The world’s natural environment is being contaminated by substances that are dangerous to life. These are known as pollutants. Pollution can be caused by human activity (anthropogenic) and by natural factors, like volcanoes and windblown dust. Pollution can be either physical or chemical, and it can have a single source (point-source pollution) or multiple sources spread over a large area (nonpoint-source pollution).
Air pollutants, like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds, can cause respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchiolitis and emphysema. Other air pollutants, such as phthalates, dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, can cause direct poisoning in humans at high concentrations.
Water pollution, such as from sewage, agricultural and industrial wastes, can be toxic to people. Every year unsafe water sickens about 1 billion people. This is especially a problem in poor communities, which are closer to polluting industries. Plastic pollution is another issue, with a lot of it ending up in oceans. The Great Pacific garbage patch, for instance, is made up of plastic fragments that can be harmful to fish and other marine life.
Pollution is a major impediment to sustainable development and the goal of leaving no one behind. It causes debilitating illnesses, destroys ecosystems, and harms the economic growth of urban and rural areas. It also has a disproportionate effect on vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly. Children’s developing bodies and weak immune systems make them more susceptible to the effects of pollution, while older adults often have pre-existing conditions that are made worse by environmental stressors.
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