Kudos’ Post

By Eelco Leemans, tech advisor to Clean Arctic Alliance: “The solution to pollution is dilution”. A saying that was frequently used half a century ago, but since then scientific knowledge on toxicology has clearly shown that this solution does not work – pollutants can be persistent in the environment and bioaccumulate in the food chain. As a consequence, environmental policy and regulations have evolved away from “solution to pollution is dilution” approaches in order to protect life on earth. However, some sectors appear to remain stuck in this old and tired twentieth century narrative, for example the maritime industry, which is notorious for polluting the oceans. While the shipping sector is quick to claim that “shipping is the least environmentally damaging mode of transportation”, have you ever encountered another transport mode that deliberately puts millions of tons of polluted water in the ocean? This is exactly what the global shipping fleet does, day in and day out. Discharges of sewage and waste water from bathrooms and kitchens, toxins from paints, cargo residues, lubricating oil and wastewater from scrubbers all end up in the ocean, with detrimental impacts on marine life, and the millions of people who depend upon the ocean for their livelihoods and wellbeing. Continue reading: https://lnkd.in/dVNX_6rc

Great review about the omnipresent pollution of microplastics! #scientificreading #pollution #plastic #microplastic #environment #sustainabledevelopment

Environmental Pollution in Esit Eket, Sources and Health Impact https://lnkd.in/dqn8CFzq

This week, we received sobering news about increased bacterial pollution on the shores of Pasir Ris Beach, right where our office is located. But amidst the challenges, OPP is energised and determined to make a difference in our community's fight against ocean pollution. Globally, research estimates chemical industries discharge 300-400 megatonnes of industrial waste into bodies of water each year. While the news about elevated Enterococcus bacteria levels in Pasir Ris is concerning, it is vital to note that not all bacteria and not all algae are bad. Innovations like Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) developed by researchers at the Engineers Without Border University of California San Diego are derived from natural organisms like bacteria and algae and offer a promising avenue for water pollution cleanup harnessing the power of bacteria for environmental restoration. The research by Jon Pokorski, Professor of Nanoengineering and Debika Datta, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar in Nanoengineering, developed hydrogel-based materials, embedded with programmed bacteria, showing promise in transforming chemical dye pollutants into harmless substances. Resembling agar-agar or jelly like textures, the hydrogel provides a supportive environment for bacteria to thrive. By genetically engineering cyanobacteria to produce enzymes like laccase, they have facilitated the breakdown of pollutants, offering a sustainable solution to water pollution. Learn more about how bacteria can be harnessed for good here: https://lnkd.in/geHJx-yW At OPP, our ongoing projects in bioremediation, such as seaweed and mussel lines in local fish farms, exemplify our dedication to nature-based solutions.After all, blooms are a response to adverse environmental and nutrient input that is almost always a result of human interventions. For concerned members of the community who want to see renewed efforts against ocean pollution, the potential of bioremediation present a compelling opportunity to expand their impact and contribute to tangible solutions. For OPP, it’s a trial and error process of figuring out what works with our shores. By harnessing the power of nature itself, we can create synergies between technological innovation and environmental stewardship, fostering a harmonious relationship between human activities and the ocean ecosystem. 💙 #OceanConservation #Bioremediation #NatureBasedSolutions #CleanWater

💧 Water scarcity could hit 3 billion people more than expected by 2050 worldwide due to nitrogen pollution. A factor that is not considered in UN estimates on water availability in the coming decades. “While climate change affects water availability, urbanization and agricultural activities have led to increased water demand and pollution, limiting the safe use of water“, explain researchers from the Dutch University of Wageningen and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research Impact (PIK) who recently published a study on Nature Communications. The Netherlands and Germany are heavily affected by nitrogen pollution. The Netherlands, in particular, has already drawn up a plan since 2019 to reduce the release of substances that increase it. They are also acting radically, for example with the recent proposal to reduce the number of cattle in the country, on which much of the problem depends. From here the researchers set out to supplement the estimates of global water scarcity with forecasts of increased nitrogen pollution. #SENnews #environmnent #globalwarming #greeneconomy #solar #eolic #energy #greenenergy #solarenergy #windenergy #sustainable #sustainabledevelopment

Robots For Waste Segregation, Incentives For Citizens Adopting Sustainable Practices — Pollution Control Strategies There are innumerable ways of controlling pollution, but does everyone truly abide by laws, rules and regulations meant to prevent environmental degradation? No, they do not. There are motivated people around who care about Earth and do their best to protect nature. But several people deny that climate change is real, and put no effort in pollution control, biodiversity conservation, and waste management. They are living with a grave misconception that saving the Earth has nothing to do with them. One way to motivate citizens who are indifferent towards environmental protection to start caring about pollution control is for the government to provide them with incentives as reward for adopting sustainable practices. This could be an effective pollution control strategy. For instance, people who purchase electric vehicles must get tax benefits in India, because economic subsidies to citizens contributing to the prevention of environmental depletion are great motivators. In this article, I have listed numerous pollution control strategies. I interviewed the following people for this story: Dr Krishna Malakar, Assistant Professor (Climate Policy), Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras Professor Ashwin Mahalingam, Head, School of Sustainability, IIT Madras Saket Dave, CEO and Founder of Wastelink, a New-Delhi based startup involved in food waste management Dr Gautam Menon, Dean, Research and Professor of Physics and Biology, Ashoka University Dr Meghna Agarwala, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, Ashoka University Read my article to know different techniques of waste management and biodiversity conservation. https://lnkd.in/gERcVZkv

