Archive for the 'Pollution News' Category

The Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) is associated with many different ways to control air pollution, due to the large amount of air pollutants which affect the world—in America alone over 30 million people are diagnosed with asthma, affecting on a daily level air pollution. Their agency develops technical policies and national programs, providing answers and solutions in order to assist the people on earth to prevent air pollution and energy efficiency. The quality of air in both indoor and outdoor settings play a big part in their programs to better control air pollution, with additional areas of industrial air pollution, radon, acid rain, vehicle and engine pollution, climate changes, radiation protection, and stratospheric ozone depletion.

Air pollution plays a big role in the lives of global citizens as the majority drives some form of vehicle which requires fuel, and their homes have some form of heat or coolants. Major manufacturing chemicals are used at home or at work in a wide variety of ways, in some form or another. What most of us do not realize is that serious air pollutants also come from something as simple as putting gas in our car on the way to the grocery store; painting our front porch, or taking clothes to the dry cleaner. Every step of the way causes air pollution of some form or another. Ways to control air pollution are developed with all of this in mind by the OAR on a daily basis.

Small amounts may not harm us, but large concentrations will kill us—and the control of air pollution does not seem to keep up with the high demands of society. Large cities with excessive populations require more and more vehicles, industrial jobs, commercial operations—all concluding that more pollution is affecting our planet. Each adult will consume 3,000 gallons of air per day, with children consuming even more per pound per body weight. More simply put, children are more susceptible to air pollution of some type which in a healthy child will cause breathing difficulties, irritated throats, and eye problems.

Air pollutants can also remain in the environment for extended periods of time, especially those that form toxic compounds and urban smog. They can also be carried by the wind for hundreds of miles from where they originated—in areas where people live on both ends—exposed to small toxic particles and urban smog. To successfully control air pollution would require the dedication of every person on our planet, as long-term exposure exposes everyone to air pollutants, causing cancer, immune damage, damage to neurological systems, in addition to those of the reproductive and respiratory systems which eventually may lead to death. We are affected by our surroundings—near and far—regardless how we live our own lives. What we need to remember is that we can live only moments without air, unlike food and water. Most of us realize that air pollution damages animal life, lakes, crops, trees, and the natural environment – but few fully realize that our own life is also in danger because of it, or even to what extent we will suffer.

The federal government was given the authority to clean up our country’s air pollution in 1970, when the Environmental Protection Agency was formed, passing the Clean Air Act. From that moment on, a huge variety of agencies have formed to reduce air pollution levels across America. And it is a start but they cannot do it alone.

Electrical pollution is causing a large area of concern within some of the private sectors, a term that is referred to many as “dirty power” but has no scientific basis for it in engineering or electrical science. A loose term, it describes several types of electrical phenomena—stray voltages, electric and magnetic fields, earth currents, and transients and high frequency noise—while making the person inside the home very ill. Normal clean electricity enters the home at 60 Hz, while electrical pollution is referred to as 60 Hz of electricity polluted with high frequency signals—or “dirty” power—flowing through the wires and through Earth. Understanding how to control electrical pollution is best understand by looking at both sides of the picture.

Electrical data can be measured by very sophisticated measuring devices, but it can be misunderstood by many which adds to the fear of being exposed to “electrical pollution”. Yet there actually are many normal incidents of naturally occurring electrical phenomena which actually do arise from the use of everyday electricity, with many misused terms still being used. The high frequency noise labeled by many as part of the electrical pollution, the phrase “how to control electrical pollution” is considered by those who work in the field as looking at certain sources of electrical pollution, addressed at the source through local action.

Professionals in the field looks at electrical pollution caused by cell towers, with a Wisconsin county passing an ordinance in reference to it requiring compliance with the IEEE-519. In Europe, harmonic filers are required on non-linear and time-varying loads but not in the United States. In the United States, “how to control electrical pollutions” is not even recognized.

