How to Control Environmental Pollution? 


Environmental problems are so diverse and diffused that virtually any activity of civilization interacts with the environment. Many environmental pollution problems are local in character and they can be controlled by creating environmental consciousness in each and every citizen. People should be told about the importance of clean atmosphere as well as about the consequences of different types of environmental pollutions. 

Some of the effective and practical control measures for minimizing environmental pollution are outlined below:


1. Combustible solid wastes should be burnt in incinerators. This method does not solve the problem in a real sense because in this, solid waste is being converted into gaseous wastes causing air pollution. Unless it is properly controlled, incineration may cause more nuisance.
2. Solid organic wastes including faecal matter and wastes from tanneries should be converted into compost manure at the places far away from the cities and human dwellings. The composting should be done in pits or in heaps adequately covered with layers of soil at least 8-10 cm thick to prevent fly breeding and rat menace which are important carriers of various diseases.
3. Non-combustible solid waste materials like ash, rubbish, tins, glass pieces if not recoverable for usual purposes should be disposed of by landfill method in low-lying areas.
4. Anaerobic septic tank treatment can be used for individual houses or small communities. Besides, aerobic biological treatment systems including trickling filters, activated sludge treatment and oxidation ponds can also be used for liquid wastes or sewage disposal.

5. Automobiles must be either made to eliminate use of gasoline and diesel oil or complete combustion is obtained in the engine so that noxious compounds are not emitted. The automobiles, trucks and other transport systems must have an antismog device. In some countries factories are using devices like scrubbers, cyclone separators or electrostatic precipitators to minimize pollution.
6. There should be cut back in the use of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and other agrochemicals as far as possible.
7. Excessive and undesirable burning of vegetation should be stopped.
8. Sponges and towels should be used in place of paper towels and also the use of paper cups and plates and similar materials should be stopped.
9. Little use of electric appliances and motor-nm appliances will reduce thermal pollution.
10. Washing soda and scouring pad should be used instead of detergents.
11. Waste management is based on principle of ‘3Rs’ i.e. Reduce, Recycle and Reuse. Used boxes, bags, plastics and bottles should be reused whenever possible.
12. Since about 40% of the phosphates in water pollution comes from detergent, it has been suggested that only detergents low in phosphates should be used.
13. Shampoos, lotions and similar products should not be bought in plastic bottles. It has recently been suggested that use of plastic containers and glasses may cause cancer.
14. Smoking should be stopped (there is 5, 00,000 tonnes tobacco pollution annually).
15. Proper attention should be given by the government to make people realize the implications of environmental problem,
16. Legislation against pollution should be strictly implemented.
 17. Environmental education is the best programme to deal with the environmental problems. It is most fundamental in our efforts to combat and control pollution, over-population and misuse of natural resources.

Environmental education includes the following objectives 


(i) Awareness of the problems.
(ii) Providing knowledge to deal with the problems.
(iii) Developing new attitudes towards environmental problems.
(iv) Developing skills for solving environmental problems.
(v) Providing development or evaluation ability in these areas.
(vi) Increasing participation and involvement of public.
(vii) A broad recognition of the facts that we are all responsible for helping to solve environmental problems.
 18. Recycling of wastes and sewage should be done

 The following points on environmental management:


1. Immediate implementation of acts against air pollution, water pollution and noise pollution. (Now these acts have been framed).
2. There should be specific standards for the use of agricultural chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers.
3. Action is necessary against food adulteration, drug control and against factories producing effluents.
4. Environmental protection should be included in the concurrent list of constitution.
5. Government and voluntary agencies should be provided special incentives for successful anti-pollution researches.
6. Department of Environment should carry out publications on health safety and set directive criteria for different pollutants.
7. Environmental education should be made compulsory in the curricula of schools, colleges and universities. This has already been recommended by. The Supreme Court of India in 2005.
8. Mass communication media should be adopted for information related to environmental problems.
9. Scientific societies NGOs, Associations and Academies should create a temper of environmental problems in the rural and urban areas.
10. Plantation of trees suited to different climates should be adopted. Deforestation must be legally checked.
11. Wildlife board and Environment cell should be created in each state. Central and State Pollution boards have already been established.
12. Recycling plants for municipal wastes and sewage should be established. In many cities it has already been implemented.