ANTHROPOGENIC ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES

Environmental pollution- undesirable changes in its properties as a result of anthropogenic input of various substances and compounds. It leads or may lead in the future to harmful effects on the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, flora and fauna, buildings, structures, materials, and humans themselves. It suppresses nature’s ability to self-restore its properties.

Human pollution of the environment has a long history. Even the inhabitants of Ancient Rome complained about the pollution of the waters of the Tiber River. Residents of Athens and Ancient Greece were concerned about the pollution of the waters of the port of Piraeus. Already in the Middle Ages, laws on environmental protection appeared.

The main source of pollution is the return to nature of that huge mass of waste that is generated in the process of production and consumption of human society. Already in 1970 they amounted to 40 billion tons, and by the end of the 20th century. increased to 100 billion tons.

In this case, it is necessary to distinguish between quantitative and qualitative pollution.

Quantitative environmental pollution arises as a result of the return to it of those substances and compounds that are found in nature in a natural state, but in much smaller quantities (for example, these are compounds of iron and other metals).

Qualitative environmental pollution is associated with the entry into it of substances and compounds unknown to nature, created primarily by the organic synthesis industry.

Pollution of the lithosphere (soil cover) occurs as a result of industrial, construction and agricultural activities. In this case, the main pollutants are metals and their compounds, fertilizers, pesticides, radioactive substances, the concentration of which leads to changes in the chemical composition of soils. The problem of accumulation of household waste is also becoming more and more complex; It is no coincidence that in the West the term “garbage civilization” is sometimes used in relation to our time.

And this is not to mention the complete destruction of the soil cover as a result, first of all, of open-pit mining, the depth of which - including in Russia - sometimes reaches 500 m or even greater. The so-called badlands (“bad lands”), which have completely or almost completely lost their productivity, already occupy 1% of the land surface.

Pollution of the hydrosphere occurs primarily as a result of the discharge of industrial, agricultural and domestic wastewater into rivers, lakes and seas. By the end of the 90s. the total global volume of wastewater is close to 5 thousand km3 per year, or 25% of the Earth’s “water ration”. But since these waters require on average 10 times the volume of clean water to dilute, they actually pollute a much larger volume of stream water. It is not difficult to guess that this, and not just the increase in direct water intake, is the main reason for the aggravation of the fresh water problem.

Many rivers are heavily polluted - the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Thames, Tiber, Mississippi. Ohio, Volga, Dnieper, Don, Dniester. Nile, Ganges, etc. Pollution of the World Ocean is also growing, the “health” of which is threatened simultaneously from the coast, from the surface, from the bottom, from rivers and the atmosphere. Every year a huge amount of waste enters the ocean. The most polluted internal and marginal seas are the Mediterranean, Northern, Irish, Baltic, Black, Azov, internal Japanese, Javanese, Caribbean, as well as the Biscay, Persian, Gulf of Mexico and Guinea.

The Mediterranean Sea is the largest inland sea on Earth, the cradle of several great civilizations. On its shores there are 18 countries, 130 million people live, and 260 ports. In addition, the Mediterranean Sea is one of the main zones of world shipping: it simultaneously hosts 2.5 thousand long-distance vessels and 5 thousand coastal vessels. 300-350 million tons of oil pass along its routes annually. As a result, this sea in the 60-70s. has turned into almost the main “cesspool” of Europe.

Pollution affected not only inland seas, but also the central parts of the oceans. The threat to deep-sea depressions is increasing: there have been cases of toxic substances and radioactive materials being buried in them.

But oil pollution poses a particular danger to the Ocean. As a result of oil leakage during its production, transportation and processing, from 3 to 10 million tons of oil and oil products enter the World Ocean annually (according to various sources). Space images show that already about 1/3 of its entire surface is covered with an oily film, which reduces evaporation, inhibits the development of plankton, and limits the interaction of the Ocean with the atmosphere. The Atlantic Ocean is most polluted with oil. The movement of surface water in the Ocean causes pollution to spread over long distances.

Atmospheric pollution occurs as a result of the work of industry, transport, as well as various furnaces, which together annually throw billions of tons of solid and gaseous particles into the wind. The main atmospheric pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2), formed primarily during the combustion of mineral fuels, as well as oxides of sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus, lead, mercury, aluminum and other metals.

Sulfur dioxide is the main source of so-called acid rain, which is especially widespread in Europe and North America. Acid precipitation reduces crop yields, destroys forests and other vegetation, destroys life in river bodies, destroys buildings, and negatively affects human health.

In Scandinavia, which receives acid precipitation mainly from Great Britain and Germany, life has perished in 20 thousand lakes, salmon, trout and other fish have disappeared from them. In many Western European countries, catastrophic forest loss is occurring. The same destruction of forests began in Russia. Not only living organisms, but also stone cannot withstand the effects of acid precipitation.

A particular problem is created by the increase in carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions into the atmosphere. If in the middle of the 20th century. worldwide CO 2 emissions amounted to approximately 6 billion tons, then at the end of the century it exceeded 25 billion tons. The economically developed countries of the northern hemisphere bear the main responsibility for these emissions. But recently, carbon emissions have also increased significantly in some developing countries due to the development of industry and especially energy. You know that such emissions threaten humanity with the so-called greenhouse effect and global warming. And the growing emission of chlorofluorocarbons (freons) has already led to the formation of huge “ozone holes” and partial destruction of the “ozone barrier”. The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 indicates that cases of radioactive contamination of the atmosphere also cannot be completely excluded.

SOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS: THREE MAIN WAYS.

But humanity is not only littering its “nest”. It has developed ways to protect the environment and has already begun to implement them.

The first way is to create various types of treatment facilities, use low-sulfur fuel, destroy and process waste, build chimneys 200-300 m high or more, reclaim land, etc. However, even the most modern facilities do not provide complete purification. And ultra-high chimneys, reducing the concentration of harmful substances in a given place, contribute to the spread of dust pollution and acid rain to much wider areas: a chimney 250 m high increases the dispersion radius to 75 km.

The second way consists in the development and application of a fundamentally new environmental (“clean”) production technology, in the transition to low-waste and waste-free production processes. Thus, the transition from direct-flow (river - enterprise - river) water supply to recycling, and even more so to “dry” technology, can ensure first a partial and then a complete cessation of wastewater discharge into rivers and reservoirs.

