Pollution is a global issue. It’s caused by all sorts of human activities, including fossil fuel burning, mining and extracting, waste management, transportation and agriculture. It can be a point source (coming from one specific place like a toxic dumpsite) or nonpoint source pollution (from a widespread distributed location like agricultural runoff, microplastics and soil degradation). It is also often considered in terms of environmental, social and economic impacts.
Air Pollution
The most common form of air pollution is particulate matter, which is linked to the majority of pulmonary and cardiovascular disease-related morbidity and mortality. Particulate matter is comprised of sulfates, nitrates, sodium chloride, black carbon and mineral dust and can cause short-term symptoms such as coughing or wheezing and long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Air pollutants can also be a contributing factor in the development of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, because they can trigger an immune response that attacks and destroys healthy tissue.
Air pollution doesn’t impact everyone equally – it disproportionately harms children and adults with respiratory or cardiac conditions, people who spend much of their time outdoors and those living in low-income communities, which are typically closer to factories and highways. In addition, land pollution impacts poorer countries and communities more than richer ones. This is due to a disconnect between private and public costs, resulting in overproduction of polluting products and underinvestment in pollution control. Lastly, pollution causes illness, which leads to lost work hours and impoverishes families through reduced productivity.
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