Pollution Lake Huron free essay sample

Obviously, this type of pollution is easier to trace and manage. Non-point source pollution is defined as having contaminants that cannot be traced back to a single source or location. It may come from mulitple sources in small amounts but can become concentrated in a body of water. The last type is atmospheric pollution, also referred to as air pollution and is defined as gasses or solid particles such as soil which are found in the air and can settle in bodies of water. The contanimants described above come from a number of sources including storm sewers, spills, landfills and can enter Lake Huron via variety of methods including atmospheric deposition, direct discharges and tributaries. The effects on the economy are many and the most important one would the effects that these contaminants can have on human health. Pollutants that persist in the waters of Lake Huron can accumulate through the food chain in fish for instance. We will write a custom essay sample on Pollution Lake Huron or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Frequent consumption of fish from these waters can cause high levels of toxic chemicals including DDT, dioxin, PCVs, etc. hich have been attributed to reproductive problems, neurological disorders and cancers. Those with weakened immune systems should stay away from consuming fish from these waters. Other health issues can arise when drinking water becomes contaminated which can cause skin infections and baterial contanimiations. Belor is an example of point source pollution republished from www. lakescientist. com [pic] Other economic factors to consider are the costs it will take to implement solutions to the pollution issues. There have been legislative order designed to establish pollution control – this includes the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement which was created to reduce phosphorus levels in lakes affecting the United States and Canada. In addition, cleaning the waters which are already contaminated could cost up to a trillion dollars by some estimates. The most effective way to clean up is to prevent future contaminations and allowing normal biological processes to get rid of existing contaminants. Using Micro-organisms To Clean Water; http://www. envirotools. org/factsheets/Remediation/bioremediation. shtml republished in www. safewaer. org [pic] However, there are a number of factors which dictate the right course of action. Another way to rid the lake of pollution is called bioremediation which uses microorganisms already found in soil to â€Å"digest† contaminants in water and soil. Also, there are grassroots organizations that often prompt government regulations by creating a groundswell of concern around pollution issues. The following table lists the time that is required for some common items to break down |Time Required to Degrade in Water | |in water. Item | | |Cardboard |2 weeks | |Newspaper |6 weeks | |Foam 50 years | |Styrofoam |80 years | |Aluminum cans |200 years | |Plastic packaging |400 years | |Glass |Forever | Republished from www. water-pollution. org. uk/causes. html in www. safewater. org There are certainly a number of contributing causes to the pollution in Lake Huron as well as negative impacts to the environment and human health factors to consider as well. There doesn’t seem to be one cure all for these issues but rather a number of approaches which together, can help to make our lakes clean and safe. References www. great-lakes. net www. lakescientist. com www. safewater. org