subject: Reduce Carbon Today - Pollution Control Methods [print this page] Pollution control methods are means or processes of reducing or eliminating the release of pollutants or contaminants into the environment. It is controlled by different environmental entities that set limits for the discharge of pollutants into the air, water and land. Through the years, there's a wide variety of devices and systems that have been developed in order to control air and water pollution, as well as, solid wastes.
The process of controlling air pollution are divided into two categories namely, the control of particulate emissions and the control of gaseous emissions. Particulate emissions are tiny particles of matter such as smoke, soot and dust that are released during industrial, agricultural or other activities. In controlling particulate emissions, the solid particles are separated from the gases in which they are contained by physical procedures such as passages through a settling chamber. On the other hand, gaseous emissions are industrial products such as sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide that are being released during manufacturing operations. These harmful gases are being controlled through adsorption.
Water pollution
Water pollution control methods fall into three general categories: physical, chemical and biological.
Physical method suspended solids such as fine dirt and dead organisms are removed from water by allowing the water to sit quietly for a certain period of time, this will let the pollutants to settle out, or by passing the water through a filter, thereby trapping the said pollutants in the filter. Chemical one example of this method is adding alum and lime into the water resulting in the formation of a thick and sticky precipitate that are able to trap and carry with it solid particles, dead bacteria and other components of polluted water. Biological agents this technique uses aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to attack certain chemicals in polluted air and transform them to a harmless form.
Solid wastes pollution control method
Pollution control method under this category involves burying solid pollutants in dumps or landfills, as well as, composting.