This path is the main one, since it not only reduces, but prevents environmental pollution. But it requires huge expenses that are unaffordable for many countries.

The third way is a deeply thought-out, most rational placement of so-called “dirty” industries that have a negative impact on the environment. The number of “dirty” industries primarily includes the chemical and petrochemical, metallurgical, pulp and paper industries, thermal energy, and production of building materials. Geographical expertise is especially necessary when locating such businesses.

Another way is to reuse raw materials. In developed countries, reserves of secondary raw materials are equal to explored geological reserves. The centers for the procurement of recyclable materials are old industrial areas of Foreign Europe, the USA, Japan, and the European part of Russia.

Table 14. Share of waste paper in the production of paper and cardboard at the end of the 80s, in%.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY.

The theft of natural resources and the growth of environmental pollution have become an obstacle not only to the further development of production. They often threaten people’s very lives. Therefore, back in the 70-80s. Most economically developed countries of the world began to carry out a variety of environmental activities, carry out environmental policy. Strict environmental laws were adopted, long-term environmental improvement programs were developed, fine systems were introduced (based on the “polluter pays” principle), special ministries and other government bodies were created. At the same time, a massive public movement began to protect the environment. In many countries, green parties emerged and achieved considerable influence, and various public organizations emerged, for example Greenpeace.

As a result, in the 80-90s. Environmental pollution in a number of economically developed countries has begun to gradually decrease, although in most developing countries and some countries with economies in transition, including Russia, it still remains threatening.

Domestic geographers identify 16 critical ecological areas in Russia, which together occupy 15% of the country's territory. Among them, industrial-urban agglomerations predominate, but there are also agricultural and recreational areas.

In our time, to carry out environmental activities and implement environmental policy, the measures taken by individual countries are not enough. The efforts of the entire world community, coordinated by the UN and other international organizations, are needed. In 1972, the first UN Conference on Environmental Problems took place in Stockholm; its opening day, June 5, was declared World Environment Day. Subsequently, an important document, the “World Conservation Strategy,” was adopted, which contained a detailed program of action for all countries. Another similar conference took place in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. It adopted Agenda 21 and other important documents. There is a special body in the UN system - the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), which coordinates work carried out in different countries and generalizes world experience. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the International Geographical Union (IGU) and other organizations are actively involved in environmental activities. In the 80-90s. International agreements have been concluded to reduce carbon emissions, freons and many others. Some of the measures being taken have distinct geographical aspects.

At the end of the 90s. There are already about 10 thousand protected natural areas (PAs) in the world. Most of them are in the USA, Australia, Canada, China, and India. The total number of national parks is approaching 2 thousand, and biosphere reserves - 350.

Since 1972, the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage has been in force. In 1998, the World Heritage List, which is updated annually, included 552 objects - including 418 cultural, 114 natural and 20 cultural-natural. The largest number of such objects are in Italy and Spain (26 each), France (23), India (21), Germany and China (19 each), the USA (18), the UK and Mexico (17 each). There are currently 12 of them in Russia.

And yet, each of you, citizens of the coming 21st century, must always remember the conclusion reached at the Rio 92 Conference: “Planet Earth is in such danger as it has never been before.”

GEOGRAPHICAL RESOURCES AND GEOECOLOGY

In geographical science, two interrelated directions have recently taken shape - resource science and geoecological.

Geographical resource science studies the location and structure of certain types of natural resources and their complexes, issues of their protection, reproduction, economic assessment, rational use and resource availability.

Scientists representing this direction have developed various classifications of natural resources and proposed concepts natural resource potential , resource cycles, territorial combinations of natural resources, natural-technical (geotechnical) systems and others. They also participate in compiling inventories of natural resources and their economic assessment.

Natural resource potential (NRP) of the territory- this is the totality of its natural resources that can be used in economic activities, taking into account scientific and technological progress. PDP is characterized by two main indicators - size and structure, which includes mineral resources, land, water and other private potentials. Resource cycle allows you to trace the successive stages of the natural resource cycle: identification, extraction, processing, consumption, return of waste back into the environment. Examples of resource cycles include: the cycle of energy resources and energy, the cycle of metal ore resources and metals, the cycle of forest resources and timber.

Geoecology from a geographical perspective, studies the processes and phenomena that arise in the natural environment as a result of anthropogenic intervention in it. Concepts of geoecology include, for example, the concept monitoring
Basic concepts: geographical (environmental) environment, ore and non-metallic minerals, ore belts, mineral basins; structure of the world land fund, southern and northern forest belts, forest cover; hydropower potential; shelf, alternative energy sources; resource availability, natural resource potential (NRP), territorial combination of natural resources (TCNR), areas of new development, secondary resources; environmental pollution, environmental policy.

Skills and abilities: be able to characterize the natural resources of the country (region) according to plan; use various methods of economic assessment of natural resources; characterize the natural prerequisites for the development of industry and agriculture of the country (region) according to the plan; give a brief description of the location of the main types of natural resources, identify countries as “leaders” and “outsiders” in terms of endowment with one or another type of natural resources; give examples of countries that do not have rich natural resources, but have achieved a high level of economic development and vice versa; give examples of rational and irrational use of resources.

Sources of environmental pollution can be divided into two categories: natural and artificial. Pollution is the entry into the environment of any element unusual for it. The history of the origin of the Earth and the changes occurring on it can also be attributed to pollution. Pollution is an external influence. The environment reacts to it and changes. That is, pollution causes changes. One day such a change was the appearance of life on Earth. I wonder what kind of pollution caused it?

It is generally accepted that natural sources of pollution for the environment are waste products of organisms, volcanic eruptions, forest fires, sandstorms, and so on. Is it so? Can something that the system itself produces be considered pollution of the system? Or can pollution only occur when an unusual and unfamiliar element enters the system? Yes, as a result of these natural phenomena, an excess or deficiency of some substances occurs. For example, combustion products after fires, sulfur, ash and excess heat after volcanic eruptions, water after excessive rainfall or floods, and so on. And outwardly, all this could well be mistaken for pollution. At least according to external signs. But all these phenomena, firstly, are the result of the activity of the planet or its biosphere. And secondly, in the process of this “activity” no new, previously unknown elements and substances are produced on the planet. And only “alien” can pollute.

He is called an agent. It is not part of the system and its internal structure, and therefore is unusual for it. This is what solar radiation is like for the Earth. Some of its spectra, such as ultraviolet, are still destructive for the biosphere. She has developed a whole system of protection against it, reducing the penetration and influence of these rays.

