Impact of Waste Gases – Currently the quality of air on earth is getting worse due to the large number of harmful gases released from the use of motorized vehicles, factory waste gases released through chimneys, and various related matters such as smoking which causes a reduction in the quality of clean air.
Human activities are generally carried out every day and it is on each day that the quality of clean air decreases slowly due to the various factors mentioned above. Maintaining air quality so that it remains clean and comfortable to breathe is our shared duty so that one’s life expectancy is high and one can live a healthy life without getting respiratory problems.
Oxygen as a source of human life which is useful for smoothing the performance of the brain to the body through red blood cells. If the body inhales air other than oxygen-containing air, the body’s reaction will definitely react to reject it and may even experience respiratory poisoning because of the smell of toxic gas or the smell of bad air.
For this reason, it is very important for us to care about environmental health by maintaining clean air quality so that we can always breathe fresh air every day and live longer healthily. And, minimizing the production of gas waste starting from daily activities that worsen air quality.
Therefore, we have summarized information about the bad impact of waste gas on air quality on earth.
Furthermore, we have presented the discussion and can be listened to below!
Definition of Waste Gas
Gas waste can be caused by household activities to industrial activities. This condition causes a decrease in air quality and can cause death due to environmental damage.
According to WHO, about nine out of ten people breathe air that contains a lot of toxins or pollutants. Airborne debris can be found in the air, especially in urban and industrial areas.
At least around 7 million people die from the side effects of air pollution. The amount of poison that is inhaled and enters the body triggers the development of several dangerous diseases, such as lung and heart disorders.
Because polluted air is very dangerous to health, WHO always recommends that every city in the world have a system that monitors the quality of clean air. In addition, pollution abatement measures should be implemented to reduce the impact.
Gas waste is industrial waste in the form of gaseous substances. Gas waste can be produced from the remaining combustion or decomposition of materials. Gas waste is mostly generated in factories and industries, but can also come from households, agriculture, mining, offices, etc.
Sources of waste gas can be caused by nature or human activities. Because it is in the form of a gas, this gaseous waste is sometimes quite difficult to detect, unlike visible examples of solid or liquid waste.
Gas waste can cause air pollution and reduced clean air. The result can be acid rain or carbon dioxide emissions, which in the worst case can lead to global warming. Air pollution is also a source of oxygen deficiency.
Although this type of waste is called gaseous waste, it is not entirely gaseous. Because this type of waste contains solid or liquid particles.
Due to its very small particle shape, this waste easily spreads in the air. Mufflers usually also contain dust. Some examples of this type of waste are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, hydrochloric acid, ammonia, methane, hydrogen fluoride, nitrogen sulfide, and chlorine.
There is a hazard of inhalation of waste gas. Shortness of breath is just one result. In the long term, exhaust gas can cause lung problems, heart attacks, strokes and interfere with fetal brain development.
Therefore, the surrounding community must also handle the impact of gas waste properly so that air quality is maintained and there is no air pollution. Some steps that can be taken are reducing emissions, planting trees and limiting the use of motorized vehicles.
Type of Waste Gas
Gas waste can usually be generated from industrial and household activities.
Such as dust and thick smoke that contains many unhealthy particles.
Waste gas has several types of content as follows:
1. Carbon Monoxide CO
This substance is produced in various combustion processes such as burning coal, burning wood and burning motor vehicles.
This type of gas is odorless, colorless and cannot be felt. But it can poison you.
Direct contact with this substance is very hazardous to health, but ventilation and air circulation are poor.
2. Carbon dioxide CO2
Carbon dioxide is beneficial to many organisms, so its concentration in the air must be maintained.
That is why many factories have tall chimneys to protect nearby animals from direct exposure to the gas.
3. Sulfur dioxide SO2
Sulfur dioxide is produced from burning materials containing sulfur.
Coal-fired power plants emit a lot of this gas.
4. Ammonia gas NH3
Sourced from the breakdown of protein and has an unpleasant odor.
Usually it can still be found in your environment because it can come from rotting food and animal carcasses.
Source of Waste Gas
There are many sources of waste gas and sometimes we don’t know that we have contributed to it. What are the sources of radiation that can cause damage and also cause disturbances in the body? Read more below.
1. Industry
The air in industrial areas is darker than the air in mountainous areas. This can happen because industrial areas produce a lot of pollutants or emissions into the air.
One proof that industry emits a lot of waste gas through the air is the many factory chimneys. This smoke contains harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane.
2. Energy Production
Energy such as electricity is not only produced by hydropower. There are also fossil fuel power plants. In addition, fossil fuels are also widely used as a source of energy for the manufacture of engines.
This energy production process produces quite a lot of waste or residue. Most of the residue is gas carried by the wind and increases carbon dioxide emissions.
3. Vehicle Emissions
The large number of private and public vehicles in urban areas causes quite a lot of dangerous air waste.
Therefore, air pollution in big cities like Jakarta or Surabaya is quite high. Especially during rush hours like morning and evening when many people use vehicles to get home from work.
4. Forest fires
Forest fires are an important cause of air pollution and often occur in Indonesia. This condition can be caused by two things. First, forest fires from illegal activities to rapid land clearing. Second, forest fires occur due to a long drought, so that parts of the forest catch fire easily.
Air pollution due to forest fires is quite serious in Indonesia. The latest incident could cause months of smoke disaster. This condition can even spread to neighboring countries such as Singapore or Malaysia.
5. Agricultural Activities
Two agricultural activities can cause more air loss. The first is burning, which is cleaning up quite a lot of grass or weeds.
