key types of environmental pollution that have an impact on the global environmental wellbeing. What role multinational entities play in contributing to environmental pollution and what ought to be rectified?
Abstract
Environmental pollution can take place in different forms. Such include contamination of the different components of the environment such as land, air and water. The pollution of these components has detrimental effects on human beings, wildlife and plants. In order to ensure achievement in reduction of pollution, all stakeholders ought to be involved. This includes multinational entities, governments, citizens and researchers. As government enacts appropriate legislation, multinational entities should practice corporate social responsibility. Citizens should also practice environmentally friendly practices as. Researchers should also play their part and come up with new strategies of controlling environmental pollution.
Introduction
Environmental pollution is the discharge of any energy or material into land, water or air that results or may have detrimental consequences. Such release may lead to short term or long term negative effects to the ecological balance of the earth. This, consequently, lowers the quality of life. Pollutants may have primary damage where there are direct, identifiable impacts on the environment. They may also lead to secondary damage that takes place in the form of minor perturbations in the delicate balance of the biological food web. This damage is detectable over long periods of time. The introduction of motor vehicles, industrialization of society and the explosion of the human population is among aspects leading to environmental pollution. These factors coupled with the exponential growth in the production of goods and services are leading to an increase in waste by-products. Joanne Abel (1997).
In this twenty first century, there is indiscriminate discharge of domestic and industrial wastes into water ways. There is also the spew of thousands of tons of particulates as well as airborne gases into the atmosphere. The increasing disposal of solid wastes in open land and use of chemicals that are newly developed is a key concern. It is the trends in environmental pollution without consideration of potential consequences that make this topic essential and relevant.
Air pollution
This is a pollution that occurs in the form of emission of toxic chemical gases. Multinational corporations play a key role in contributing to air pollution through emission of substances such as carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. This results to the disruption of the balance in natural gases such as the carbon cycle. This usually takes place in manufacturing companies during the production processes. Air pollution can also occur in the form of instability to the typical composition of the air. This results to an undesired impact on the environment or living creatures. The burning of fossil fuels and other materials is another common source of air pollution. This takes place in power plants, oil refineries, factories, automobiles and other forms of transportation. Other gases that result to air pollution include: methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. Fumes that come from chemicals like paint and aerosols also result to air pollution.
Air pollution largely has an impact on human beings where there are cardio- respiratory complications among other health problems. Joel D. Kaufman (2004). With regard to the environment, air pollution leads to problems such as climate change, global warming, depletion of earth’s zone and acid rain.
Water pollution
Water pollution takes place in the form of any changes in the compound, natural and physical properties of water. In most circumstances, these changes have a harmful effect on living organisms. Water pollution could occur in various sources of water such as lakes, rivers, oceans and seas. Multinational corporations contribute the largest percent in water pollution. This is as a result of the industrial wastes that come from the companies during and after production processes. Haveman (1995). Other sources of water pollution include domestic wastes, agricultural wastes, radioactive waste and marine dumping. In the recent past oil spills from multinational entities are other key sources of water pollution. An example of that is the British Petroleum oil spill that had a detrimental impact on the existing organisms in the sea.
Water pollution results to numerous negative consequences. Such include contamination of water bodies that serve the purpose of human consumption. Such pollution, therefore, means that such water bodies cannot be of use to human beings. Polluted water bodies result to breeding of viruses, intestinal parasites, bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. Consumption of such water by human beings, therefore, results to waterborne ailments such as typhoid, dysentery and diarrhea. Water pollution not only has a negative impact on humans but also marine animals. It also results to events such as coral reef bleaching and ocean acidification.
Land pollution
Land pollution is another key environmental pollution. It is mainly about the degradation and contamination of earth’s land surfaces. It takes place when wastes from various sources; industrial and domestic are improperly disposed off. This causes harmful chemicals and substances to percolate into the ground. Land pollution may take place in the landfills, where there is disposal of non- biodegradable materials such as plastic bottles. Such, as well as cans and Styrofoam, may remain buried and intact for many years hence leaching chemicals into the ground over the years. Multinational entities also play a role in land pollution. This is through disposal of electronic products that contain heavy metals like mercury and lead which leach poisonous toxins into the ground. Martin V. (2004). They also contribute to land pollution through environmentally unfriendly practices. Such practices include mineral exploitation as well as the misuse of soil through harmful agricultural practices.
