Pollution

3 Pages 735 Words

Factory and business owners have the ability to prevent air pollution.
The government should take action, requiring equipment to cut down on
hydrocarbons in the atmosphere. The little time spent regulating equipment
used in factories can go a long way saving billions on health problems and
other related issues.
Over 150 million people in the United States live in areas where the
Environmental Protection Agency consider the air to be unhealthy. Air
pollution is the presence in the atmosphere of harmful gases, liquids, or
solids. Smog has been a problem in coal-burning areas for several
centuries. Smog finally decreased when coal combustion was
replaced by oil and gas combustion.
Air pollution is caused by a number of different types of pollutants.
The first type, particulate matter, consists of solid and liquid aerosols
suspended in the atmosphere. These arise from the burning of coal and
from industrial processes. It hastens the erosion of building materials and
the corrosion of metals, interferes with the human respiratory system, and
brings toxic materials into the body. The small particles cause chronic
bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema and lung cancer.
The second type is sulfur oxides, which come from the burning of coal
and industrial processes. Damage to materials, to vegetation, and to the
human respiratory system are caused by the acid nature of oxides.
The third type of pollutant is carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a
colorless, odorless, tasteless gas in which humans have no protection over.
Hemoglobin, which is in the blood, combines with carbon monoxide and
carries less oxygen to body tissues causing health and heart effects. Carbon
monoxide is released in almost all automobiles. Many health problems come
from the exhaust fumes leaking into the interior of the vehicle. Several
hundred Americans die from CO poisoning each year.
The fourth type is hydrocarbo...