Both operations use hazardous chemicals to spray pests. These hazardous materials can also be airborne and eventually cause contaminants to stick to plants.
6. Household activities
Household activities can also affect air pollution, although many people are often not aware of it. For example, some houses still use natural cooking utensils made from firewood.
Using firewood adds smoke to the air. In fact, this practice is used by quite a number of households in Indonesia, especially in rural areas.
In addition, household waste such as trash is also often burned. This waste may not be burned, especially plastic waste, where combustion produces hazardous substances such as carbon monoxide, dioxins, volatile substances and other particles.
Impact of Waste Gas
1. Gas Poisoning
When people breathe in a gas other than oxygen, the gas replaces the oxygen bound to hemoglobin in the blood. As a result, the blood that should carry oxygen to the body and brain tissues instead carries foreign gases into the bloodstream. “The problem is that leaking or polluting gases replace the oxygen in the air around us.
The gas flows into the heart, brain and vital organs. The blood oxygen level also drops and hypoxia, or lack of oxygen, occurs in the body. In fact, the cells and tissues of the body need oxygen to carry out their metabolic functions. The work of brain cells is also disrupted when the body lacks oxygen.
The foreign gas prevents the oxidation of the cytochrome complex and weakens intracellular respiration. “The body runs out of oxygen until it finally runs out of oxygen for metabolism and ends with cell death.”
The most important consequences are direct poisoning of the body’s cells and disturbances in the nervous system. It causes symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting, weakness, bluish body, fainting, respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, and death.
When gas poisoning occurs, the body actually mounts a protective response to prevent further organ damage. The body’s cells and glands secrete chemicals in the form of mucus, which dilute the irritating poison and render it harmless.
At the same time there is a muscle spasm in the airways, which tries to prevent the increased flow of gas into the lungs. But in severe gas poisoning, this condition can not only protect the lungs, but also prevent air from entering. As a result, he suffocated and died before the poison was diluted and the convulsions subsided. “The body’s first defense is coughing. And actually we can adapt to the lack of oxygen.
First aid for victims of gas poisoning can be done by keeping the victim’s body warm. Give warm drinks and put the victim in the hospital. In the open air or near a window so that the victim can be given artificial respiration or oxygen.
2. Carbon Emissions
Emission is related to the process of moving a substance or object. In general, the word emission is used for heat, light emission or carbon emission. Based on the explanation above, the definition of carbon dioxide emissions is the gas released during the combustion of all carbon-containing compounds such as CO2, diesel, gasoline, LPG and other fuels.
The phenomenon of carbon emissions is the process of releasing carbon into the earth’s atmosphere. Currently, carbon dioxide emissions, along with greenhouse gases, are one of the causes of climate change and warming. Both cause global temperature rise or the greenhouse effect. To calculate the amount of emissions produced, it is necessary to measure the carbon footprint.
Carbon footprint is the sum of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions associated with any activity of a person or other entity, such as buildings, businesses, land, etc. The units used in calculating carbon dioxide emissions are calculated in tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2). For example, Budi, who uses private vehicles such as motorbikes in Jakarta, produces a carbon footprint of 4.82 kg CO2 per day.
Greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon, usually result from burning carbon-containing compounds. Burning of fossil fuels in industry and the production, transportation, and emission of goods and services consumed by humans. Apart from the use of fossil fuels, the use of electronic devices also contributes to the release of carbon dioxide. The use of smartphones also affects the release of carbon dioxide into the air.
3. Global Warming
Global warming (also known as climate change or climate crisis) is the process by which the average temperature of the earth, atmosphere, oceans and land masses is increasing. There were periods of climate change in the past, but climate change today is much more rapid and not due to natural causes.
The biggest cause of global warming today is the pollution of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane. Burning fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline and diesel to produce energy is the biggest source of this pollution. Other factors include certain agricultural practices, industrial processes and deforestation.
Because of its transparency, sunlight can penetrate greenhouse gases that heat the earth’s surface. However, when the ultraviolet waves of sunlight are absorbed and then re-emitted to earth as infrared radiation, greenhouse gases absorb it, trapping heat at the earth’s surface and causing global warming.
How to Reduce Gas Waste Properly
This type of waste treatment requires a set of tools and certain conditions from the company, because it is difficult to obtain.
But you can also help reduce pollution in the following ways:
1. Grow more plants in your home
Start planting trees or polluting plants in your home. Besides being suitable for home use, anti-pollution trees and plants also beautify your home.
2. Don’t burn garbage carelessly
Burning trash yourself sounds easier, but did you know what substances are produced during combustion with minimal processes?
To minimize this, simply rely on local waste disposal sites (TPS).
3. Use public transportation or choose to walk or cycle
By walking or cycling you are active, besides burning calories you have reduced pollution and the amount of gas released.
Public transportation is also an opportunity for you to minimize air pollution in the capital city.
Conclusion
This is a brief discussion of the impact of waste gas on air quality. Not only discussing the definition of waste gas, but also further discussing the types of waste gas, sources of waste gas, the adverse effects of waste gas, and how to properly handle waste gas.
Knowing information about waste gas gives us a valuable lesson on how important it is to protect and care for nature from even the smallest things. Because, indirectly we also play a role in climate change, weather, and environmental health which is getting worse every day the impact of deteriorating environmental health, especially the reduced quality of clean air due to human activities that produce waste gas. Therefore, let’s take care of nature and the earth together so that we can provide a better life by creating a healthy environment for the next generation.