Since the beginning of its existence, the Earth has always been exposed to various cosmic processes and objects. And she found protection from many of them. But the “attacks” did not stop, and this is quite natural. Meteorites penetrating through the protective layer of the atmosphere, and these should initially be quite large space objects, cause not only visible destruction. They bring extraterrestrial substances to Earth. Can this be considered pollution? Of course yes. It is difficult to assess the extent of such pollution and the consequences they may cause. Only the destruction visible immediately after the fall of the meteorite, which occurs at the atomic level, can only become known after a significant period of time. It is no coincidence that there are a lot of supporters of the theory of the extraterrestrial origin of life, that is, its introduction from space, including on meteorites or other space objects that fell to Earth.

And the increasing impact of solar radiation on the Earth occurs every day, and we are witnessing it. The atmosphere has recently undergone such changes that it can no longer perform its protective functions as before. We are talking about the warming of the planet's climate caused by the appearance of “ozone holes” and the “greenhouse effect”. The amount of ultraviolet radiation, as a result of a decrease in the amount of ozone in the atmosphere, penetrates more into areas of the planet populated by living organisms. This type of light spectrum carries the greatest amount of energy and is destructive for some types of microorganisms. The “greenhouse effect” is associated with an increase in the amount of another light spectrum - infrared. This is thermal radiation originating from objects on the Earth's surface. It returns to the atmosphere and is retained by it. If heat were not retained in the lower layers of the atmosphere, then sudden temperature changes would be inevitable, at which the existence of living organisms would be impossible.

The definition of biosphere states that living organisms influence and transform the environment. They release waste products, which can probably be mistaken for clogging. However, the biosystem is built in such a way that if this “pollution” did not exist, then the system itself would not exist. And the products produced by living organisms are agents within the system and are characteristic of it. Any type of natural or internal pollution is an integral and obligatory element of the existence of the biosphere as an integral, unified and self-regulating system.

Internal “pollution” was useful until another component and living organism of the biosphere – man – began to actively interfere with the process. He invented a new method of pollution and new elements of pollution, previously unknown to nature. That is, now the definition of the biosphere has sounded fully. The impact, change and transformation became complete and tangible. In the process of his life activity, or rather, to ensure his life, man began to create such forms and methods of such provision, the result of which was not only an increase in the volumes and concentrations of elements known to nature, but also the creation of new, artificial, and therefore unknown, called xenobiotics. The form of human impact on the biosphere was called anthropogenic, and the type of pollution was called artificial, that is, it did not appear as a result of natural phenomena or processes.

Types of artificial pollution

In order to live, a person must work, that is, engage in certain types of activities. Firstly, it is the provision of water for food consumption and production needs. Secondly, meet food requirements. Other activities are aimed at solving everyday needs for housing and clothing. For these purposes, natural resources and minerals are extracted and processed, transport and transportation are carried out, and additional energy is generated. In the struggle for life or improving its quality, a person expands the space for his existence, for which he conducts military operations, engages in science, explores space, and so on. All these types of activities are the main sources of environmental pollution, because they lead to the production of waste, industrial and domestic.

Sources of environmental pollution, as a rule, correspond to industries. The greatest danger to nature comes from oil and gas production, metallurgy and the chemical industry, transport, agriculture, and energy.

Waste is generated not only at the end of the production cycle or after complete processing of manufactured products. They are also produced during the technological process. Waste itself is a source of pollution, as a result of accumulation, improper storage, lack of processing and disposal, and so on. All types of environmental pollution can be divided into three main ones. Physical, chemical and biological pollution. Physical includes dust, ash and other combustion products, radiation, electromagnetic fields, noise, and so on. Chemical - substances and compounds, such as heavy metals, salts, acids, alkalis, aerosols and the like. Biological is contamination by bacteriological or microbiological materials.

Each source simultaneously pollutes several types of the natural environment with its waste. That is, its pollution is complex. For example, any industrial production consumes water for its needs, which, having fulfilled its functions, is discharged back into the reservoir. At the same time, going through the stages of the technological process, it is “enriched” with substances and elements involved in production. Returning back, it mixes with the waters of a river or lake and “shares” these substances. As a result, both the water itself and all organisms participating in the food chain of this biocenosis are exposed to pollution.

Manufacturing is usually a consumer of energy. For these needs, various types of fuel are used - peat, coal, fuel oil or gas. When burned, these substances transfer energy to production units and mechanisms, setting them in motion, and the products released as a result of combustion enter the atmosphere. Exhaust gases, ash, suspended particles, etc., enter the respiratory system of living beings with air. In addition, over time, these substances fall out with precipitation onto the soil and water. And again they move along the food chain. Products produced by enterprises are supplied to consumers, after which waste is generated. In addition, the products themselves may fall out of consumer circulation and end up in waste in finished form. Both products and their waste contain substances that are unusual in nature either in terms of qualitative composition or quantitative concentration. Waste, even after disposal, the global percentage of which is very small, accumulates in landfills and landfills. There they are not processed, but rot and burn. The products of rotting and combustion, and these are pollutants, enter the soil, water and air in the ways already described and begin their circulation.

Types of sources and their features

Some sectors of the economy have their own specifics. For example, agriculture, oil and chemical industries, military complex and energy.

The specificity of agriculture is that in order to intensify production and increase crop yields, large amounts of pesticides and mineral fertilizers are introduced into the soil. Studies have shown that up to 10% of the applied substances are used productively. That is, it is precisely this small amount that is absorbed by plants and affects pests. Mineral fertilizers, pesticides, plant protection products, pesticides are substances with a high content of nitrogen and phosphorus. Wherever these substances are located, in storage areas, in fields or landfills, the substances they contain enter the environment in various ways. This mainly occurs during periods of floods, heavy rains, melting snow or blown by the wind. In the full sense of the word, nitrogen and phosphorus cannot be called pollutants, because they can almost entirely be consumed by plants. In this case, too rapid growth of green mass has a negative impact on the natural environment. Filling it with almost the entire volume of the biome and squeezing out the rest of the living world. In such places, the animal world dies or leaves, plants significantly reduce their species diversity, water resources gradually disappear, giving way to organic sediments.

