ECOLOGICAL CONCEPTS

I. ECOLOGY
 The word ecology is derived from the Greek word “oikos” meaning “household”
combined with the root “logy” “the study of”. Thus, ecology is literally the study of
households including the plants, animals, microbes and people that live together as
interdependent beings on earth (Eugene Odum).
 The term “ecology” was coined in 1866 by the German scientist Ernst Haeckel.
 It is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and their environment, such as
the interactions organisms have with each other and with their abiotic environment.

Topics of Interest to Ecologists

 Diversity
 Distribution
 Amount (biomass)
 Number (population) of organisms
 Competition between within and among ecosystems

II. INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS

Anthrosphere

 The anthrosphere has been defined as a fifth sphere of the environment.

 Refers to the part of the environment that is made or modified by humans and is used for
human activity.

Industrial Ecology

 The study of the flows of materials and energy in industrial and consumer activities, the
effects of these flows on the environment, and the influences of economic, political,
regulatory, and social factors on the flow, use and transformation of resources (Braden
Allenby & Deanna Richards, 1994)
 The primary goal of industrial ecology is to promote sustainable development at the
local, regional, national, and global levels

Industrial Ecosystem

 A community or network of companies and other organizations in a region who chose to

interact by exchanging and making use of by-products or energy in a way that provides
benefits.
 An industrial ecosystem functions through groups of industrial concerns, distributors, and
other enterprises functioning to mutual advantage, using each other’s’ products,
recycling each other’s’ potential waste materials, and utilizing energy as efficiently as
possible to maximize.

Industrial Symbiosis
  Industrial symbiosis is the development of such mutually advantageous interactions
between two or more industrial enterprises that cause an industrial ecosystem to
develop in the first place
 It involves the physical exchange of materials, energy, water, and by-products among
several organizations.

Major Components of an Industrial Ecosystem Showing Maximum Flows of Material and

Energy Within the System

III. METABOLIC PROCESSES IN INDUSTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS

Industrial Metabolism

 Proposed by Robert Ayres which states that the use of materials and energy by the
industry and the way these materials flow through industrial systems and are
transformed and then dissipated as wastes
 The concept of what goes in must come out
 It refers to the processes to which materials and components are subjected in industrial
ecosystems.
IV. COMPARISON BETWEEN NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AND CURRENT INDUSTRIAL
SYSTEMS

Natural Ecosystem Industrial Ecosystem

Basic Unit: organism
Handle materials in closed loops
Completely recycle materials
Utilizes constant resources
Basic Unit: firm
Materials traverse an essentially one-way
path through industrial systems
The level of recycling is often very low
Utilizes depleting reservoirs of materials

V. LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT
 To determine, measure, and minimize environmental and resource impacts of products
and services.
 Basis for assessing environmental sustainability

Inventory analysis provides information about the consumption of material and release of
wastes from the point that raw material is obtained to make a product to the time of its ultimate
fate.

Impact analysis considers the environmental and other impacts of the product.

Improvement analysis determines the measures that can be taken to reduce impacts

In doing life-cycle assessments consider three major categories:

 Products: Things and commodities that consumers use

 Processes: Ways in which products are made
 Facilities consisting of the infrastructural elements in which products are made and
distributed

Attributes Required by an Industrial Ecosystem

 Energy: With enough energy, almost anything is possible
 Materials: Utilization of materials (dematerialization, substitution, recycling and waste
mining)
 Diversity: Imparts a robust character to industrial ecosystems, which means that if one
part of the system is diminished, other parts will take its place and keep the system
functioning well

VI. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF INDUSTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS

The practice of industrial ecology in the anthrosphere affects the atmosphere, hydrosphere,
geosphere, and biosphere.
 Emission to the atmosphere of pollutant gases, vapors from volatile compounds,
particles and greenhouse warming carbon dioxide
  Large quantities of water that may become polluted or warmed excessively when used
for cooling (thermal pollution)
 Disruption of the geosphere from mining, dredging, and pumping of petroleum and other
extractive activities
 Detrimental effects to the biosphere by release of toxic substances
 Greenhouse-warming carbon dioxide emissions, acid gas emissions, smog-forming
hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, and deterioration of atmospheric quality from
particles released from fossil fuel combustion