A huge worry for those involved with learning how to control electrical pollution is the high frequency noises on the wires. Created by the end user of whichever devise is involved, the noise is actually small compared to that in our homes of 120 volts at our lamp wall outlet. The source of high frequency nose and the transient sources is the end user. How to control electrical pollution involves some form of electrical knowledge, recognizing that the transmitted noise cannot be heard too far away from its source due to its design. This same noise is known as “white noise” on the television screen or fuzzy buzzing within our communications systems.

Electrical pollution is associated with illness or not feeling well, but there is no proven link between electrical pollutions or human disease—chronic fatigue syndrome, weakness, headache, nervousness, and fibromyalgia—and no scientific evidence to prove such a relationship exists. How to control electrical pollution requires being totally objective on both sides, and if we worry too much about something or someone or electrical pollution, we will make ourself sick

Big name companies are beginning to make serious commitments to pollution control within their industries, excellent results being achieved by curbing carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides within these global industrial powers. However, using strategies that will control the ozone in the lower atmosphere, scientists are still finding it difficult at best to quantify the short-lived pollutants’ effects for green house issues. And the two main gases–nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide—are controlling, through tropospheric chemistry, the “major” greenhouse gases of methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and the ozone. In a nutshell, this is what pollution control is all about.  

In the present 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, scientists are using this world-wide event as an excellent opportunity to observe different forms of pollution control and its effects. They are looking at what types of atmospheric response will develop in an overly-populated region with the curbing of everyday industrial emissions. This involves a study called “Cheju ABD Plume-Monsoon Experiment”, including a series of flights that will be specially equipped unmanned aircraft developed in La Jolla, CA–referred to as autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (AUAVs). It will be fascinating to see what the results are from this study after the Olympics are over.

But let us look at the other side of the coin of pollution control–that of the average person. What can they do for their share in saving the world–is there a blueprint or a step-by-step ladder to follow? According to air quality inspector Mark Elliott, the average person spends about 90% of their time in the home, with many home constructions containing over 3,000 building products that contain asbestos at one time or another. Knowledge and research are the number one enemies in developing a working plan for pollution control among individual areas, beginning first within the home. What may be bad in one location may not be in another, so researching toxics and different ways to combat pollution is a one-person battle, with each person doing their part.  Surrounding the average citizen on a larger scale are roadways and distribution centers, dry cleaners, marine ports, and airports.

Some states have formed Environmental Quality Councils or Acts (i.e. Wyoming Environmental Quality Council, California Environmental Quality Act). These form different levels of pollution control within their states on an individual level. California has “an emphasis on the process and technical requirements for environmental impact assessment” whereas the big state of Wyoming has a huge agenda:  

“Whereas pollution of the air, water and land of this state will imperil public health and welfare, create public or private nuisances, be harmful to wildlife, fish and aquatic life, and impair domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational and other beneficial uses; it is hereby declared to be the policy and purpose of this act to enable the state to prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution; to preserve, and enhance the air, water and reclaim the land of Wyoming…..” 

The Pollution Control Department (PCD) is a division of the National Environment Agency (NEA), providing necessary requirements for control of pollution by assessing and considering the impact of all environmental developments on a new industry before it is allowed to go any further in its development. Any planning and development requires the associated authorities to consult with this organization first, with the PCD researching the proposals while ensuring that the industrial or residential development is accurately and properly sited, compatible with its appropriate land use.

If the development involves a new industry, the PCD will process its building plans against its environmental impact in order to prevent any unmanageable safety hazards or health risks—a major concern for the requirements for control of pollution. It will only pass if its pollutant emissions comply with standard codes, the company can provide and guarantee a safe management and disposal of wastes, and if the site is a suitable one.