Chemical industry. Its main uniqueness is the synthesis of elements, substances and compounds unknown to nature. This means that there is no organism capable of processing such a substance into something “suitable” for inclusion in the food chain. Xenobiotics, without decomposing or being processed, accumulate in various natural environments and animal organisms. They cause various types of diseases, including changes in the gene structure.

The oil industry, which must include all its stages from production to refining. This industry deals a double blow to the environment. Firstly, oil itself is, in its physical and chemical properties, a substance close to toxic. Secondly, the process of its extraction, transportation and processing is extremely dangerous for nature. For example, during exploration and production of hydrocarbons, forests are cut down and soils are destroyed. At this stage of work, as well as during transportation, spills of oil and petroleum products are common. This is where the nature-harmful qualities of the oil itself come into play. Hydrocarbon processing is a process associated with the use and production of flammable, toxic substances of this kind, which themselves and when used in other industries emit chemicals that negatively affect the air, soil and water resources.

Energy. The main sources affecting the environment in this branch of human activity are: water with elevated temperatures discharged after use for cooling the technological equipment of stations and hydraulic structures that regulate river flows. In these cases, no specific chemical substances enter nature, but the warm water and regulated flow are such that they cause profound changes in the ecosystems of the regions, up to their destruction.

. Its peculiarity is that, despite the presence of almost all types of production, including weapons of mass destruction, chemical, bacteriological and nuclear, it is closed to external inspections. In addition, in a number of countries with powerful military potential, the maintenance of this complex is insufficient to carry out sufficient measures to protect the environment, modernize treatment and control equipment, as well as to dispose of hazardous substances and their storage.

Transport and, above all, automobile. With the invention of the internal combustion engine and man's desire to live in cities, the nature of human settlements has changed dramatically. First of all, this concerns air. In some large cities, road transport accounts for up to 90% of all pollutant emissions. Urbanization and the consolidation of cities only contributes to the deterioration of the situation. Exhaust machine gases contain more than 280 types of various harmful substances. The main ones are: benzopyrene, nitrogen and carbon oxides, lead, mercury, sulfur, soot and hydrocarbons. In addition, transport enterprises, auto repair shops and private cars also mean thousands of tons of various rubber products, used oils and lubricants, scrap metal, glass, contaminated water after washing vehicles and sites for their repair and storage. All this flows into the water and into the soil and air. Most car engines use fuel with a high lead content. Exhaust gases from diesel engines are much more toxic than from gasoline engines.

. Both the first and second represent a concentrated accumulation of all possible pollutants. More and more surfactant additives found in washing powders and detergents are ending up in municipal wastewater. And the distinctive quality of landfills is that absolutely most of them are unauthorized and are formed chaotically. This does not make it possible to control the composition of substances contained in waste, and therefore the degree and danger of their impact on the environment and human health.

For the environment, the sources and types of pollution can be listed endlessly. Name the types of production, formulas of chemical compounds and their quantities, the consequences they cause in living organisms and the harm they cause to human health. You can also list legislative acts, regulatory bodies, events taken and conferences held. Who hasn’t heard this, doesn’t know or doesn’t understand? Why then do we leave garbage after a vacation in the forest, or throw a plastic bottle further into the river, or pour waste oil into a nearby ravine? And so on. The main, first and main source of environmental pollution is not an industrial enterprise, but you and me and each of us. And here you don’t need to be clever, but just try to do it right for once.

Video - Life after people

Man is an animal that left its natural habitat and at the same time created its own - the so-called cultural environment. However, although we do not live in natural conditions, we still depend on nature and probably will always depend on it. From an early age, the fact that “man” and “nature” are inseparable concepts should settle in our heads, and we must maintain the harmony of these relations.

The atmosphere, the water of the World Ocean, the condition of the soil - all this directly affects our lives. The question arises: if everyone knows that pollution of the natural environment can lead to the death of all humanity, why every year the volume Is the harmful impact on our planet only increasing?

Environmental pollution is a global problem for humanity, which is discussed from all sides in the world community. Many organizations and groups are being created whose goal is to prevent an impending disaster or combat the consequences of a disaster that has already occurred.

In general, environmental problems - this is not only a modern phenomenon, but it was in recent decades that it acquired colossal proportions. However, environmental problems are one of the most ancient human problems, associated primarily with the thoughtless and simply barbaric activities of people. It is worth saying that even in the primitive era, forests were mercilessly cut down, animals were exterminated, the landscape was changed to please people who were exploring new habitats and looking for resources.

And even in those days these actions did not go unpunished. The climate changed, environmental disasters occurred. Then, with the growth of the Earth's population, the migration of peoples and increased mining, chemical pollution of the surrounding world came to the fore.

We cannot assess what contribution past generations have made to the current environmental situation, but now the most accurate and detailed analysis of the state of any of the vital indicators of our planet has become possible. Therefore, it is necessary to use strength new technologies to monitor the current state and develop programs that can improve the environmental situation on the planet. So far, everything suggests that the appearance of man is the most important environmental disaster on Earth. Thus, with the development of industry, with an increase in its scale, the condition of each environmental indicator, for example, the chemical composition of air, water and soil, deteriorates.

Classification of natural pollutants

There are several types of pollution, identified by source and direction:

• Biological. The source is living beings. Can occur due to natural causes or as a result of human activity.
• Physical. Changes in the physical characteristics of the environment. This includes: noise, heat, radiation and other pollution.
• Mechanical. Pollution through the accumulation of undisposed garbage and waste.

Often, types of pollution combine to create a complex problem that must be solved.

Without constant gas exchange, the life of not a single living creature on the planet is possible. The atmosphere is a participant in a wide variety of natural processes. It determines the temperature of the earth, and with it the climate, protects from cosmic radiation, and also affects the topography.

It is known that the chemical composition of the atmosphere has changed throughout the historical development of the Earth. Nowadays, a situation has arisen in which the composition of part of the volume of the atmosphere is determined by emissions created by a set of industrial enterprises. Due to this, the composition of the air is heterogeneous and strongly depends on the geographical location. Thus, in a large industrial and densely populated city located on a plain, the content of various impurities is much higher than in a mountain village, whose residents are mostly involved in agriculture.

The main sources of chemical pollution of the atmosphere:

• Chemical industry enterprises;
• Fuel and energy facilities;
• Transport.

