South africas air quality act of 2004 put in place various measures for the prevention of pollution and national norms and standards for the regulation of air quality in the country. Some of main causes of soil pollution include deforestation and consequent erosion, agriculture, industry, mining, landfills and illegal dumping of waste as well as urbanization and construction 8. Of particular relevance are egypt, nigeria, south africa, algeria and morocco which are estimated to be among the top 20 countries around the world contributing to marine debris each year see fig. Water pollution involves the introduction of harmful, poisonous chemicals and other substances into waters both ground and surface making them undrinkable. Water quality problems and management in rural areas of. Southern africa is the southern region of the continent africa. South africans dispose of enough municipal solid waste to fill an entire football field 10 metres deep, every day. Shocking pollution levels and how you can help south africa is considering an outright ban on certain plastic products.
The community structure of the benthic meiofauna of the swartkops estuary, with special reference to nematodes, was investigated in relation to contaminants in the estuary 15. The report suggests that the primary sources of water pollution are untreated or partially treated effluents from municipal, industrial and mining wastewater discharges. Chairman, south africa aligns itself with the statement made by pakistan on behalf of g77 and china. Land pollution can be one of the most visible types of pollution. Did you know that 90% of an estimated 59 million tonnes of general waste produced in south africa in 2011 ended up in landfills, while only 10% was recycled. Air pollution and atmosphere united nations, new york may 2007 mr. Today, we have brought you the causes and effects of it. With luck and the right atmospheric conditions, air and water pollution disperse and disappear. Water pollution in south africa by jan lynzaad november 5, 2018 the pollution of rivers, lakes, and aquifers from domestic and industrial wastewater discharges, mining runoff, agrochemicals and other sources is now a growing threat to water resources in most countries in south africa. The pollution of rivers, lakes, and aquifers from domestic and industrial wastewater discharges, mining runoff, agrochemicals and other sources is now a growing threat to water resources in most countries in south africa. Draft white paper on integrated pollution and waste management. South africas scarce water resources are under threat due to extensive pollution.
Large marine ecosystems of africa and the mediterranean. Result of survey about air pollution, water pollution, greens and parks satisfaction, light and noise pollution, etc. Soil erosion and veld degradation are continually being depicted as acute problems, and overpopulation, overstocking and poor agricultural practices are viewed as the major causal. However, awareness of the problem and attitudes towards it have changed little over the past century. Sa one of the worst culprits of marine plastic pollution. Pollution prevention environmental impact reduction. In other words, the contamination of water makes it unsafe for human use. Some of the international treaties to which south africa is a party impact specifically on pollution of the water, air and land environments. Only 10% of waste recycled in south africa statistics. How land reform and rural development can help reduce. Lesotho is surrounded by south africa it is in the middle of south africa. Air pollution kills 20 000 per year in south africa as. This dissertation examines the relationship between land pollution and population density resulting from solid waste generation in the city of kwekwe in zimbabwe.
What makes land pollution such a problem is that land is static, so land pollution stays exactly where it is until and unless someone cleans it up. Observations on environmental change in south africa. Land pollution causes us to lose 24 billion tons of top soil every year. South africas acid mine water pollution risks lives. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted to 375 randomly selected households in low, medium and high density residential suburbs. A 2016 investigation by the harvard law school found south africa had failed to protect residents affected by the pollution from contaminated water and mine dumps. Air pollution is not just a health risk but also a drag on development. This affects the resource directly by making the water less acceptable for consumption either for food production or any other identified use, depending on the extent, severity, and temporal nature of. Environment pollution is a widereaching problem and it is likely to influence the health of human populations is great. Department of geography, university of the free state and hendrik smith, conservation agriculture facilitator, grain sa. Soil erosion in south africa its nature and distribution. Air pollution in southern africa poses a serious risk to nature and human well.
The chapter discusses the legal regime with respect to land pollution and waste management in south africa. Pdf vulnerability of south african communities to air pollution. Environmental laws and legislation in south africa. Air pollution kills 20 000 people in south africa every year, costing the economy nearly r300million. Science landbased pollution sources working group members. Water pollution in south africa and its public health impact. Lets have a look at these activities in detail to see.