Additional safety requirements for control of pollution involve other areas, such as legislation, water pollution control, air pollution control, and hazardous substances control—with each one having their own set of requirements to maintain pollution control:

• LEGISLATION requirements for control of pollution
o Environment Pollution Control Act (EPCA) came into operation on April 1, 1999.
• Consolidates previous separate laws on (1) air, (2) water, (3) noise pollution, and (4) hazardous substances control
• Provides a comprehensive framework of legislative control of environmental pollution
o Title amended on January 1, 2008 to the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA)
• Provided for protection and management of environment and resource conservation
• WATER POLLUTION CONTROL requirements for control of pollution
o Serves all industrial estates and all residential premises
o All wastewater is required to go into the public sewer system operated by a Public Utilities Board
o Industrial wastewater is required to be treated by specific standards before entering any sewer or water course
o Industries containing large amounts of acidic effluent require the installment of pH monitoring and shut-off control system to prevent its entrance into public sewer
• AIR POLLUTION CONTROL requirements for control of pollution
o Industrial and power generation plants are equipped with pollution control equipment
• Required to comply with air emission standards
• Specified in the Environmental Protection and Management (Air Impurities) Regulations
• Revised standards developed on January 1, 2001
• Replaced the Clean Act (Standards) Regulations of 1978
• HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES CONTROL requirements for control of pollution
o Governed by the EPMA, the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations, and the Environmental Protection and Management (Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations)
o License is required for any person who imports, sells, exports, purchases, stores, and or uses any hazardous substance under the Act.
o Permit is required for anyone who purchases, stores or/and uses any hazardous substance under the control of the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations
o Transport approval is required for anyone who wishes to transport hazardous substances in quantities exceeding those specified in the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations
• TOXIC INDUSTRIAL WASTE CONTROL requirements for control of pollution
o Refers to oil, waste acids, spent solvents, waste sludge, spent etchants, and waste alkalis,
• Solvents, waste oil, and spent etchants are recycled
• Landfills are required for waste sludge

Offering a wide range of steps to control air pollution, many AAPCD agencies are located within each individual state, with that state under the umbrella of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) board in its Research & Development division–Risk Management Research area. Many, if not most, states may require an indirect source permit for new and modified sources, with municipalities being exempt from the fee if they cannot recover the fee costs from charging user fees who use the service—with indirect sources being defined as highway projects, shopping malls, commercial and industrial parks, and recreational facilities—all effecting how steps to control air pollution are developed.

This article will discuss the umbrella under the EPA in regarding steps to control air pollution, which uses a wide number of methods regarding the release of pollutants into the environment. These steps involve emissions from industries and motor vehicles to emergency responses and clean-up activities, with the adoptions of ecologically sound procedures. Steps to control air pollution are located at the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division (APPCD) within the National Risk Management Research Laboratory division. Their job is to conduct all areas of pollutant research with further developments and demonstrations in air pollution prevention/control technologies. The control technologies utilized are key industries, electric power plants, incinerators, indoor environments, and sources of greenhouse gases used.

Because of all the control technologies used in developing steps to control air pollution, the APPCD works closely with many organizations—industries, trade organizations, and professional groups. Concentrating their efforts to six program areas, their research is done through a wide variety of mechanisms.

• Air Toxics
• Fine Particles
• Indoor Air Quality
• Ozone
• Global Climate Change

To make things even more complicated yet more organized for developing steps to control air pollution are six branches within the APCD: the ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS STAFF branch is responsible for the management of APPCD’s financial resources, in addition to controlling and administrating APPCD’s execution of financial resources for research programs; the AIR POLLUTION TECHNOLOGY branch conducts fundamental and applied combustion research since the beginning of the EPA, instrumental in the development and application of flue gas desulfurization systems in utility power plants; the ATMOSPHERIC PROTECTION branch’s mission is to perform risk management research that will “make a difference within Earth’s environment and its inhabitants”, with a multiple of emphases—climate change, animal feed lots, biogenics, mobile sources, energy related sustainability, modeling, and coal combustion residues; the INDOOR ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT branch is the basis for developing better understandings between indoor air quality and emissions sources, heating, ventilating, HVAC systems, and air cleaning devices; and the ATMOSPHERIC PROTECTION branch which is part of the Technical Service Branch under the EPA’s APPCD division to coordinate, manage and provide air pollution control technologies:

The Pollution Control Department (PCD) is a division of the National Environment Agency (NEA), providing necessary requirements for control of pollution by assessing and considering the impact of all environmental developments on a new industry before it is allowed to go any further in its development. Any planning and development requires the associated authorities to consult with this organization first, with the PCD researching the proposals while ensuring that the industrial or residential development is accurately and properly sited, compatible with its appropriate land use.

