Editing Pollution (section)

== Human generation ==
[[File:2021 Death rates, by energy source.svg|thumb |Deaths caused as a result of [[fossil fuel]] use (areas of rectangles in chart) greatly exceed those resulting from production of [[renewable energy]] (rectangles barely visible in chart).<ref name=OWID_SafestEnergy_2021>{{cite web |last1=Ritchie |first1=Hannah |author1-link=Hannah Ritchie |last2=Roser |first2=Max |author2-link=Max Roser |title=What are the safest and cleanest sources of energy? |url=https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy |publisher=Our World in Data |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240115112316/https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy |archive-date=15 January 2024 |date=2021 |url-status=live }} Data sources: Markandya & Wilkinson (2007); UNSCEAR (2008; 2018); Sovacool et al. (2016); IPCC AR5 (2014); Pehl et al. (2017); Ember Energy (2021).</ref>]]
[[Motor vehicle emissions]] are one of the leading causes of air pollution.<ref>[http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/ems/epr2001/awareness.htm Environmental Performance Report 2001] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112065500/http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/ems/epr2001/awareness.htm |date=12 November 2007 }} (Transport, [[Canada]] website page)</ref><ref>[http://www.environment.gov.au/soe/2006/publications/drs/atmosphere/issue/188/index.html State of the Environment, Issue: Air Quality] ([[Australia]]n Government website page)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/pollution.htm|title=Pollution|date=11 April 2007|access-date=1 December 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070411002000/http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/pollution.htm|archive-date=11 April 2007}}</ref> [[Air pollution in China|China]], [[Air pollution in the United States|United States]], [[Air pollution in Russia|Russia]], [[Air pollution in India|India]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/emis/tre_tp20.html|title=Top 20 Emitting Countries by Total Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions for 2009|first=Oak Ridge National|last=Laboratory|website=Cdiac.ornl.gov|access-date=1 December 2017|archive-date=11 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170511124547/http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/emis/tre_tp20.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Air pollution in Mexico|Mexico]], and Japan are the world leaders in air pollution emissions. Principal stationary pollution sources include [[chemical plant]]s, coal-fired [[power plants]], [[oil refinery|oil refineries]],<ref name="Aqueous" /> [[petrochemical]] plants, [[nuclear waste]] disposal activity, incinerators, large [[Environmental impact of meat production|livestock farms]] (dairy cows, pigs, poultry, etc.), [[Polyvinyl chloride|PVC]] factories, metals production factories, plastics factories, and other [[heavy industry]]. Agricultural air pollution comes from contemporary practices which include clear felling and burning of natural vegetation as well as spraying of pesticides and herbicides.<ref>''Silent Spring'', R Carlson, 1962</ref>

About 400 million metric tons of [[hazardous waste]]s are generated each year.<ref>"[http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761570933_2/Pollution.html Pollution] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021014815/http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761570933_2/Pollution.html |date=2009-10-21 }}". Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2009.</ref> The United States alone produces about 250 million metric tons.<ref>{{cite web|title=Solid Waste – The Ultimate Guide|url=http://www.ppsthane.com/blog/solid-hazardous-waste-ultimate-guide|website=Ppsthane.com|access-date=1 December 2017}}</ref> Americans constitute less than 5% of the [[world's population]], but produce roughly 25% of the world's [[carbon dioxide|{{CO2}}]],<ref>"[http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008a/080407GurneyVulcan.html Revolutionary {{CO2}} maps zoom in on greenhouse gas sources] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501115653/http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008a/080407GurneyVulcan.html |date=2020-05-01 }}". [[Purdue University]]. 7 April 2008.</ref> and generate approximately 30% of [[waste|world's waste]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oregon.gov/DAS/FAC/docs/ww092001.pdf |title=Waste Watcher |access-date=26 August 2010 |archive-date=10 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510211714/https://www.oregon.gov/DAS/FAC/docs/ww092001.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/08/31/alarm_sounds_on_us_population_boom/ Alarm sounds on US population boom]. 31 August 2006. The Boston Globe.</ref> In 2007, [[People's Republic of China|China]] overtook the United States as the world's biggest producer of {{CO2}},<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/jun/19/china.usnews China overtakes US as world's biggest {{CO2}} emitter]". Guardian.co.uk. 19 June 2007.</ref> while still far behind based on per capita pollution (ranked 78th among the world's nations).<ref>"[http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/emis/top2008.cap Ranking of the world's countries by 2008 per capita fossil-fuel CO2 emission rates.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927213509/http://cdiac.ornl.gov/trends/emis/top2008.cap |date=2011-09-27 }}". CDIAC. 2008.</ref>

[[File:Yangzhou - industrial area west of Wenfeng Temple - P1130239.JPG|thumb|An industrial area, with a power plant, south of [[Yangzhou]]'s downtown, [[China]]]]