Due to the activity of these pollution factors, salts of heavy metals such as mercury, copper, chromium and lead accumulate in the atmosphere. It even got to the point that they became permanent elements of the chemical composition of the air in cities, whose main activity is the work of large enterprises in the heavy or chemical industries. Enterprises in these industries are the most dangerous for the environment.

Needless to say, even today power plants emit hundreds of tons of carbon dioxide, as well as ash, dust and soot, into the atmosphere every day. The huge emission of carbon dioxide is believed to be the main cause of global warming on the planet.

Almost every family owns a car. The city is chock full of cars of different makes and models. However, there is a price for convenience and freedom of movement: currently, in cities and other populated areas, the content of various harmful substances in the air, which are part of machine exhaust, has sharply increased. Due to various production fuel additives, volatile lead compounds are formed in gasoline, which are easily released into the atmosphere. In addition, a car is a source of dust, dirt and ash, which, when settled, also pollute the soil.

The gas envelope of the earth is also greatly affected by poisonous gases - by-products of chemical industry production. Waste from chemical plants is very difficult to dispose of, and the little that is still decided to be released into the atmosphere, for example, oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, will cause the next acid rain and can even completely change the chemical composition of the air in the surrounding area, reacting with other components atmosphere.

Also, numerous forest and peat fires, which can be caused by both natural factors and anthropogenic activities, contribute to the release of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.

Soil is a thin layer of lithosphere, which was formed as a result of metabolic processes between living and nonliving systems.

Most of these dangerous compounds are lead compounds. It is known that during the production process from lead ore approximately 30 kg of metal per ton. Car exhaust also contributes, containing large amounts of lead that settles in soils. It disrupts the natural relationships in the existing ecosystem of the earth. In addition, waste from mines also leads to increased levels of copper, zinc and other hazardous metals in the soil.

Power plants, radioactive waste from nuclear power plants and other nuclear enterprises are one of the reasons for the release of radioactive isotopes into the soil.

An additional danger is that all of the listed substances and compounds can enter the human body with products grown on poisoned soil, which will at least lead to a decrease in immunity.

Dangerous discharges into water

The scale of hydrosphere pollution is much greater than you can imagine. Oil spills and debris in the world's oceans are just the tip of the iceberg. Its bulk is hidden in the depths, or rather, dissolved in water. Catastrophic water pollution causes enormous harm to its inhabitants.

However, water can also become polluted due to natural reasons. As a result of mudflows and floods, magnesium is washed out from the soil of the continents, which ends up in the ocean, causing harm to its inhabitants. But natural pollution is a tiny part if we compare the scale of the impact with the anthropogenic one.

Due to human activity, the following substances enter the waters of the World Ocean:

The source of pollution is fishing vessels, large farms, oil platforms, offshore resource extraction, hydroelectric power plants, chemical industry facilities, and sewage effluents.

Acid rain, being the result of anthropogenic activity, affects the soil, dissolves the soil and washes out heavy metal salts, which, once in the water, poison it.

There is also physical pollution of water, more specifically thermal pollution. Enormous volumes of water are used in the process of generating electricity, for example, to cool turbines. And then the waste liquid, which has an elevated temperature, is disposed of in water bodies.

Also, water quality may deteriorate due to its contamination by household waste in populated areas. This has a detrimental effect on the flora and fauna of water bodies and can even lead to the extinction of entire species. The protection of water from pollution is primarily associated with the construction of modern treatment facilities.

Ways to combat environmental pollution

This problem should become a priority for all states of the world. Even the most powerful state alone cannot cope with such a task. Nature has no state borders, planet Earth is our common home, which means taking care of it and maintaining order in it is our common and most important responsibility. Protecting our planet is only possible through joint efforts.

In order to stop or reduce the release of toxic substances into the environment, strict sanctions should be introduced to enterprises that discharge waste into the environment, and the implementation of the imposed ones should be monitored. In addition, enterprises that emit gases into the atmosphere must be required to install filters that reduce the percentage of toxic substances released into the air. It is necessary to oblige all states to impose large fines for leaving garbage in places not designated for it, as, for example, this has been successfully done in Singapore.

What other methods should you use?

We all need to remember that environmental pollution and human health are dependent. In short, the worse the environmental situation, the more diseases people are susceptible to. Have you noticed that there have been more reports of cancer recently? This fact is also associated with the deplorable environmental situation on the planet. The earth is our home, its protection and protection is the task of each of us. In order not to look out the window at a picture more suitable for illustrations for books in the post-apocalypse genre, we need to join forces in a mission to improve the environmental situation on the planet. Together we can do this.

The main sources of environmental pollution are artificial and man-made. Speaking in facts, here are just some of the consequences of a thoughtless attitude towards nature:

• Thermal pollution of the environment and harmful gases from cars have led to the fact that about 250 thousand people in Europe alone die annually from diseases associated with this phenomenon;
• Every year, about 11 million hectares of tropical forests are cut down on Earth, while the rate of restoration of forest cover is ten times lower;
• 9 million tons of waste are dumped annually into the Pacific Ocean, and more than 30 million tons into the Atlantic;
• Over 40 years, the amount of drinking water per capita of the planet's population has decreased by 60%;
• Discarded glass will take 1,000 years to decompose, plastic – 500 years.

Consequences of oil spills

In recent years, environmental pollution has only been gaining momentum and many scientists around the world have begun to pay attention to this problem. Until recently, nothing like this was observed, since the level of consumption of goods by the population of the entire planet was at a low level. But with the constant increase in the standard of living, the purchasing power of people, and the construction of more and more dangerous industries, the issue of preserving nature began to become more and more acute.

Today, the problem of environmental pollution is acute - humans have a negative impact on the whole world in many ways, and there are no clear solutions for this situation yet. In progressive countries they are already trying to combat this by creating advanced waste processing plants, but in most countries culture has not yet reached this level.

Interesting fact. One passenger car produces in a year an amount of carbon dioxide equal to its own weight. This gas contains about 300 substances hazardous to people and nature.

Environmental pollution - what does it mean?

Due to deforestation, many animals are losing their homes and becoming extinct - like this koala

Pollution of nature is usually understood as such human behavior, as a result of which dangerous and harmful substances and materials, chemical compounds and biological agents are introduced into nature. The consequences of environmental pollution affect not only the properties of soil, water, vegetation, and air quality, but can also affect a host of other factors, including the overall quality of people’s lives.

