|  | Public Health Safety | Environmental Health

The Global Warming Effects of Industrial Waste

Global warming is a major environmental crisis causing detrimental effects to both animals and plants. Global warming results from an increase in emissions of greenhouse gases, such as methane, nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. Industries primarily contribute to global warming by emitting greenhouse gases during their operations. In addition, the tons of waste generated from industries not only pollutes the soil, water and air, but also causes global warming

  1. Methane from Landfills

    • Disposal of massive industrial waste necessitates the creation of landfills on selected lands. These wastes decompose due to moisture, producing methane and leachate at an alarming rate. Leachate might percolate into the underground water contaminating it, while methane, a greenhouse gas, floats into the atmosphere. Landfills contribute to global warming since they emit a variety of harmful gases resulting from the decomposing, buried, solid waste. It is estimated that in 2005, waste treatment and landfill gases contributed to 2.3 percent of the greenhouse gases emitted in America.

    Nitrogen Oxides

    • Combustion of all varieties of fuels produces nitric acid and nitrogen dioxide. There is an unlimited supply of both oxygen and nitrogen in the air. They react with each other at elevated temperatures to produce the above nitrogen oxides. Most fossil fuels used in industries contain nitrogen; thus, nitrogen oxides are emitted from them during combustion. Nitrogen oxide is a greenhouse gas, which causes global warming. It also reacts with other substances and atmospheric hydrocarbons to produce smog.

    Carbon Dioxide

    • Carbon dioxide, a gaseous industrial waste, results from complete combustion of oil or coal. Animals regulate the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as they use it for respiration and conversion of nutrients. Proliferation of industries has led to an increase in emissions of carbon dioxide since the demand for electricity generated from fossil fuel is on the rise. The carbon dioxide emitted is in excess; not all of it can be utilized by the plants and, therefore, the surplus that remains in the atmosphere promotes global warming.

    Land Pollution

    • The drive to satisfy customer needs has led to an increase in the industrial waste generated. Hazardous waste is mostly dumped on land causing loss of the topsoil. Soil traps the atmospheric carbon to be utilized by plants for respiration. Contamination of soils, however, reduces their ability to trap carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, leaving a surplus of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which increases the greenhouse effect. Indiscriminate dumping of industrial waste on land destroys arable land, which might force people to clear forests. Deforestation contributes to global warming as trees help in trapping atmospheric carbon.

Environmental Health - Related Articles