POLLUTION

.:DEFINITION:.(FROM LEGAL PERSPECTIVE)

“Pollution” means any direct or

indirect alteration of the physical,

thermal, chemical or biological

properties of any part of the

environment by discharging, emitting

or depositing environmentally

hazardous substances, pollutants or

waste so as to affect any beneficial

use adversely, to cause a condition

which is hazardous or potentially

hazardous to public health, safety or

welfare or to animals, birds, wildlife,

fish or aquatic life or to plants or to

cause contravention of any condition,

limitation or restriction to which a

license under this Act is subject.

.:DEFINITION:.(FROM THE ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE)

“Pollution” is an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of our air, land and water that may or will harmfully affect human life or that of desirable species, our industrial processes, living conditions and cultural assets or that may or will waste or deteriorate our raw material resources.

.:Source of Pollution:.

•Gas releases - stack gases, fugitive emissions. Example: CO, CO₂, vapourised hydrocarbons and other complex organics.

•Liquid releases – domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, spills and rainfall runoff.

•Solid releases - bulk trash, drummed wastes, suspended solids in wastewater and airborne dust and particulates.

.:Types of Pollution Sources:.

Point source / Discrete point source

“from specific, localised and identifiable sources.” e.g. sewage pipelines, industrial smokestacks.

Nonpoint source / Diffuse source

“from dispersed or uncontained sources.” e.g. automobile emissions, urban contaminated water runoff.