The release of hazardous substances into nature can occur through natural, artificial or anthropogenic means. Examples of the first option include volcanic eruptions, when dust and magma covers the earth, destroying all living things, disruption of the population of any animals in a certain area, which leads to problems in the existing food chain, increased solar activity, provoking droughts and similar phenomena.

Artificial ways of negative impact on the environment are inextricably linked with humans: the constantly growing number of hazardous industries, the accumulation of non-recyclable garbage and household waste, vehicle exhaust, deforestation and urbanization. It is difficult to even list all the negative factors that affect the normal state of nature as a result of human actions.

Classification of types of environmental pollution

Penguin caught in dirty water after oil spill

In addition to the above division into artificial and natural, types of environmental pollution are also divided into the following categories:

• Disruption of normal biocenosis or biological impact. Occurs as a result of uncontrolled fishing or hunting of certain types of animals, negative impact on animals due to anthropogenic activities. The uncontrolled activity of hunters and fishermen, poachers leads to forced or spontaneous migration of a large number of animals to other habitats, etc. As a result of such processes, the normal biocenosis is disrupted, which sometimes provokes catastrophic problems. This can also include deforestation, drying up rivers or changing their flow, developing huge quarries, large forest and steppe fires;
• Mechanical, implying the release into nature of a huge amount of waste resulting from human activity, which negatively affects both the inhabitants of the region and the physical and chemical structure and properties of the soil, groundwater, etc.;
• Physical pollution of the environment is a complex of impact factors, as a result of which some physical parameters change: its temperature, the level of radioactive, light, and noise conditions. This also includes electromagnetic influence from satellites and antennas;
• Chemical negative impact, which manifests itself in a change in the normal chemical composition in the earth, water, air, which provokes destructive processes in it and deprives organisms of normal, habitual conditions for their life.

Interesting fact. Due to excessive electromagnetic radiation in some developed countries, the number of insects has changed dramatically. A negative effect of electromagnetic radiation on bees has been noticed, which prefer to migrate to places that are cleaner from radiation.

Environmental tax payment

Many countries, especially in the civilized world, have come to the conclusion that companies must pay certain taxes for polluting the environment through their activities. The money collected in this way goes to combat the consequences of the problem in one area or another, for example, in the country’s water sector.

Pollution of the natural environment occurs everywhere, so it is reasonable for the state to develop a unified approach and a general tax in this matter. However, at the moment there is still no clear definition of environmental tax.

Typically, government interaction with the owners of hazardous production occurs as follows: the facility is checked for compliance with environmental safety standards and, if the established standards are exceeded, it undertakes to pay a certain tax, for example, on each ton of hazardous substances generated.

Therefore, it is worth talking rather not about some kind of general tax for the entire state, but about various types of payments from the manufacturer to the state in the event that the facility generates harmful substances. Let's take a closer look at the situations in which this happens.

What taxes are considered environmental?

• Transport tax. In 2016, it must be paid if it is proven that the vehicle is harmful to the environment.
• Mineral extraction tax. For example, when extracting natural resources, including coal and oil, which are exhaustible.
• Water tax. In Russia it is paid for introducing an imbalance into the environment when using water resources.
• Fee for the exploitation of aquatic biological resources in Russia, objects of the animal world. This tax is paid if damage to nature is caused as a result of hunting or other types of catching animals.
  Land.

How does all this affect the human body?

A wave of garbage on the island of Java - the most populous island on the planet

Many people treat the issue under consideration rather superficially and do not take any action to protect the environment from pollution, believing that the problem does not concern them. In fact, this is a completely wrong and unconscious approach.

The result of a changed environment affects people very much, since they are an inseparable part of nature. We can highlight the most important areas that, due to the negative influence of humans, have undergone changes that pose a danger:

Climate. A constant increase in temperature, melting glaciers, changes in some global currents in the world's oceans, the presence of dangerous chemical compounds in the air - this is only a small part of what everyone faces. Even the most minimal changes in climate: temperature, pressure, precipitation level or strong gusts of wind can bring with them a lot of problems of a very different nature: from acute rheumatism to destroyed crops, drought and hunger strike (see);

Biological and chemical factors. Harmful substances enter the soil, penetrate into groundwater, into the air in the form of evaporation, and are absorbed into plants, which animals and people then feed on. Dangerous chemicals can, even in small concentrations, provoke allergies, coughs, illnesses, rashes on the body and even mutations. With chronic poisoning, a person becomes weaker and tired;

Nutrition has no less impact on human health. Crops grown on unclean soil, soaked in large amounts of chemical fertilizers and poisons, lose many positive properties, becoming a real poison. Bad food causes obesity, loss of taste and appetite, and a lack of essential vitamins and microelements in the body.

Environmental pollution, as defined above, can have a very negative impact on the health of millions of people.

Genetic danger

Mutations in animals caused by environmental change

One of the most important nuances of the issue under consideration is the so-called genetic danger. It lies in the fact that under the influence of harmful chemicals, various mutations can accumulate in the body, which can provoke cancerous tumors and introduce serious defects into future generations, sometimes even incompatible with life.

The manifestation of mutations and changes in the body and its descendants does not appear immediately. This may take years or decades. That is why eating GMO food, being exposed to radiation and strong radiation, smoking, which also causes cell mutations, manifest themselves in the form of the same cancer and other pathologies not immediately, but after 10-20 years.

Fighting the problem

Spittelau waste treatment plant in Vienna, Austria

Anthropogenic environmental pollution, the causes and consequences of which have already been discussed in general terms above, is of serious concern to many thinking people around the world. It is enough to visit a land where there is no end in sight at least once to understand that the situation is going too far and it needs not to be hidden in abandoned quarries, but to be radically resolved.

Since nature has no borders, the fight against the problem of its pollution is international. Now there are many organizations in the world that are trying to influence manufacturers, governments and people in order to instill in them a more conscious attitude towards nature and their actions. In some countries, green energy sources are being actively promoted; popular automobile companies are starting to produce electric cars, which should replace gasoline and diesel engines.

Important components of the fight for nature conservation:

Promoting the abandonment of the consumer lifestyle and the constant purchase of things that can easily be discarded and which will quickly end up in the nearest trash heap;

Construction of waste processing plants capable of producing new materials from recycled materials that will be reused in production;

Garbage sorting. In cultural countries, this issue has already been practically resolved and people throw different types of garbage into different containers. This simplifies the process of their disposal and recycling.