OVERVIEW

 Definition of Industrial Water Pollution

 Pollutants from Industrial Sources
 Ten Industrial Causes of Water Pollution
DEFINITION OF NINDUSTRIAL WATER POLLUTION

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies. This form of environmental

degradation occurs when pollutants are directly or indirectly discharged into water bodies
without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds. Water pollution caused by factories
and other industries can be the most serious problem in a given environment. These types of
pollution can lead to serious human and animal health problems as well as widespread
destruction of the natural world.

POLLUTANTS FROM INDUSTRIAL SOURCES

o Asbestos – This pollutant is a serious health hazard and carcinogenic. Asbestos

fibres can be inhaled and cause illnesses such as asbestosis, mesothelioma,
lung cancer, intestinal cancer and liver cancer.
o Lead – This is a metallic element and can cause health and environmental
problems. It is a non-biodegradable substance so is hard to clean up once the
environment is contaminated. Lead is harmful to the health of many animals,
including humans, as it can inhibit the action of bodily enzymes.
o Mercury – This is a metallic element and can cause health and environmental
problems. It is a non-biodegradable substance so is hard to clean up once the
environment is contaminated. Mercury is also harmful to animal health as it can
cause illness through mercury poisoning.
o Nitrates – The increased use of fertilisers means that nitrates are more often
being washed from the soil and into rivers and lakes. This can
cause eutrophication, which can be very problematic to marine environments.
o Phosphates – The increased use of fertilisers means that phosphates are more
often being washed from the soil and into rivers and lakes. This can cause
eutrophication, which can be very problematic to marine environments.
o Sulphur – This is a non-metallic substance that is harmful for marine life.
 o Oils – Oil does not dissolve in water, instead it forms a thick layer on the
water surface. This can stop marine plants receiving enough light
for photosynthesis. It is also harmful for fish and marine birds.
o Petrochemicals – This is formed from gas or petrol and can be toxic to marine
life.

TEN INDUSTRIAL CAUSES OF WATER POLLUTION

1. AGRICULTURE- Pesticides are made with incredibly harsh chemical ingredients, while
fertilizers, even when made of natural substances, can be packed with nitrates.
Groundwater is the most heavily affected by pollution from agricultural sites. However,
any farms that are near freshwater sources may also pollute these surface bodies of
water.

2. MINING- .Lead, mercury, Sulphur, and arsenic are just some of the problems that can
come from mining. Basically, any heavy metal can be a potential pollutant in water
sources near mining sites. Groundwater is the most likely type of water to be affected by
fracking and most mining practices. However, it’s fairly common for tailings dams to fail
and cause polluted mining wastewater to spill into nearby sources of surface water.

3. FISHING - fishing boats increase the presence of gasoline and oil in water sources, and
they also overfish bodies of fresh water significantly. When overfished, the balance of
water environments is thrown off and pollution from bacteria and nutrients is likely.

4. NUCLEAR- Most nuclear power plants use a lot of water as part of their regular
processes. The wastewater that is then expelled from these locations is full of pollution,
which washes into ground and surface water nearby. Most nuclear power plants are also
located on or near bodies of freshwater, which means there’s almost nothing keeping
this wastewater from finding its way into lakes and rivers nearby.

5. FUEL- Gasoline and oil both fall into this category. Most of the time, these problems
come from spills and leaks in the industry, but the regular normal use of gasoline and oil
can lead to both groundwater pollution and air pollution that, in turn, carries pollutants to
surface water sources around the world.

