Poisons+and+Hydrocarbons


 * 703 Poisons and Hydrocarbons**

Hydrocarbons Hydrocarbons are a main chemical in petroleum, which consists of hydrogen molecules, and carbon atoms. When this chemical is open to the sun’s energy it becomes an ozone-forming pollutant, which is bad for our health, and the environment. Petroleum comes from millions of years of decayed plants and animals. This “crude-oil” is unnaturally released in large amounts by people. Such enormous amounts cannot naturally “disappear” when being broken down by bacteria, because bacteria cannot keep up with the amounts of oil being dumped into the environment. When the extra oil is not broken down, it causes immensely troublesome and horrible events, which affect the environment. Oil spills, for example, have big consequences that negatively impact the wildlife in the sea. The oil that is being built up in the fish and seafood that live in the affected area can affect us because when we eat the fish with oil build-up in it we can develop health problems. (//**50 Ways to Save the Gulf of Maine**// **(2000)**//**,**// **Jon Percy, Sea Pen Communications, Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia.)**

Poisons Substances that do not break down as fast as chemicals like hydrocarbons are named “persistent pollutants”. These types of pollutants impact the wildlife and people, as they continue to stay for many years. They are categorized into different groups. “Heavy metals” are elements like; mercury (recently found in fish, that builds up and when they are eaten by a human, it can make some health concerns), lead, cadmium, arsenic, and copper. These elements happen naturally in our environment, but don’t impact us, until we dump abnormally large amounts of it into our water and air. Organic compounds like “organochlorines” have mainly not occurred naturally. They have been made in labs. These compounds are made to be used for an expanse of agricultural, industrial, household, and different other uses that are needed for our daily lives. When the compounds get into the environment, they can cause serious concerns. Also, the two last groups of 12 Persistent Organic Pollutants (twelve pollutants that scientists are concerned over) consist of poisonous compounds (dioxins and furans) that are let out into the environment when products produced by an industrial process or burning of a variety of materials occurs. POPs and heavy metals access our environment in numerous ways that are connected to our thoughtless actions. For example, non-environmentally friendly industries that give off poisons into our air and water continue to stay there for a long period of time. Another way that persistent poisons enter our precious environment is through pesticides (a chemical sprayed on crops in order to reduce or kill insects, weeds or fungi, which can then wash into our waterways). These types of poisons have an amazing way of staying in our bodies, and animals, that can eventually (after a certain amount of build-up of these poisons, that our and animal’s bodies can’t handle anymore) effect us in the long run with severe health situations.(//**50 Ways to Save the Gulf of Maine**// **(2000)**//**,**// **Jon Percy, Sea Pen Communications, Granville Ferry, Nova Scotia.)**

>How should Basgo's paint industry change to become more environmentally friendly? They should switch to producing non-toxic paints that are better for people, and environmental health. Doing so would reduce the poisons in the landfill and groundwater. Reducing contaminants in the air would keep us from making the ozone layer thinner. Without the ozone layer, it is easier for UV rays to come through, which will increase the temperature, and damage the environment. Also, solvents in **regular** paints (which mainly consist of deadly hydrocarbons) can impact the environment. They also should build an industry that doesn't emit a lot of hydrocarbons, and air pollution, when producing things like plastic and paint. Also they should build an industry that doesn't give off a lot of air pollution, hazardous waste, and poisons.

>How will development increase the chances of introducing more of these to the estuary? The development increase in the town of Basgo will significantly make the amount of poisons and hydrocarbons that are given off much higher. This will happen because runoff from fertilizers in the people’s yards is poisonous to some animals in the water. Also pesticides from their yards used to kill insects and weeds flow into the water cycle, impacting plants within the affected water.

>What type of industries should Basgo build that doesn't emit as much poisons, and hydrocarbons as other industries, but that also boosts the economy? Bringing in "light" industry is a possible option. These industries have less of an environmental impact on the surrounding area than traditional heavy industries, and is more tolerable for communities that live nearby. But this type of industry can be less beneficial financially than heavy industry.

http://home.iitk.ac.in/~vyas/tmrs/html/P1_EnvironmentFriendlyAndDurablePaintSystem.html http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm http://www.epa.state.il.us/air/vim/guide/air_pollution.html#problem