One of the serious reasons for environmental pollution is the irresponsible attitude of ordinary people towards the problem and their reluctance to understand these issues.

How to prevent the problem

The fight against environmental pollution is a complex task that must be solved in the following complex:

• Bringing the attention of governments of all countries to the problem;
• Educating the masses in order to instill awareness in them on this issue;
• Impact on producers and their control. All this must be regulated by thoughtful and strict legislation;
• Prevention of environmental pollution must also be accompanied by the creation of a full-fledged infrastructure for the removal, disposal and processing of waste.

Only all these points together can produce a positive effect and reverse the current negative trend, making our world cleaner.

General consequences of environmental pollution

Garbage-filled areas of Bangladesh

At the moment, the consequences of the constant increase in consumption, industrial development and the corresponding amount of waste and garbage are already quite noticeable, and this applies to the whole world. Suffice it to recall the recent “garbage” riots that broke out in the suburbs of Moscow, when people began to complain en masse about the terrible smell from a landfill next to their houses and the deterioration of air and water quality.

Interesting fact. About 40 million Russians living in cities live in conditions of air pollution levels 10 times higher than prescribed by sanitary standards.

As a conclusion, it is worth noting that the environmental consequences of environmental pollution are catastrophic for every person on Earth. But only a conscious approach to the problem can change something.

The main factors of environmental pollution depend on people, so if all people unite to solve this problem, then you can be sure that a solution will be found. The only thing left to do is the strong-willed decision of the authorities of all countries to start moving in this direction.

Thermal radiation resulting from .

Chemical pollution- an increase in the amount of chemical substances of a certain component of the natural environment, as well as the introduction of chemical substances into it in concentrations that exceed the norm or are not typical for it.

Chemical pollution is one of the most frequently occurring types of pollution produced as a result of diverse human economic activities. Chemical pollution agents include a wide range of chemical compounds. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are about 500 thousand such compounds, of which about 40 thousand are harmful substances and about 12 thousand are toxic.

In table Table 1 lists the most dangerous chemical pollutants of the biosphere that have the greatest impact on it.

The continuing increase in the number and variety of new industrial enterprises, chemical production, various vehicles, and the chemicalization of agriculture lead to increasing pollution of the environment with all kinds of chemicals (xenobiotics) entering it with gaseous, liquid and solid emissions and waste.

Table 1. Main chemical pollutants of the biosphere (according to UNESCO)

Chemical substances	General characteristics of the impact on the biosphere
Carbon dioxide	Formed during the combustion of all types of fuel. An increase in its content in the atmosphere leads to an increase in its temperature, which is fraught with harmful geochemical and environmental consequences.
Carbon monoxide	Formed during incomplete combustion of fuel. May disrupt the thermal balance of the upper atmosphere
Sulphur dioxide	Contained in industrial smoke. Causes exacerbation of respiratory diseases and harms plants. Corrodes limestone and other rocks
Nitrogen oxides	They create smog, cause respiratory diseases and bronchitis in newborns. Promotes excessive growth of aquatic vegetation
	One of the dangerous food contaminants, especially of marine origin. Accumulates in the body and affects the nervous system
	It is an additive for the leadening of gasoline. Acts on enzyme systems and metabolism in living cells
Oil and petroleum products	Lead to harmful environmental consequences, causing the death of planktonic organisms, fish, seabirds and mammals
DDT and other pesticides	Very toxic to crustaceans. They kill fish and organisms that serve as fish food. Many are carcinogens

A characteristic feature of chemical pollution of the natural environment is that they manifest themselves on any spatial scale, including the global one.

The environmental situation in Russia has all the main features and manifestations of the global environmental crisis. Recently, first of all, there has been a problem whose levels exceed permissible levels.

The current environmental situation is also dangerous. Currently, annual emissions from industrial enterprises and transport in Russia amount to about 25 million tons. Currently, there are more than 24 thousand enterprises in the country that pollute the environment. According to official data, more than 65 million people living in 187 cities are exposed to pollutants whose average annual concentrations exceed the maximum permissible standards. Every tenth city in Russia has a high level of environmental pollution.

Significant air pollution in them is caused by stationary sources. Most of the pollutants are gaseous and liquid substances, and a much smaller part is solid impurities. The total emission of harmful gaseous substances into the atmosphere is significantly increased by vehicles. The share of road transport in total emissions is on average 35-40% in the Russian Federation, and in large cities it reaches 80-90%. Exhaust gases emitted by motor vehicles contain more than 200 harmful substances and compounds. The most well-known air pollutants are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and dioxide, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, lead, etc. Some air pollutants have carcinogenic properties (benzopyrene).

The main ways in which chemical pollutants penetrate into the environment are through the release of harmful substances into the atmosphere, discharges into surface and underground waters, and disposal of solid waste.

Chemical pollution of the atmosphere

Atmospheric air is one of the most important components of the environment. The main sources of air pollution are thermal power plants and heating plants burning fossil fuels; motor transport; ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy; mechanical engineering; chemical production; mining and processing of mineral raw materials; open sources (extraction, agricultural production, construction).

Under modern conditions, more than 400 million tons of particles of ash, soot, dust and various types of waste and construction materials enter the atmosphere. In addition to the above substances, other, more toxic substances are also released into the atmosphere: vapors of mineral acids (sulfuric, chromic, etc.), organic solvents, etc. Currently, there are more than 500 harmful substances that pollute the atmosphere.

Sources of pollutant emissions into the atmosphere
Impurities	main sources		Average concentration in air mg/m3
	Natural	Anthropogenic
Dust	Volcanic eruptions, dust storms, forest fires	Combustion of fuel in industrial and domestic conditions	in cities 0.04 - 0.4
Sulfur dioxide	Volcanic eruptions, oxidation of sulfur and sulfates dispersed into the sea	Combustion of fuel in industrial and domestic installations	in cities up to 1.0
Nitrogen oxides	Forest fires	Industry, motor transport, thermal power plants	In areas with developed industry up to 0.2
Carbon oxides
Volatile hydrocarbons	Forest fires, natural methane	Motor transport, evaporation of petroleum products	In areas with developed industry up to 0.3
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons	-	Motor transport, chemical and oil refineries	In areas with developed industry up to 0.01

Many energy and industrial sectors not only generate the maximum amount of harmful emissions, but also create environmentally unfavorable living conditions for residents of both large and medium-sized cities. Emissions of toxic substances lead, as a rule, to an increase in current concentrations of substances above maximum permissible concentrations(MPC).

