THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT Water What Can You Do? AND PLANNING AGENCY Jamaica, as a small mountainous island, is particu- • Dispose of and store chemicals properly larly vulnerable to the effects of water pollution. Pol- • Learn more about the proper disposal of waste Pollution luted water adversely affects coastal and marine en- • Get involved in environmental action groups vironments. Some sources of water pollution include: • Reduce noise Is Our Concern
• Report offensive odours and emissions from • Sewage effluent (treated and untreated) factories and commercial sites Surface run off from agricultural sources which • • Do not burn your garbage may carry solid waste and dissolved chemicals • Do not throw garbage into gullies, drains and such as pesticides rivers • Oil pollution from off shore oil spills, drilling, • Reduce, reuse and recycle tanker washing and industrial effluent
Air Pollution
Noise Frequent exposure to high levels of noise can cause Land pollution headaches, high level of stress and temporary or Managing & protecting Jamaica’s permanent deafness. Sleep as well as concentration land, wood & water can be affected by noise. Some sources of noise pollution include: For further information contact
The Public Education and Corporate • Loud music and talking Communication Branch of National Environment and Planning Agency • Honking horns (NEPA) • Industrial activity (factory noise) 10 & 11 Caledonia Avenue, Kingston 5 Water pollution • Low flying aeroplanes and motor vehicles Tel: 754-7540, Fax: 754-7595/6 What is Environmental Pollution ? Toll free: 1-888-991-5005 Environmental pollution may be defined as; the contamination Email: [email protected] of the environment by man through substances or energy Website: www.nepa.gov.jm which may cause harm or discomfort to humans, other living
organisms and ecological systems. March 2009 In addition, solid waste is constantly gener- What are Pollutants ? Pollution ated through discarding into ditches, gullies Harmful materials and forms of energy are and backyards such things as: When there is contact, effects can be disastrous. called pollutants. Pollutants are the by-products The most severe toxic effect of a pollutant is lethal/ • Old tyres or old car parts or waste produced from many human activities. Examples include: death. • Old lead/motor car batteries There may be damage to the brain and other parts of • Miscellaneous building materials the nervous system, bones and other important organs • Gas and smoke from factories and cars • Animal carcasses • Heated water (thermal waste) from cooling of the human body. One example of this is the contact systems at electric power plants with lead through paint, crayons or discarded lead bat- These block waterways and can cause serious health hazards. Another source of • Pesticides and fertilizers from agricultural teries. Inhalation of some pollutants can cause cancer, pollution is the dumping of garbage on open activities e.g. cigarette smoke or airborne asbestos. sites. • Dust from quarries • Excessive noise from musical instruments, Types of Pollution Air machinery, motor vehicles, etc.
Untreated human waste (sewage) • A useful way of classifying pollution is in terms of the Air pollution is the presence of contaminants • Garbage media (air, water or land) that are affected by the or substances in the air that interfere with the pollutants. health of living organisms, air pollutants include: Land How Does Pollution Solid wastes generated during industrial processes are • Chemicals, smoke and dust Affect Humans sometimes indiscriminately dumped on land. This can • Radiation result in poisonous substances entering the soil. These and their surroundings? Vehicle exhaust poisons can seep through the soil and into the • • Burning garbage Environmental pollution can have a damaging underground water systems, eventually reaching the effect on human health. Pollutants affect rivers and streams and entering the food chain. • Agricultural, industrial wastes and human beings in different ways: industrial smoke emissions
• Ingestion in water and food Often these activities occur in heavily populated areas. Air pollution is linked to lung • Inhalation through air diseases, cancer, eye and sinus problems. • Through physical contact with the human body