Pollution

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Environmental Pollution and

Waste: Air, Water, and Land Media

Environmental Sustainability Educational Resources

prepared by

Gregory A. Keoleian

Associate Research Scientist,

School of Natural Resources and Environment

Co-Director, Center for Sustainable Systems

University of Michigan

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Contents • Air Pollution Impacts [slide 4]

• Sources of Air Toxics [slide 5-6]

• Criteria Air Pollutants [slide 7-9]

• Trends in National Emissions of Criteria Pollutants

[slide 10]

• Comparison of 1970 and 1999 Emissions [slide 11-12]

• Comparison of Growth in Population, VMT, GNP with

Emissions [slide 13]

• Percent Change in Air Quality [slide 14]

• Number of People Living in Nonattainment Areas[slide 15]

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• Trends in Sulfur Dioxide Emissions [slides 16]

• Water Pollution [slides 17- 18]

• Sources of Point and Nonpoint Source Pollution [slide 19-22]

• Water Quality of Assessed Rivers, Lakes and Estuaries

[slide 23]

• Pollutants and Sources Causing Impairments of Assessed Rivers,

Lakes and Estuaries [slide 24]

• Toxic Release Inventory [slide 25-28]

• TRI data [slides 29-31]

• Industrial Waste [slides 32-33]

• Municipal Solid Waste [slide 34-35]

• Additional Resources [slide 36-37]

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Air pollutant impacts

• Greenhouse effect

• Ozone depletion

• acidification

• smog formation

• eutrophication

• human health

• ecosystem health

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Criteria Air Pollutants

• EPA uses six "criteria pollutants" as

indicators of air quality

• EPA established for each of them a

maximum concentration above which

adverse effects on human health may occur.

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Criteria air pollutants

• Nitrogen Dioxide: NO2

- brownish gas irritates the respiratory system originates from

combustion (N2 in air is oxidized); NOx sum of NO, NO2, other

oxides of N

• Ozone: ground level O3

- primary constituent of urban smog

- reaction of VOC + NOx in presence of heat +sun light

• Carbon monoxide: CO...