Pollution in Europe

Europes Environmental Issues

Essential QuestionHow has Europe dealt with the major environmental issues of acid rain, air pollution, and nuclear disaster?

Air PollutionMany of the worlds largest and most industrialized countries are in EuropeParis, London, Berlin, Rome, AmsterdamThese cities tend to have lots of factories, lots of traffic, and produce a lot of air pollution.

Air PollutionFactories and power plants also pump pollutants into Europes atmosphere.The country with the worst air pollution in Europe is the UNITED KINGDOM.

Air Pollution in the United KingdomLondon, capital of UK, is famous for air pollutionWord smog first used in 1905 to describe air in London (thick fog + smoke)Thick London smog happens when water in the air mixes with smoke particles (CO2) from a coal fire.

The Great Smog of 1952Smog was so dense that for 4 days people in London could not see what was in front of them.Transportation slowed, crime increased, & thousands of people died from the pollutionPeople around the world became frightened & worried about the quality of the air they were breathing

Sources of Air PollutionIn the past, the major source was smoke (CO2) from burning coal (factories)Today, exhaust from cars & buses are also the sources

Effects of Air PollutionAsthma and pneumonia are linked to vehicle emissionsBurns the lungs, nose, and eyes, and endangers human lifeHigh air pollution keeps children & senior citizens indoorsBlackens buildings & harms wildlife

Acid RainAcid RainThe country with the worst acid rain in Europe is GERMANY.

What is Acid Rain?Air Pollution leads to health problems, and can affect the environment through ACID RAIN.Acid rain is caused by factories and car exhaust.The pollution gets into the clouds and causes the rain to be unusually acidic.This is harmful to plant life, aquatic animals, humans (cancer), and even buildings and statues are eroded.

What is Acid Rain?Acid rain is a result of air pollution. When any type of fuel is burnt, lots of different chemicals are produced and released into the air and mix with water in the clouds.The rain from these clouds then falls as very weak acid.Its not acidic enough to burn your skin, but its very harmful for the environment.

Germany is Its Own Worst EnemyMain source of acid rain is smoke from factories (burning fuels like natural gas, coal, & oil)Germany is a top manufacturing countryleads the world in cars, steel, & chemical productsso it depends on these factoriesCars & buses also produce harmful gases.Germans own more cars than people of most other countries doAcid Rain in GermanyAcid rain has destroyed nearly half of the Black Forest!This has really harmed Germanys economy because timber is an important export. It brings in millions of dollars to Germany. The timber business provides jobs. No forest? No jobs. No jobs? Poor economy.

What is Europe doing to fix these problems?...European Environmental PoliciesIn Western Europe, nations are trying to lessen pollution.They are spending money and researching new ways to produce power that cause less environmental damage.In Eastern Europe, few nations are researching new technologiesThey have less moneyEuropean Environmental PoliciesGovernments are also researching alternative fuel sources for cars which would lessen air pollution and acid rain.Rather than being made of oil, these fuels come from plant soil.

European UnionMost countries in Europe are members of a group called the European Union.Since its formation in 1993, the EU has passed policies designed to fight acid rain, improve air quality, restrict toxic waste, and reduce pollution.

The Chernobyl Accident26 April 1986

http://library.thinkquest.org/20331/images/chernsite.jpgWhere is Chernobyl?

http://students.vassar.edu/mezegen/Eastern%20Europe%20Map.gif-In Northern Ukraine-10 miles away from Belarus-80 miles North of Kievhttp://studiohousebooks.co.uk/chernobyl/Chernobyl/chernobyl.htmlImmediate Impact- 203 people were hospitalized immediately. 31 of them eventually died. Most of these people were workers in the plant or local firefighters.

- NW winds from the Black Sea carried the radiation for miles in the following days. Scandinavian detectors picked up on the abundance of radiation, but the Soviet government denied everything.

http://www.cmc.ec.gc.ca/~arqidor/ctbto/ctbt3.htmlhttp://www.ki4u.com/potassium-iodide.htm

http://www.metoffice.com/environment/serv4.htmlWest and Northwest Windscarried radiationLiquidatorsThese were firemen who helped put out the fires and helped clean up the radiationMost did not realize the dangers of radiation.Many later died from radiation, because they didnt wear protection.An estimated 8,000-20,000 to date have diedRobotsUnited States suppliedSpecifically designed to enter reactor core and help build the sarcophagus

http://er1.org/docs/photos/Disaster/Chernobyl%2002%20robotic%20inspector.jpghttp://www.chernobyl-international.com/aboutchernobyl/fateoftheliquidators.aspThe Clean UpClean Up

http://library.thinkquest.org/3426/data/emergency/cleanup.efforts.htmlApproximately 300,000 to 600,000 liquidators were involved in the cleanup of the 30 km evacuation zone around the plant in the years following the meltdown.Evacuation-Following the accident hundreds of thousands of people had to be evacuated and between 1990 and 1995 an additional 210,000 people were resettled.

People evacuated:-May 2-3 (1 week later)10 km area (45,000 people)-May 4 30 km area (116,000 people)

http://library.thinkquest.org/3426/data/emergency/evacuation.html-50,000 people from Pripyat, Ukraine were evacuated 2 days after the accident.

http://www.greenpeace.org.ar/energiapositiva/img/fotos/chernobyl.jpgCement sarcophagus built in the months after disaster5,000 tons of sand thrown on top of reactor coreContainment

AfterChernobyl

http://fme.sincerethought.org/gallery/album10/wtc_6http://studiohousebooks.co.uk/chernobyl/Chernobyl/chernobyl.htmlThe Children of UkraineChildren were much more affected by Chernobyl and the radiation, due to their weaker immune systems.1991-1992--sickness rate among children almost tripledThreat to gene poolfewer children being born.The following problems have increased in children:heart and circulatory diseases, malignant tumors, and disorders of the nervous system, sensory organs, of the bone, muscle and connective tissue system

http://studiohousebooks.co.uk/chernobyl/Chernobyl/chernobyl.htmlhttp://studiohousebooks.co.uk/chernobyl/Pictures/pictures.htmlChildren contdIt is estimated that 1 out of every 4 infants will develop thyroid abnormalities.

The normal rate of thyroid cancer would be only one in 1 million.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, had the authorities supplied the children with preventive potassium iodine, it would have prevented many of the thyroid cancer cases.Thyroid cancer

The thyroid gland is the most vulnerable organ to radiation in the human body.

Normally, this is a rare disease, with only 1 case per year being reported in Belarus before the Chernobyl accident.

Thyroid cancer can take 10-30 years to show its effects.http://www.chernobyl-international.com/aboutchernobyl/thyroidcancer.aspThere has been a 2,400% increase in the rates of thyroid cancer in Belarus since 1986.

In the Homyel region of Belarus, the region closest to Chernobyl, there has been a 100-fold increase in thyroid cancer.

Other problemsFood & WaterMilkFarmers have to watch the radiation level in milk.FishCannot be eaten, as water absorbs radiation and fats concentrate it Radioactive Floods every springLives ruinedSuicide and depressionEven healthy people were traumatized

http://library.thinkquest.org/3426/data/local-effects/agriculture.effects.htmlhttp://www.spacedaily.com/images/chernobyl-airview-bg.jpgChernobyl Today

www.calguard.ca.gov/ ia/Chernobyl-15%20years.htm www.balticuniv.uu.se/ space/catch_news27.shtml The plant has been shut down by Ukraine.

The cement sarcophagus is falling apart, due to the quick emergency construction of it.

The UN estimates that up to 9 million people have been affected directly or indirectly by the fallout.

The full consequences will not be seen for at least another 50 years.