6. PLASTICS- When plastic items are left in landfills for years instead of being recycled,
they are allowed to seep into the soil and cause their chemical components to break
down into the groundwater below.
 7. TEXTILE MANUFACTURING- Asbestos is a common byproduct and waste product
from many textile manufacturing locations. Asbestos may be present in wastewater from
these factories that ends up being dumped into rivers and lakes.

8. CLEANING- “Cleaning” is a broad term, and it includes a few different industrial sectors.
Dry cleaning, for example, produces harsh chemical waste that is sometimes laced with
chromium, a harsh carcinogenic substance.

9. AUTO MANUFACTURING- Auto manufacturing companies use a lot of harsh chemicals

and metals in their production processes. They also create a lot of byproducts that can
be potentially very toxic if not disposed of properly. Mercury and lead are two of the
leading types of pollutants produced regularly by auto manufacturing companies.

10. RECREATION- Animal waste almost always pollutes (or at least contaminates) natural
bodies of water used for recreation.

CONCLUSION:

As you can see, there’s no industry that doesn’t have the potential to do a lot of damage
to the environment or to human health. Depending on the practices used regularly by a specific
type of industry, there can be serious complicates associated with its operations. However,
there are more and more industries working toward improving the quality of water in their areas,
too. When you find a factory that produces items with safe, sustainable practices or a farm that
uses natural fertilizers and pesticides, be sure to support them as much as possible by
purchasing from them and spreading their information to everyone you know. This is the best
way you can help make a difference when it comes to industrial water pollution.

AIR ENVIRONMENT (AIR POLLUTION)

OVERVIEW

 Atmosphere as a Resource
 Types and Sources of Air Pollution
o Major Classes of Air Pollutants
o Sources of Outdoor Air Pollutants
o Urban Air Pollution
 Effects of Air Pollution
 Controlling Air Pollution in the US
ATMOSPHERE AS A RESOURCE

 Atmospheric Composition
o Nitrogen 78.08%
o Oxygen 20.95%
o Argon 0.93%
 o Carbon dioxide 0.04%
 Ecosystem services
o Blocks UV radiation
o Moderates the climate
o Redistributes water in the hydrologic cycle
TYPES AND SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION

 Air Pollution
o Chemicals added to the atmosphere by natural events or human activities in high
enough concentrations to be harmful
 Two categories
o Primary Air Pollutant
 Harmful substance that is emitted directly into the atmosphere
o Secondary Air Pollutant
 Harmful substance formed in the atmosphere when a primary air pollutant
reacts with substances normally found in the atmosphere or with other air
pollutants
MAJOR AIR POLLUTANTS

MAJOR CLASSES OF AIR POLLUTANTS

 Particulate Material
 Nitrogen Oxides
 Sulfur Oxides
  Carbon Oxides
 Hydrocarbons
 Ozone
Particulate Material

 Thousands of different solid or liquid particles suspended in air

o Includes: soil particles, soot, lead, asbestos, sea salt, and sulfuric acid droplets
 Dangerous for 2 reasons
o May contain materials with toxic or carcinogenic effects
o Extremely small particles can become lodged in lungs
Nitrogen and Sulfur Oxides

 Nitrogen Oxides
o Gases produced by the chemical interactions between atmospheric nitrogen and
oxygen at high temperature
o Problems
 Greenhouse gases
 Cause difficulty breathing
 Sulfur Oxides
o Gases produced by the chemical interactions between sulfur and oxygen
o Causes acid precipitation
Carbon Oxides and Hydrocarbons

 Carbon Oxides
o Gases carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2)
o Greenhouse gases
 Hydrocarbons
o Diverse group of organic compounds that contain only hydrogen and carbon (ex:
CH4- methane)
o Some are related to photochemical smog and greenhouse gases
Ozone

 Tropospheric Ozone
o Man- made pollutant in the lower atmosphere
o Secondary air pollutant
o Component of photochemical smog
 Stratospheric Ozone
o Essential component that screens out UV radiation in the upper atmosphere
o Man- made pollutants (ex: CFCs) can destroy it
SOURCES OF OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION

 Two main sources

o Transportation
o Industry
 Intentional forest fires is also high
 SOURCES OF OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION

Miscellaneous
10%

Industrial Processes
12%

Transportation
Fuel Combustion 57%
(excluding vehicles)
21%

URBAN AIR POLLUTION

 Photochemical Smog
o Brownish-orange haze formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen
oxide, and hydrocarbons
 Formation of Photochemical Smog
EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

 Low level exposure

o Irritates eyes
o Causes inflammation of respiratory tract
 Can develop into chronic respiratory diseases

Health Effects of Air Pollution

 Sulfur Dioxide and Particulate material

o Irritate respiratory tract and impair ability of lungs to exchange gases
 Nitrogen Dioxides
o Causes airway restriction
 Carbon monoxide
o Binds with iron in blood hemoglobin
o Causes headache, fatigue, drowsiness, death
 Ozone
o Causes burning eyes, coughing, and chest discomfort
Children and Air Pollution

 Greater health threat to children than adults

o Air pollution can restrict lung development
o Children breath more often than adults
 Children who live in high ozone areas are more likely to develop asthma
CONTROLLING AIR POLLUTION
 Smokestack WITHOUT ESP. Smokestack WITH ESP

 Smokestacks with electrostatic precipitator

 Smokestacks with scrubbers

 Particulate material can also be controlled by proper

excavating techniques
 Phase I Vapor Recovery System for gasoline

The Clean Air Act

 Authorizes EPA to set limits on amount of specific air pollutants permitted

 Focuses on 6 pollutants:
 lead, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and ozone
 Act has led to decreases!
Other Ways to Improve Air Quality

 Reduce sulfur content in gasoline from its current average of 330 ppm to 30 ppm
o Sulfur clogs catalytic converters
  Require federal emission standards for all passenger vehicles
o Including SUVs, trucks and minivans
 Require emission testing for all vehicles
o Including diesel

OZONE DEPLETION IN STRATOSPHERE

 Ozone Protects earth from UV radiation

o Part of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths just shorter than visible
light

 Ozone thinning/hole
o First identified in 1985 over Antarctica
 Caused by
o human-produced bromine and chlorine containing chemicals
 Ex: CFCs
Ozone Depletion in Stratosphere

 Hole over Antarctica requires two conditions:

o Sunlight just returning to polar region
o Circumpolar vortex- a mass of cold air that circulates around the southern polar
region
 Isolates it from the warmer air in the rest of the planet
 Polar stratospheric clouds form
 Enables Cl and Br to destroy ozone
Effects of Ozone Depletion

 Higher levels of UV-radiation hitting the earth

o Eye cataracts
o Skin cancer (right)
o Weakened immunity
 May disrupt ecosystems
 May damage crops and forests
Recovery of Ozone Layer

 Montreal Protocol (1987)

 o Reduction of CFCs
o Started using HCFCs (greenhouse gas)
 Phase out of all ozone destroying chemicals is underway globally
 Satellite pictures in 2000 indicated that ozone layer was recovering
 Full recovery will not occur until 2050
ACID DEPOSITION

 Sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen
dioxide emissions
react with water
vapor in the
atmosphere and
form acids that
return to the
surface as either
dry or wet
deposition
 How Acid
Deposition
Develops
Effects of Acid Deposition

 Declining Aquatic Animal

Populations
 Thin-shelled eggs prevent
bird reproduction
o Because calcium is
unavailable in acidic
soil
 Forest decline
o Ex: Black forest in
Germany (50% is
destroyed)

Acid Deposition and Forest

Decline

Air Pollution Around the World

 Air quality is deteriorating rapidly in developing countries

 Shenyang, China
o Residents only see sunlight a few weeks each year
  Developing countries have older cars
o Still use leaded gasoline
 5 worst cities in world
o Beijing, China; Mexico City, Mexico; Shanghai, China; Tehran, Iran; and
Calcutta, India
Long Distance Transport of Air Pollutants