Many water quality studies conducted in south africa revealed that this problem contributes to the pollution of. Pollution prevention is a multimedia approach that reduces waste generation and the emission of pollutants released to land, air, and water without transferring pollutants from one medium to another. It is based on the national land cover 2000 supplemented with more recent data from provinces and other sources where available. The waste materials that cause land pollution are broadly classified as municipal. Land pollution is the deterioration destruction of the earths land surfaces, often directly or indirectly as a result of mans activities and their misuse of land resources. It also authorizes the minister of environmental affairs to enforce its provisions. There has been outright loss of natural habitat, over 18 per. Every single person of our total population of 57 million generates up to 2,5 kilograms of waste per day, on average, depending on his or her level of income. Status of south africas ratification of atmospheric pollution related conventions.
Land pollution is a major problem around the world and is caused by a variety of factors. Challenges and emerging solutions to the landbased. Land pollution often results in habitat loss, land degradation, littering and soil contamination. Angola, botswana, lesotho, malawi, mozambique, namibia, south africa, swaziland, zambia, and zimbabwe. Cost of air pollution in africa cost of air pollution in african cities can be as high as 2. Sa air pollution an environmental threat the citizen. Estimation of pollution in south africa, using perception. Many environmental issues affect southern africa due to urbanization and the acts needed in order to survive. Kenyans also ranked well with the thirdlowest air pollution rates, while ghana had the lowest municipal waste level per person 0. Local researchers were not surprised by the reports findings. Plastic pollution of the sea was a comparatively recent problem, he said, spawned by the throwaway society that developed in the mid1950s when manufacturers began to encourage people to use. Land pollution, the deposition of solid or liquid waste materials on land or underground in a manner that can contaminate the soil and groundwater, threaten public health, and cause unsightly conditions and nuisances.
The industrial sector is the prime contributor to air pollution. You see trash outside of buildings or on the side of the road. Facts about land pollution that will make you sit up in. South africa one of the worst environmental polluters. South african statement to the 15 th session of the commission for sustainable development theme. Land pollution is a result of dumping garbage, waste, and other toxins making the land contaminated or polluted. Pollution status of two river estuaries in the eastern. Land degradation is currently a major concern in south africa. An overview of environmental issues in southern africa. The total area of land formally conserved within the bionet.
In south africa, outdoor and indoor air pollution continues to be perceived as a serious problem, with emissions for. In south africa, mining of gold, coal and other natural resources has played a significant role in the countrys economy, with both positive and negative consequences. This type of land pollution not only can hurt animals and their habitats, but also is ugly and destroys the beauty of nature. A report by the world bank details which countries produce the most garbage every day and where south africa fits into the picture. The key problems highlighted are global warming and climate variability, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, desertificationland degradation, waste and littering, population growth, urbanization, pollution, poverty and health hazards. The water pollution in south africa has affected water quality and impacted negatively on public health and functioning of ecosystems including the rising cost of water treatment. How mine dumps in south africa affect the health of. And with the increased rate of water pollution in africa, so is the availability of clean water becoming limited. More than 90% of south africas electricity is generated from the combustion of coal that contains approximately 1. Chapter 6 land department of environmental affairs. The maximum use of biodegradable materials and adopting methods such as recycling and reuse of resources are some ways of preventing land pollution. Four of south africas main rivers are shared with other countries, which together drain about 60% of the countrys land area and contribute about 40% of its. There are many different ways of permanently changing the land, from soil contamination poisoning by chemicals or waste to general.
Most often it is forgotten that the land we live in forms part of our environment, together with the air we breathe and the water we drink. It is high time we realize the importance of soil and devise and implement ways to curb land pollution. It occurs when waste is not disposed of properly, or can occur when humans throw chemicals onto the. In the wake of world environment day yesterday, the world health organisation who has placed south african cities levels of air pollution below internationally accepted standards, with coal. The source of land pollution comes from the human element such as littering, and waste that is washed ashore from boats, oil rigs, and sewage outlets. South africa ranked as one of the 10 worst countries for its impact on the environment. This paper provides the insight view about the affects of environment pollution in the perspective of air pollution, water and land soil waste pollution on human by diseases and problems, animals and trees plants. World bank 2002 found particulate matter is the most serious pollutant in large cities in south asia. Land pollution is common, and it is important for us all to know about its crippling effects. This paper provides an overview of some of the significant environmental problems in the southern african region. Soil erosion is a major environmental problem confronting land and water resources in. Pdf an overview of environmental issues in southern africa.
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