It’s been said by scientists that nitrogen pollution from agriculture and human waste could dramatically worsen clean water scarcity by 2050, according to a groundbreaking study published in the journal Nature Communications.   Researchers from Germany and the Netherlands modeled the impact of nitrogen pollution on water quality in more than 10,000 river basins planetwide. They came to realize that as of 2010, there were just 984 river basins thought to be facing water scarcity based on “classic” water quantity estimates.   Projecting forward to 2050, a worst-case pollution scenario found more than 3,000 river subbasins facing clean water scarcity, covering an additional 40 million square kilometers (around 15.4 million square miles) of basin area, and potentially impacting 3 billion more people than their estimate of 2.9 billion people impacted by water quantity scarcity alone in 2010, the researchers stated.   #Germany #Netherlands #Nitrogen #Nitrogrenpollution #waterscarcity #pollution #Nitrogenpollutionimpact #agriculture #Humanwaste   This content is jointly prepared by ripple2wave and ZWEEC Analytics Pte Ltd. Follow us for more interesting content on #water and #sustainability.   Sourced from: https://lnkd.in/dJg2WvzJ    

#Landfills… What You Need to Know 🫵🏼 As populations grow and consumption increases, landfills have become the primary solution for managing the world's waste. However, the environmental and health consequences are significant, affecting both developed and developing nations. • Landfills consume vast amounts of space, often encroaching on natural habitats, farmlands, and even residential areas. In many regions, these sites displace wildlife, degrade ecosystems, and leave the land permanently scarred. Once a landfill is established, it can take decades before the land can be safely repurposed, and even then, the area remains vulnerable to long-term pollution. • Two of the most damaging by-products are leachate and methane gas. • Leachate is a toxic liquid that forms when water passes through waste, collecting hazardous chemicals and heavy metals. Without proper containment, it seeps into the groundwater, polluting local water sources. • Methane is a potent greenhouse gas released as organic waste decomposes. Though some landfills capture methane for energy, many do not, contributing significantly to climate change. In many developing nations, open dumps lack the infrastructure to manage these by-products, leading to widespread environmental harm. Countries like Sweden and Germany have implemented advanced #recycling and waste-to-energy systems, significantly reducing their reliance on landfills. What Can We Do? 👇🏼 - Promote recycling and composting to reduce the amount of waste headed to landfills. - Support innovations in waste-to-energy technologies. - Advocate for improved waste management systems globally, particularly in regions where infrastructure is lacking. The long-term impacts of landfills are profound, but through better practices and innovations, we can mitigate their effects. Video credits: Swedenintz

US air pollution rates on the decline but pockets of inequities remain . Our latest study shows there are racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in air pollution emissions reductions, particularly in the industry and energy generation sectors. The findings provide a national investigation of air pollution emission changes in the 40 years following the enactment of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Until now, studies have primarily focused on evaluating air pollution disparities at a single time point, focusing on pollutant concentrations instead of emissions. A focus on emissions, however, has more direct implications for regulations and policies. In this study, the researchers used county-level data to evaluate racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in air pollution emissions changes in the contiguous U.S. from 1970 to 2010.

Happy Earth Day 🌍 Today, marks a global celebration to raise awareness and take action to protect our planet. I would like to draw attention towards the importance of waste water treatment plants and systems for environmental sustainability. They play a crucial role by processing wastewater before discharging it back into the environment. Some key ways in which they contribute are: ☘ Water pollution control: remove various pollutants, such as organic matter, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), suspended solids, pathogens, and toxic substances, from wastewater before it is released into water bodies. This prevents the contamination of water bodies and protects the aquatic life and biodiversity, and thus helps in maintaining their ecological balance. ☘ Public health protection: effective wastewater treatment reduces the risk of waterborne diseases and contributes to public health by preventing the spread of pathogens and contamination through water sources. Their operations are essential for maintaining a balance between human activities and the environment. ☘ Advanced wastewater treatment processes can produce high-quality effluent that can be reused for various purposes, such as irrigation, industrial processes, and even potable water supply (after additional treatment). This reduces the demand for freshwater resources and promotes water conservation. ☘ Many wastewater treatment plants are implementing energy recovery systems, such as anaerobic digestion, to convert the organic matter in wastewater into biogas. This biogas can be used to generate electricity or heat, reducing the plant's reliance on non-renewable energy sources and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. ☘ Wastewater treatment plants can recover nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from the wastewater stream. These recovered nutrients can be used as fertilizers, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and promoting sustainable agriculture practices. So, as responsible human beings, it is our duty to ensure that we protect our water bodies from contamination and reuse water as much as possible using processes like water treatment, rainwater harvesting, etc. If you run an industial unit that is water-intensive, you contribute by have your own waste water treatment plant and processes that reuse the water. #earthday #environmentalsustainability #wastewatertreatment #waterpollution