If the development involves a new industry, the PCD will process its building plans against its environmental impact in order to prevent any unmanageable safety hazards or health risks—a major concern for the requirements for control of pollution. It will only pass if its pollutant emissions comply with standard codes, the company can provide and guarantee a safe management and disposal of wastes, and if the site is a suitable one.

Additional safety requirements for control of pollution involve other areas, such as legislation, water pollution control, air pollution control, and hazardous substances control—with each one having their own set of requirements to maintain pollution control:

• LEGISLATION requirements for control of pollution
o Environment Pollution Control Act (EPCA) came into operation on April 1, 1999.
• Consolidates previous separate laws on (1) air, (2) water, (3) noise pollution, and (4) hazardous substances control
• Provides a comprehensive framework of legislative control of environmental pollution
o Title amended on January 1, 2008 to the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA)
• Provided for protection and management of environment and resource conservation
• WATER POLLUTION CONTROL requirements for control of pollution
o Serves all industrial estates and all residential premises
o All wastewater is required to go into the public sewer system operated by a Public Utilities Board
o Industrial wastewater is required to be treated by specific standards before entering any sewer or water course
o Industries containing large amounts of acidic effluent require the installment of pH monitoring and shut-off control system to prevent its entrance into public sewer
• AIR POLLUTION CONTROL requirements for control of pollution
o Industrial and power generation plants are equipped with pollution control equipment
• Required to comply with air emission standards
• Specified in the Environmental Protection and Management (Air Impurities) Regulations
• Revised standards developed on January 1, 2001
• Replaced the Clean Act (Standards) Regulations of 1978
• HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES CONTROL requirements for control of pollution
o Governed by the EPMA, the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations, and the Environmental Protection and Management (Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations)
o License is required for any person who imports, sells, exports, purchases, stores, and or uses any hazardous substance under the Act.
o Permit is required for anyone who purchases, stores or/and uses any hazardous substance under the control of the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations
o Transport approval is required for anyone who wishes to transport hazardous substances in quantities exceeding those specified in the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations
• TOXIC INDUSTRIAL WASTE CONTROL requirements for control of pollution
o Refers to oil, waste acids, spent solvents, waste sludge, spent etchants, and waste alkalis,
• Solvents, waste oil, and spent etchants are recycled
• Landfills are required for waste sludge

Recognizing the threats of dirty water in the United States goes clear back in history to the River and Harbor Act of 1886 by Congress, re-codified in 1899 with no water pollution control strategies necessary at that time. But in 1969, a Federal study showed different results entirely, with half of the public water supply’s natural water purification failing, becoming filled with neutralizing toxic substances and viruses that have brought on new forms of water pollution controls. Chemical, biological and physical resources are continuously being injected into the Earth’s ecosystem—ultimately finding its way into the water on Earth.

Realizing there is a limit to nature’s purification system against the fight of an endless waste bombardment of our country’s water resources; earlier the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) was enacted by Congress, passed originally in 1948. Becoming more popularly referred to as the Clean Water Act to enact forms of water pollution control in the country, it became the basic legal authority for water quality under Federal regulation. As clean water became harder to find, the 1966 Clean Water Restoration Act fined any polluter $100 per day who did not submit required reports, with the 1970 same organization expanding the authority of our government, establishing a State procedure for certification that would prevent any degradation of water “below any applicable standards.” Water pollution control was on its way—through government control.

NASA is presently seeking to transfer their highly developed air and water pollution control system, a combined waste water pollution control and air pollution control system. This advanced technology would combine exhaust combustion gases with wastewater, flowing in a filtering system through a rock-plant-microbial-filtering system. Resulting in a higher degree of water treatment, it would also show an increase in purification degradation rates along with removal of organic chemicals from wastewater. Part of the NASA Technology Transfer Program, it is seeking to promote the development of commercial applications from NASA-developed technology, available for commercial applications.

