Download Sewage Runoff and Thermal Pollution

Sewage Runoff and
Thermal Pollution
By Olwyn Scarbeary
What Is It?
• Sewage Runoff – The
dumping of hazardous
industrial sewage,
domestic waste, and
sludge into the ocean
• Thermal Pollution – The
dumping of heated
wastewater into oceans
Sources of Impact
Sewage
• There are two major types of
sewage.
– Industrial sewage, which can
contain harmful chemicals such as
lead, mercury, cadmium, and
arsenic
– Domestic sewage, which consists
of mostly human waste, and can
carry disease such as Hepatitis
Sources of Impact
• How it reaches the oceans
– direct disposal to the ocean (which is illegal)
– leaking underground tanks
– travel to the ocean through streams and rivers
• Sewage can also contain contain things harmful
to the ecosystem such as viruses, chemicals,
bacteria, and parasites
Sources of Impact
In cities that can afford it, sewage is processed in sewage treatment
facilities in an attempt to make sewage runoff less harmful. What is
unknown is that this can result in the release of even more harmful
pollutants in the ocean
Sludge
• A semi-liquid byproduct of sewage treatment
• Contains all of the harmful aspects of sewage, but concentrated
• This results in “black deserts”, which is the dominance of an area by a
select few species, in some serious cases just worms and other small but
durable life forms.
Sources of Impact
Thermal Pollution
• Thermal pollution is the slow heating of the ocean, and a
product of cooling power plants and oil refineries.
• It is done by withdrawing water from nearby water sources,
which is passed through power plants and refineries in order to
cool them, and then returned to the original source of the water.
• Since the water that is returned to the environment is then a
higher temperature, it results in a higher overall temperature of
that particular body of water.
Sources of Impact
• The combination of sewage and sludge
runoff and thermal pollution create a
deathly trap.
• Why does this happen?
Why Does This Happen?
1.
The cycle begins with thermal
pollution. As the temperature
of the oceans is increased, the
water has a decreased ability
to dissolve oxygen.
2.
With less oxygen in the water,
species need to work harder to
obtain the amounts of oxygen
they require.
Why Does This Happen?
3. As species increase their respiration and the
consumption rates of oxygen, they become more
susceptible to harmful toxins, parasites, and viruses.
4. Sewage and sludge runoff increase the levels of viruses,
toxins, bacteria, parasites, and chemicals in the ocean
5. The harmful viruses, toxins, and bacteria attack species
immune systems faster and easier due to the
repercussions of thermal pollution.
Affects
Biotic Factors
•
Sewage and sludge runoff increase the levels of viruses, toxins,
bacteria, parasites, and chemicals in the ocean, which then attack
species immune systems faster and easier due to the repercussions of
thermal pollution.
• Black Deserts
• In species unable to adapt to temperature change, thermal pollution can
cause death from thermal shock.
•
Sewage can be harmful to reproductive cycles in certain species, and
among all things can cause sex changes
Affects
Biotic Factors Cont…
• Can cause tumors, erosion of
fins, and a concentration of bad
bacteria, which harms immune
systems and causes death
• Problems such as these can hurt
species further by impairing the
ability prey and obtain food, as
well as the ability to survive
against stronger predators.
Affects
Abiotic Factors
• On top of global climate change, thermally polluted water does cannot
cool, and the temperature of all the worlds’ oceans continues to rise.
• This increases the harmful material in water, which can reach humans
via waterborne pathogens.
– Waterborne pathogens enter human systems through direct contact to skin
and eyes, as well as accidental ingestion.
– When sewage runoff reaches oceans and contaminates water; it becomes
dangerous for vacationers and swimmers, deterring tourists.
Affects
• Coming back around to the producers of it, sewage
runoff can also be dangerous for human health. Certain
marine species that are harvested for human
consumption can carry viruses and diseases, which if not
cooked out properly can result in human illness and the
spreading of diseases found in waste and sewage
– For example, the spreading of Hepatitis through human
waste
Laws
• All wastewater disposal systems must
be approved by the local board of
help, and are subject to inspection.
• Several regulatory acts have been put
in place regulating disposal of waste
over the past couple decades.
– Ocean Dumping Act and Clean Water
Act of 1972
– Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988
– Banning of sewage and industrial waste
in the ocean in 1991
Laws
• Several regulations are put in place by the
Environmental Protection agency
– Sometime may include the usage of processing
plants, which still creates sludge and excess chlorine
– Laws cannot prevent illegal dumping of sewage or
sludge into the ocean
Can It Be Fixed?
• Reversing the affects of sewage and sludge runoff is
not something that can be easily done. The best hope
for reversal of the affects is probably stopping the
disposal of sewage and sludge into the ocean
altogether, allowing the oceans to come back on their
own.
– In some areas where dumping has stopped, ecosystems
are still trying to recover
Can It Be Fixed?
• There are also several alternative uses for sewage that
can help stop the disposal of hazardous waste into
the ocean.
– Further investigation of these alternatives may be a
viable option
– Water in waste could be cleaned and recycled, allowing
sludge to be converted for the use of construction
blocks, compost, fertilizer, electricity, and possibly even
fuel
Can It Be Fixed?
• As for thermal pollution, there is little that can be
done to prevent it. At best we could attempt to lower
the current consumption rates of energy.
• Unless certain energy restriction laws were to be put
in place, especially for domestic use, it is unlikely
enough people and industries could reduce energy
consumption rates enough for it to make a
difference.
Can It Be Fixed?
• With consideration of all other forms of pollution in the ocean
such as oil and radioactive waste, humans have had an
undoubtedly irreversible impact on the world’s oceans. The
environment may never fully recover, but it is important that
further destruction is halted, and that the human race find eco-
friendly ways to cope with the product of increasing
consumption of natural resources. This way we can not only
create healthier, thriving oceans, but also prevent detrimental
repercussion on human life.
Bibliography
•
Castro, Peter, and Michael E Huber. Eighth Edition Marine Biology. New York: McGraw-Hill,
2010. Print.
•
Neves, Rute, and Silvia Lourenco. Thermal Pollution. Web. 24 Nov. 2012.
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/Environmental/THERMAL/tte1.htm.
•
“Pollution of the Ocean by Sewage, Nutrients, and Chemicals”. Water Encyclopedia. Web. 25
Nov. 2012. http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Po-Re/Pollution-of-the-Ocean-by-SewageNutrients-and-Chemicals.html#b.
•
Laws and Rules for Sewage Treatment, and Disposal Systems. North Carolina Department of
Environment and Natural Resources. Article 11, Chapter 130A. General Statutes of North
Carolina. Web. 24 Nov. 2012.
http://www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/osww_new/new1/images/rules/99_law.pdf.