Chlorinated hydrocarbons (CFH), heavy metals (such as chromium, cadmium – found in rechargeable batteries, and lead – found in lead paint, aviation fuel, and even in certain countries, gasoline), MTBE, zinc, arsenic, and benzene are some of the most frequent soil contaminants. A series of press reports published in 2001, culminating in the publication of the book Fateful Harvest, revealed a widespread practise of recycling industrial leftovers into fertilizer, resulting in metal poisoning of the soil.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Environmental Pollution {{!}} Chemistry Science Fair Project |url=https://www.seminarsonly.com/Engineering-Projects/Chemistry/Environmental-Pollution.php |access-date=7 June 2022 |website=www.seminarsonly.com}}</ref> Ordinary municipal [[landfill]]s are the source of many chemical substances entering the soil environment (and often groundwater), emanating from the wide variety of refuse accepted, especially substances illegally discarded there, or from pre-1970 landfills that may have been subject to little control in the U.S. or EU. There have also been some unusual releases of [[polychlorinated dibenzodioxins]], commonly called ''dioxins'' for simplicity, such as [[2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin|TCDD]].<ref>{{cite journal|author=Beychok, Milton R. |date=January 1987 |title=A data base for dioxin and furan emissions from refuse incinerators |journal=Atmospheric Environment |volume=21 |issue=1 |pages=29–36 |doi=10.1016/0004-6981(87)90267-8 |bibcode=1987AtmEn..21...29B}}</ref>

Pollution can also occur as a result of natural disasters. Hurricanes, for example, frequently result in sewage contamination and petrochemical spills from burst boats or automobiles. When coastal oil rigs or refineries are involved, larger-scale and environmental damage is not unusual. When accidents occur, some pollution sources, such as nuclear power stations or oil ships, can create extensive and potentially catastrophic emissions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Environmental disasters |url=https://www.lenntech.com/environmental-disasters.htm |access-date=7 June 2022 |website=www.lenntech.com}}</ref>

Plastic pollution is choking our oceans by making plastic gyres, entangling marine animals, poisoning our food and water supply, and ultimately inflicting havoc on the health and well-being of humans and wildlife globally. With the exception of a small amount that has been incinerating, virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made in the past still exists in one form or another. And since most of the plastics do not biodegrade in any meaningful sense, all that [[plastic waste]] could exist for hundreds or even thousands of years. If plastic production is not circumscribed, plastic pollution will be disastrous and will eventually outweigh fish in oceans.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hassan |first1=Sidra |last2=Haq |first2=Ihsan ul |date=27 June 2019 |title=Pervasive Pollution Problems Caused by Plastics and its Degradation |url=https://online-journals.org/index.php/i-joe/article/view/10873 |journal=International Journal of Online and Biomedical Engineering |language=en |volume=15 |issue=10 |pages=29–39 |doi=10.3991/ijoe.v15i10.10873 |s2cid=198582480 |issn=2626-8493|doi-access=free }}</ref>

[[File:CO2-by-country--1990-2025.png|thumb|upright=1.35|Historical and projected CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by country (as of 2005).<br />
Source: Energy Information Administration.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080423003259/http://ftp.eia.doe.gov/pub/oiaf/1605/cdrom/pdf/ggrpt/057304.pdf World Carbon Dioxide Emissions] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080326004201/http://ftp@ftp.eia.doe.gov/pub/oiaf/1605/cdrom/pdf/ggrpt/057304.pdf|date=26 March 2008}} (Table 1, Report DOE/EIA-0573, 2004, [[Energy Information Administration]])</ref><ref>[http://rainforests.mongabay.com/09-carbon_emissions.htm Carbon dioxide emissions chart] (graph on Mongabay website page based on Energy Information Administration's tabulated data)</ref>]]
Raised levels of [[greenhouse gases]] such as [[carbon dioxide]] in the atmosphere are affecting the Earth's climate. Disruption of the environment can also highlight the connection between areas of pollution that would normally be classified separately, such as those of water and air. Recent studies have investigated the potential for long-term rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide to cause slight but critical [[ocean acidification|increases in the acidity of ocean waters]], and the possible effects of this on marine ecosystems.

In February 2007, a report by the [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]] (IPCC), representing the work of 2,500 scientists, economists, and policymakers from more than 120 countries, confirmed that humans have been the primary cause of global warming since 1950. Humans have ways to cut [[greenhouse gas emissions]] and avoid the consequences of global warming, a major climate report concluded. But to change the climate, the transition from [[fossil fuels]] like coal and oil needs to occur within decades, according to the final report this year<!-- what year is that then? --> from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Warming Can Be Stopped, World Climate Experts Say|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070504-global-warming.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509013424/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/05/070504-global-warming.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 May 2007|access-date=26 August 2010|publisher=News.nationalgeographic.com}}</ref>