What can be done to improve the big picture of water pollution control, besides the best method—prevention? The following is but a short list of the methods being used today.

• Plant crops or gardens which absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere
o Whether we know it or not, nonpoint water pollution influences the majority of us through the runoff of agriculture products.
o This can be improved by planting crops such as legumes (soybeans, peas, and beans ) which have a high source of protein for health, and also ‘fixes’ atmospheric nitrogen by converting it to a usable nitrate
o Many crops are planed alternatively with tradition farm crops.

• Clean ups of oil spills and sewage disposal
o Mechanical methods—small boats vacuum oil from the water surface and large absorbent pads soak up oil on beaches
o Chemical methods—dispersing agents which form slicks of less concentrated; congealing agents that clump oil together so it will sink to the bottom.
o Natural methods–Over time, bacteria decomposes the toxin as water/waves mix the oil and/or sewage with water.

Big name companies are beginning to make serious commitments to pollution control within their industries, excellent results being achieved by curbing carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides within these global industrial powers. However, using strategies that will control the ozone in the lower atmosphere, scientists are still finding it difficult at best to quantify the short-lived pollutants’ effects for green house issues. And the two main gases–nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide—are controlling, through tropospheric chemistry, the “major” greenhouse gases of methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and the ozone. In a nutshell, this is what pollution control is all about.  

In the present 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, scientists are using this world-wide event as an excellent opportunity to observe different forms of pollution control and its effects. They are looking at what types of atmospheric response will develop in an overly-populated region with the curbing of everyday industrial emissions. This involves a study called “Cheju ABD Plume-Monsoon Experiment”, including a series of flights that will be specially equipped unmanned aircraft developed in La Jolla, CA–referred to as autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (AUAVs). It will be fascinating to see what the results are from this study after the Olympics are over.

But let us look at the other side of the coin of pollution control–that of the average person. What can they do for their share in saving the world–is there a blueprint or a step-by-step ladder to follow? According to air quality inspector Mark Elliott, the average person spends about 90% of their time in the home, with many home constructions containing over 3,000 building products that contain asbestos at one time or another. Knowledge and research are the number one enemies in developing a working plan for pollution control among individual areas, beginning first within the home. What may be bad in one location may not be in another, so researching toxics and different ways to combat pollution is a one-person battle, with each person doing their part.  Surrounding the average citizen on a larger scale are roadways and distribution centers, dry cleaners, marine ports, and airports.

Some states have formed Environmental Quality Councils or Acts (i.e. Wyoming Environmental Quality Council, California Environmental Quality Act). These form different levels of pollution control within their states on an individual level. California has “an emphasis on the process and technical requirements for environmental impact assessment” whereas the big state of Wyoming has a huge agenda:  

“Whereas pollution of the air, water and land of this state will imperil public health and welfare, create public or private nuisances, be harmful to wildlife, fish and aquatic life, and impair domestic, agricultural, industrial, recreational and other beneficial uses; it is hereby declared to be the policy and purpose of this act to enable the state to prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution; to preserve, and enhance the air, water and reclaim the land of Wyoming…..” 

The Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) is associated with many different ways to control air pollution, due to the large amount of air pollutants which affect the world—in America alone over 30 million people are diagnosed with asthma, affecting on a daily level air pollution. Their agency develops technical policies and national programs, providing answers and solutions in order to assist the people on earth to prevent air pollution and energy efficiency. The quality of air in both indoor and outdoor settings play a big part in their programs to better control air pollution, with additional areas of industrial air pollution, radon, acid rain, vehicle and engine pollution, climate changes, radiation protection, and stratospheric ozone depletion.

Air pollution plays a big role in the lives of global citizens as the majority drives some form of vehicle which requires fuel, and their homes have some form of heat or coolants. Major manufacturing chemicals are used at home or at work in a wide variety of ways, in some form or another. What most of us do not realize is that serious air pollutants also come from something as simple as putting gas in our car on the way to the grocery store; painting our front porch, or taking clothes to the dry cleaner. Every step of the way causes air pollution of some form or another. Ways to control air pollution are developed with all of this in mind by the OAR on a daily basis.

