ENVIRONMENTAL RISK MANAGEMENT
What is the most urgent problem to be solved in environment risk management?
By:
RONY HARIADI LUBIS
BATCH 21
MASTER OF BUSINESS ENGINEERING
SWISS GERMAN UNIVERSITY
OKTOBER 2013
What is the most urgent problem to be solved in environment risk management?
Intro
i think the most urgent problem to be solved in environment risk management is water
pollution. Water pollution is a major global problem which requires ongoing evaluation
and revision of water resource policy at all levels (international down to individual
aquifers and wells). It has been suggested that it is the leading worldwide cause of deaths
and diseases, and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. An
estimated of 580 people in India die of diarrheal sickness every day. Some 90% of China’s
cities suffer from some degree of water pollution, and nearly 500 million people lack
access to safe drinking water.In addition to the acute problems of water pollution in
developing countries, developed countries continue to struggle with pollution problems as
well. In the most recent national report on water quality in the United States, 45 percent of
assessed stream miles, 47 percent of assessed lake acres, and 32 percent of assessed bays
and estuarine square miles were classified as polluted.
Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic
contaminants and either does not support a human use, such as drinking water, and/or
undergoes a marked shift in its ability to support its constituent biotic communities, such
as fish. Natural phenomena such as volcanoes, algae blooms, storms, and earthquakes also
cause major changes in water quality and the ecological status of water.
1. Types of water pollution
Water pollution can come from a number of different sources. If the pollution comes from
a single source, such as an oil spill, it is called point-source pollution. If the pollution
comes from many sources, it is called nonpoint-source pollution.
Most types of pollution affect the immediate area surrounding the source. Sometimes the
pollution may affect the environment hundreds of miles away from the source, such as
nuclear waste, this is called transboundary pollution.
1.1. surface water pollution
Surface waters are the natural water resources of the Earth. They are found on the exterior
of the Earth’s crust and include:
•Oceans
•Rivers
•Lakes
These waters can becomepolluted in a number of ways, and this is called surface water
pollution.
1.2. Ground water pollution
A lot of the Earth’s water is found underground in soil or under rock structures called
aquifers. Humans often use aquifers as a means to obtain drinking water, and build wells to
access it. When this water becomes polluted it is called groundwater pollution.
Groundwater pollution is often caused by pesticide contaminationfrom the soil, this can
infect our drinking water and cause huge problems.
1.3. Microbiological water pollution
Microbiological waterpollution is usually a natural form of water pollution caused
bymicroorganisms.
Many types ofmicroorganisms live in water and cause fish, land animals and humans to
becomeill. Microorganisms such as:
•Bacteria
•Viruses
•Protozoa
Serious diseases such as cholera come from microorganisms that livein water. These
diseases usually affect the health of people in poorercountries, as they do not have the
facilities to treat polluted water.
1.4. Chemical water pollution
Industrial and agriculturalwork involves the use of many different chemicals that can
run-off into waterand pollute it.
•Metals and solvents from industrial work can pollute rivers andlakes. These are
poisonous to many forms of aquatic life and may slowtheir development, make
them infertile or even result in death.
•Pesticides are used in farming to control weeds, insects and fungi. Run-offsof these
pesticides can cause water pollution and poison aquatic life.Subsequently, birds,
humans and other animals may be poisoned if they eatinfected fish.
•Petroleum is another form of chemical pollutant that usually contaminateswater
through oil spills when a ship ruptures. Oil spills usually haveonly a localised affect
on wildlife but can spread for miles. The oil can
cause the death of many fish and stick to the feathers of seabirds causingthem to
lose the ability to fly.
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1.5. Oxygen depleting
Microorganisms that live inwater feed on biodegradable substances. When too much
biodegradable material is added to water, the number ofmicroorganisms increase and use
up the available oxygen. This is called oxygen depletion.
When oxygen levels in thewater are depleted, relatively harmless aerobicmicroorganisms
die and anaerobic microorganisms begin to thrive. Some anaerobic microorganisms are
harmful topeople, animals and the environment, as they produce harmful toxins such
asammonia and sulfides.
1.6. Nutrients and their effect on water
Nutrients are essential forplant growth and development. Many nutrients are found in
wastewater and fertilisers,and these can cause excess weed and algae growth if large
concentrations end upin water.
•This can contaminate drinking water and clog filters.
•This can be damaging to other aquatic organismsas the algae use up the oxygen in
the water, leaving none for thesurrounding marine life.
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1.7. Suspended matter
Some pollutants do notdissolve in water as their molecules are too big to mix between the
watermolecules. This material is called particulatematter and can often be a cause of water
pollution.
•The suspendedparticles eventually settle and cause a thick silt at the bottom. This
isharmful to marine life that lives on the floor of rivers or lakes.
•Biodegradablesubstances are often suspended in water and can cause problems by
increasingthe amount of anaerobic microorganisms present.
•Toxic chemicalssuspended in water can be harmful to the development and survival
of aquaticlife.
1. 2. The causes of water pollution
Water pollution is usually caused by human activities. Different human sources add to the