INDOOR AIR POLLUTION

 Pollutants can be 5-100X greater than outdoors

 Most common:
o Radon, cigarette smoke, carbon
monoxide, nitrogen dioxide,
formaldehyde pesticides, lead, cleaning
solvents, ozone, and asbestos
 Indoor Air Pollution –
Radon
 SOLID ENVIRONMENTAL

SOLID WASTE

- means any garbage, refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, water supply
treatment plant, or air pollution control facility and other discarded materials resulting
from industrial, commercial, mining, and agricultural operations, and from community
activities.
- can be solid, liquid, semi-solid, or contained gaseous material but does not include solid
or dissolved materials in domestic sewage, or solid or dissolved materials in irrigation
return flows or industrial discharges

TWO MAJOR SOURCES OF SOLID WASTE

1. Urban wastes
 Domestic wastes containing a variety of materials thrown out from homes Ex:
Food waste, Cloth, Waste paper, Glass bottles, Polythene bags, Waste metals, etc.
 Commercial wastes: It includes wastes coming out from shops, markets, hotels,
offices, institutions, etc. Ex: Waste paper, packaging material, cans, bottle,
polythene bags, etc.
 Construction wastes: It includes wastes of construction materials. Ex: Wood,
Concrete, Debris, etc.
 Biomedical wastes: It includes mostly waste organic materials Ex: Anatomical
wastes, Infectious wastes, etc.

2. Industrial wastes
The main sources of industrial wastes are chemical industries, metal and mineral
processing industries. Ex:
 Nuclear plants: It generates radioactive wastes
 Thermal power plants: It produces fly ash in large quantities
 Chemical Industries: It produces large quantities of hazardous and toxic materials.
 Other industries: Other industries produce packing materials, rubbish, organic
wastes, acid, alkali, scrap metals, rubber, plastic, paper, glass, wood, oils, etc.

WASTE MANAGEMENT APPROACH

Prevention- A Waste Minimization Approach

Generally, waste minimization techniques can be grouped into four major

categories which are applicable for hazardous as well as non-hazardous wastes. These
groups are as follows:

1. Inventory Management and Improved Operations

2. Modification of Equipment
3. Production Process Changes
4. Recycling and Reuse

CURRENT PRACTICE OF INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

 1. Collection and Transport of Wastes
Manual handling of industrial waste is the usual practice in developing countries.
Personnel handling hazardous wastes should wear appropriate protective clothing.
Mechanical methods for handling waste should be adopted wherever possible, and
people should be educated about the dangers of manual handling of hazardous waste.

2. Storage & Transportation

3. The storage of industrial solid waste is often one of the most neglected areas of
operation of a firm. Concrete bays or disused drums are also often used for storage.
Transportation of industrial waste in metropolitan areas of developing countries is
generally not by purpose-built vehicles such as skip-carrying lorries, but by open trucks.

4. Disposal of Industrial Solid Waste

5. It has to be accomplished without the creation of nuisance and health hazards in
order to fulfill the objectives of solid waste management program.

DISPOSAL METHODS

 Landfill
- means a disposal facility or a part of a facility where hazardous waste is placed in
or on land and is not a land treatment facility, a surface impoundment or an
injection well
 Incineration
- In this method municipal solid wastes are burnt in a furnace called incinerator.
Combustible substances and non-combustible matter are separated before
feeding to incinerators.
 Composting
- Due to lack of adequate space for landfills, biodegradable yard waste is allowed
to decompose in a medium designed for the purpose. Only biodegradable waste
materials are used in composting.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES

Solid waste management is a term that is used to refer to the process of collecting and
treating solid wastes. It also offers solutions for recycling items that do not belong to garbage or
trash.

“Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act”

enacted to provide a framework for managing the growing problem of solid waste in the
country. Furthermore, Republic Act 9003 gives prime importance to the roles of LGUs in
managing their respective solid wastes.