Small amounts may not harm us, but large concentrations will kill us—and the control of air pollution does not seem to keep up with the high demands of society. Large cities with excessive populations require more and more vehicles, industrial jobs, commercial operations—all concluding that more pollution is affecting our planet. Each adult will consume 3,000 gallons of air per day, with children consuming even more per pound per body weight. More simply put, children are more susceptible to air pollution of some type which in a healthy child will cause breathing difficulties, irritated throats, and eye problems.

Air pollutants can also remain in the environment for extended periods of time, especially those that form toxic compounds and urban smog. They can also be carried by the wind for hundreds of miles from where they originated—in areas where people live on both ends—exposed to small toxic particles and urban smog. To successfully control air pollution would require the dedication of every person on our planet, as long-term exposure exposes everyone to air pollutants, causing cancer, immune damage, damage to neurological systems, in addition to those of the reproductive and respiratory systems which eventually may lead to death. We are affected by our surroundings—near and far—regardless how we live our own lives. What we need to remember is that we can live only moments without air, unlike food and water. Most of us realize that air pollution damages animal life, lakes, crops, trees, and the natural environment – but few fully realize that our own life is also in danger because of it, or even to what extent we will suffer.

The federal government was given the authority to clean up our country’s air pollution in 1970, when the Environmental Protection Agency was formed, passing the Clean Air Act. From that moment on, a huge variety of agencies have formed to reduce air pollution levels across America. And it is a start but they cannot do it alone.

Air pollution control systems can remove contaminants by two methods–they can kill them entirely or remove them before they are released into the air. Industry and transportation devices follow those procedures because they are the largest divisions which release contaminants into the air, considered the number one causes of major air pollution. Common air pollution is considered the release of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrogen oxides into the air, with smog in the larger industrial cities and large populations causing high nitrogen oxide levels, with hydrocarbons developing as a reaction to sunlight in these areas.

Good effective air pollution control systems are designed with one purpose in mind, and that is to prevent harm or any form of discomfort to people or anything living, also preventing damage to the environment. When the Clean Air Act was enacted, it strengthened regulations of air pollution with the European Union following its initiatives. The Act provided mechanisms for reporting and enforcement, setting numerical limits on the air pollutions concentrations of “a basic group of pollutants affecting the air.” Over the years, standards for the pollutants have been lowered by incorporating new Ozone standards and a new PM2.5

Presently, we are seeing a high reduction in air pollution due to tighter standards and advanced air pollution control systems:

• Carbon monoxide emissions fell from 197 million tons to 89 million tons
• Nitrogen oxide emissions fell from 27 million tons to 19 million tons
• Sulfur dioxide emissions fell from 31 million tons to 15 million tons
• Particulate emissions fell by 80%
• Lead emissions fell by more than 98%

There are several air pollution control systems that work as major pollution control devises. One is the particulate control, which is also referred to as the particulate matter or fine particles. Others involve methods such as scrubbers, NOx control, VOC abatement, Acid Gas/SO2 control, mercury control, and dioxin/furan control. Additionally there are two areas of miscellaneous associated equipment which do not fit into the above method criteria—source capturing systems and continuous emissions monitoring systems—all excellent methods for air pollution control systems.
The pollutants involved in air pollution control systems involve many different types, so the system used should be the appropriate one to do the highest quality of work while also meeting the standards required for the cleaning the air. And with over 90% of the time involved indoors—whether at work or in the home—the lack of any type of ventilation forces more air pollution health situations than needed.
For one example we can look at radon, a gas which is a carcinogen, rising from the earth in specific locations and trapped inside certain houses. It can come from certain building materials in ways we can never imagine. There are two ways to test for radon within the home—long term and short term—with two main sources for it within the home: the soil and water supply with it coming through the soil a much larger risk. That is because risks from water are random events, used for showering or household purposes only, with the water treatable through a point-of-entry treatment or point-of-use treatment. For more information on radon, call the EPA hotline at (800) 426-4791.