Waste Management
Biology: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 7.3.2
Waste Management
The human population has rapidly expanded in recent decades. Resource use has increased accordingly. This has led to to huge amounts of industrial waste and pollution, which is affecting:
Water
- Sewage and toxic chemicals, which are produced by industrial practices, as well as excess fertiliser from agriculture, all find their way into the Earth’s water sources.
Land
- Toxic herbicides and pesticides used in farming, buried nuclear waste and household waste in landfill sites are all land pollutants.
Air
- Smoke and gases are being added into the atmosphere constantly, particularly by power stations and cars.
Test yourself on Waste Management
Why has resource use increased significantly in recent decades?
How does sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere lead to acid rain?
What has resulted from the sharp increase in resource use in recent decades?
Which of these water pollutants is produced by industrial practices rather than farming?
In which atmospheric condition is sulfur dioxide most likely to form acid rain?