Land pollution is detrimental as it affects plants, wildlife and human beings. Land pollution can result to the extermination of wildlife and cause a disruption in the balance of nature. Plants may absorb the chemicals found in a polluted land such as land where there is heavy application of chemical pesticides. The absorption of such chemicals could end up in animals and humans who consume the plants. This consequently could result to health problems such as respiratory complications, skin diseases, birth defects as well as cancer.
Policy lessons
There are numerous policy lessons that are present and useful with regard to environmental pollution and the roles played by multinational corporations. Since multinational corporations account for the largest part of environmental pollution they ought to adopt various policies. Government entities in the globe should also adopt certain policies to ensure that there is eradication of environmental pollution. One of the measures that should be adopted by multinational entities in order to reduce air pollution is opting for renewable and green energy sources. This would play a huge role in ensuring that there is a reduction of air pollution. Multinational corporations can also adopt policies that would enable them to reduce on the amount of carbon emissions. This is because such emissions contribute a huge part on air pollution. Government entities can also adopt policies that would foster friendly environmental practices. Such policies include having social awareness programs that would educate about air pollution and its detrimental consequences.
Efforts should also be made in order to bring water pollution to an end. On a large scale basis, multinational organizations should adopt policies aimed at eradicating water pollution. Such policies include ensuring proper treatment of industrial wastes, rather than dumping the untreated liquids into the sea. Joel A. (2002). Another policy for such organizations includes the recycling of grey water. Government entities should educate citizens on the essence of stopping water pollution. Citizens who have knowledge on the essence of having clean water bodies would play a role in eradicating water pollution.
Land pollution can be stopped by practicing proper disposal of litter. One of the policies available for organizations is practicing recycling. This would ensure that there is no dumping of used items and containers in land. Gandy, Matthew (1994). Organizations that engage in agriculture can adopt policies such as the use of organic pesticides and organic fertilizers. There should not be use of conventional chemical based agricultural products. This would be vital as it would aid in reducing the quantities of toxic chemicals in land.
Direction of future research in this area
Research in environmental pollution is an area that requires the provision of appropriate information. This is because it is such information that would help resolve the concerns and issues that relate to the field. Future research in this area should, therefore, focus on providing relevant information about environmental pollution. Such information should include measures that should be taken in order to further reduce pollution. Future research should also focus on further consequences of environmental pollution. By communicating the dynamic and effects of environmental pollution, it would be easier to advocate for environmental friendly practices. Research should, however, focus more on practices that organizations and individuals can adopt so as to reduce pollution as much as possible.
Environmental pollution is an area that is very sensitive as it affects everyone in the ecosystem. With this mind, there should be adoption of concrete measures and policies to ensure appropriate environmental practices. It is essential to ensure the preservation of environmental components, air, water and land. This is because, without these components, it would be impossible to have long term plans as they would not be sustainable. Since multinational corporations among other entities have a key impact on the environment, they should act accordingly. They should preserve the environment within which they operate. Organizations should practice appropriate environmental conservation measures as part of their corporate social responsibility.
Government entities should also be in the forefront in ensuring that there is environmental conservation. Adequate regulations should be put in place in order to penalize those who practice environmental pollution. This should be done with the aim of reducing the levels of environmental pollution. There should also be research that has the aim of developing new and advanced methods of environmental conservation. Coming up with new ways of environmental management would surely play a significant role in reducing environmental pollution.
Reference:
Joel D. Kaufman (2004). “Effect of Ambient Air Pollution on Pulmonary Exacerbations and Lung Function in Cystic Fibrosis”.169(7): 816–821.
Gandy, Matthew (1994). Recycling and the Politics of Urban Waste.London: Earthscan Publications.
Joanne Abel (1997)Building New York’s Sewers: Developing Mechanisms of Urban Management.Purdue University Press.
Martin V. (2004) Garbage in the Cities: Refuse, Reform and the Environment Texas A&M University Press.
Joel A. (2002) “Industrial Waste Disposal in the United States as a Historical Problem”,Ambix: The Journal of the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry, 49 4-20.
Haveman (1995) ‘Economics of water resources: a survey’, Handbook of Natural Resource and Energy Economics. New York
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