Maximum concentrations of harmful substances in the atmospheric air of populated areas- these are the maximum concentrations assigned to a certain averaging period (30 minutes, 24 hours, 1 month, 1 year) and, with the regulated probability of their occurrence, not having either direct or indirect harmful effects on the human body, including long-term consequences for the present and subsequent generations , which do not reduce a person’s performance and do not worsen his well-being.

Chemical pollution of the hydrosphere

Water, like air, is a vital source for all known organisms. Russia is one of the countries most endowed with water. However, the condition of its reservoirs cannot be called satisfactory. Anthropogenic activities lead to pollution of both surface and underground water sources.

The main sources of hydrosphere pollution are discharged wastewater generated during the operation of energy, industrial, chemical, medical, defense, housing and communal services and other enterprises and facilities; disposal of radioactive waste in containers and containers that lose their tightness after a certain period of time; accidents and disasters occurring on land and in water; atmospheric air polluted with various substances and others.

Surface sources of drinking water are annually and increasingly subject to contamination by xenobiotics of various natures, therefore the supply of drinking water to the population from surface sources is increasingly dangerous. About 50% of Russians are forced to use water for drinking that does not meet sanitary and hygienic requirements for a number of indicators. The water quality of 75% of Russian water bodies does not meet regulatory requirements.

More than 600 billion tons of energy, industrial, domestic and other types of wastewater are discharged into the hydrosphere annually. More than 20-30 million tons of oil and its refined products, phenols, easily oxidized organic substances, copper and zinc compounds enter water spaces. Unsustainable agricultural practices also contribute to the pollution of water sources. Residues of fertilizers and pesticides washed out of the soil end up in water bodies and pollute them. Many hydrosphere pollutants are capable of entering into chemical reactions and forming more harmful complexes.

Water pollution suppresses the functions of ecosystems, slows down the natural processes of biological purification of fresh water, and also contributes to changes in the chemical composition of food and the human body.

Hygienic and technical requirements for water supply sources and the rules for their selection in the interests of public health are regulated by GOST 2761-84 “Sources of centralized domestic and drinking water supply. Hygienic, technical requirements and selection rules”; SanPiN 2.1.4.544-96 “Requirements for water quality of non-centralized water supply. Sanitary protection of sources”; GN 2.1.5.689-98 “Maximum permissible concentrations (MAC) of chemical substances in the water of water bodies for domestic, drinking and cultural water supply”, etc.

Hygienic requirements for the quality of drinking water from centralized drinking water supply systems are specified in sanitary rules and regulations. Standards are established for the following parameters of water in reservoirs: the content of impurities and suspended particles, taste, color, turbidity and water temperature, pH, composition and concentration of mineral impurities and oxygen dissolved in water, maximum permissible concentrations of chemicals and pathogenic bacteria. MPC is the maximum permissible pollution of water in reservoirs, which maintains safety for human health and normal conditions for water use. For example, for benzene the MPC is 0.5 mg/l.

Chemical soil contamination

The soil— numerous lower animals and microorganisms, including bacteria, molds, viruses, etc. Soil is a source of infection with anthrax, gas gangrene, tetanus, and botulism.

Along with the natural uneven distribution of certain chemical elements in modern conditions, their artificial redistribution also occurs on a huge scale. Emissions from industrial enterprises and agricultural production facilities, dispersing over considerable distances and entering the soil, create new combinations of chemical elements. From the soil, these substances can enter the human body as a result of various migration processes (soil - plants - humans, soil - atmospheric air - humans, soil - water - humans, etc.). Industrial solid waste releases all kinds of metals (iron, copper, aluminum, lead, zinc) and other chemical pollutants into the soil.

The soil has the ability to accumulate radioactive substances that enter it with radioactive waste and atmospheric radioactive fallout after nuclear tests. Radioactive substances enter food chains and affect living organisms.

Chemical compounds that pollute the soil also include carcinogenic substances - carcinogens that play a significant role in the occurrence of tumor diseases. The main sources of soil pollution with carcinogenic substances are exhaust gases from vehicles, emissions from industrial enterprises, thermal power plants, etc. Carcinogens enter the soil from the atmosphere along with coarse and medium-dispersed dust particles, during leakage of oil or its products, etc. The main danger of pollution soil is associated with global air pollution.

Standardization of chemical contamination of soils is carried out according to maximum permissible concentrations MPC in accordance with GN 6229-91 “List of maximum permissible concentrations (MAC) and approximate permissible quantities of chemical substances in soil.”

Impact of chemical environmental pollution on human health

In recent decades, the problem of preventing the adverse effects of environmental factors on human health has risen to one of the first places among other global problems.

This is due to the rapid increase in the number of factors of different nature (physical, chemical, biological, social), the complex spectrum and mode of their influence, the possibility of simultaneous action (combined, complex), as well as the variety of pathological conditions caused by these factors.

Among the complex of anthropogenic (technogenic) impacts on the environment and human health, a special place is occupied by numerous chemical compounds widely used in industry, agriculture, energy and other areas of production. Currently, more than 11 million chemical substances are known, and in economically developed countries over 100 thousand chemical compounds are produced and used, many of which have a real impact on humans and the environment.

Exposure to chemical compounds can cause almost all pathological processes and conditions known in general pathology. Moreover, as knowledge about the mechanisms of toxic effects deepens and expands, more and more new types of adverse effects are revealed (carcinogenic, mutagenic, immunotoxic and other types of effects).

There are several fundamental approaches to preventing the adverse effects of chemicals:

• complete ban on production and use;
• prohibition of release into the environment and any impact on humans;
• replacing a toxic substance with a less toxic and dangerous one;
• limitation (regulation) of content in environmental objects and levels of impact on workers and the population as a whole.

Due to the fact that modern chemistry has become a determining factor in the development of key areas in the entire system of productive forces, the choice of a prevention strategy is a complex, multi-criteria task, the solution of which requires analysis as the risk of developing immediate and long-term adverse effects of a substance on the human body, its offspring, the environment, as well as the possible social, economic, medical and biological consequences of a ban on the production and use of a chemical compound.

The determining criterion for choosing a prevention strategy is prevention (avoidance) of a harmful action. The production and use of certain dangerous industrial carcinogens and pesticides is prohibited in our country and abroad.