This article discusses topics related to theenvironment ofPakistan.
Pollution is the introduction ofcontaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change.[1] Pollution can take the form ofchemical substances orenergy, such as noise, heat or light.Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring contaminants. Pollution is often classed aspoint source ornonpoint source pollution.
Pakistan's coastline, which stretches over 1,046 km, is facing severe pollution due to a combination of industrial, port, municipal, and transportation activities in the area. The coastline is being overwhelmed withwater-borne pollution being discharged in the shipping process into the marine environment. A recent study found that some of the marine life wascontaminated with lead, which if consumed by humans throughseafood, has been linked toanemia,kidney failure andbrain damage. In fact, the study also discovered that even themangrove forests protecting the feeder creeks from sea erosion as well as a source of sustenance for fishermen are threatened by this pollution.[2]
The Air pollution is the release of chemicals andparticulates into the atmosphere. Common gaseous pollutants includecarbon monoxide,sulfur dioxide,chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) andnitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemicalozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides andhydrocarbons react to sunlight.Particulate matter, or fine dust is characterized by theirmicrometre size PM10 to PM2.5. The air inKarachi is rapidly polluted by automobile smoke, especiallyRickshaws andBuses, industrial emissions, open burning of garbage, house fires, and other particles but the government and environment organizations seems non-serious to tackle the issue timely.
Thetwo-stroke engines onrickshaws andmotorcycles are one of the major polluters of air inKarachi and the rest ofPakistan. The two-stroke engines as well as defective or unturned vehicles are major polluters withcarbon dioxide emissions. Two-stroke engines as well as defective vehicles using substandardlubricant are major emitters ofsulfur dioxide and smoke. Automobiles operating oncompressed natural gas andliquefied petroleum gas are major air polluters.[3]
TheLight pollution includes light trespass,over-illumination andastronomical interference.
Littering is the criminal throwing of inappropriate man-made objects, unremoved, onto public and private properties.
Noise pollution which encompassesroadway noise,aircraft noise,industrial noise as well as high-intensitysonar. The noise for Karachi came to 80 dB (A), the General Noise Index x (G.N.I.) to 460, and the noise pollution level (N.P.L.) to 99 dB (A). These values are significantly higher (P less than 0.01) than the available international data.
Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground leakage. Among the most significantsoil contaminants arehydrocarbons,heavy metals,MTBE,[4]herbicides,pesticides andchlorinated hydrocarbons.
Radioactive contamination resulting from 20th century activities inatomic physics, such as nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons research, manufacture and deployment. (Seealpha emitters andactinides in the environment)
Thermal pollution is atemperature change in natural water bodies caused by human influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant.
Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overheadpower lines, motorwaybillboards, scarredlandforms (as fromstrip mining), open smunicipal solid waste orspace debris.
Water pollution id by the discharge ofwastewater from commercial andindustrial waste (intentionally or through spills) intosurface waters; discharges of untreated domesticsewage, and chemical contaminants, such aschlorine, from treated sewage; release of waste and contaminants into surfacerunoff flowing to surface waters (includingurban runoff and agricultural runoff, which may contain chemicalfertilizers andpesticides); waste disposal and leaching intogroundwater;eutrophication and littering.
Pakistan exports Leather product usingLeather production processes includingtanning. In addition to theother environmental impacts of leather, the production processes have a high environmental impact, most notably due to:
One tonne of hide or skin generally leads to the production of 20 to 80 m3 of turbid and foul-smelling wastewater, including chromium levels of 100–400 mg/L, sulfide levels of 200–800 mg/L and high levels of fat and other solid wastes, as well as notable pathogen contamination. Pesticides are also often added for hide conservation during transport. With solid wastes representing up to 70% of the wet weight of the original hides, the tanning process comes at a considerable strain on water treatment installations.[5]
most part of Pakistan lies in the arid to semi arid climatic zone. However there is a lot of variation observed in Pakistan due to different relief features, from lofty mountains to low-lying areas. for the most part the climate of Pakistan is divided into four major climatic zones
1 High land climate zone (including all the mountainous regions of Pakistan's western and northern mountains)2 low land climatic zone (including all the plain areas of Pakistan comprising the whole Indus plain except the Indus delta)3 arid climate zone ( this zone includes the south eastern deserts like Cholistan, Nara and Tharparker ) 4 coastal climate zone ( including the coastal stripe from Makran coast to Karachi coast and Sindh coastal areas of Pakistan)
Environmental affairs in Pakistan are managed and regulated by theMinistry of Environment (Pakistan), headed by theMinister for Environment (Pakistan).
