There are various sources of environmental pollution. Industrial and domestic discharges are the chief sources of air, water and soil pollution. Our industries, especially the manufacturing sector, generates solid, liquid and gaseous wastes. Inadequate treatment and inappropriate discharge of these waste products into our environment causes pollution. For example, a battery making industry will produce waste containing acids, which if discharged into environment without treatment, may end up in our rivers, thus polluting it. Low pH waste (acidic waste) will decrease the pH of water and causes ion imbalance. Organic wastes will reduce the dissolved oxygen level in the water, thus killing phytoplankton and zooplankton. These effects will also render water unfit for drinking or swimming, etc. When such wastes are discharged into agricultural fields, they contaminate the soil and decrease its fertility, while also harming the native microbial community. Industries also discharge a lot of harmful gases (such as CO2, methane, etc.) into the atmosphere, thus polluting it. These are generated as a result of burning of materials, esp. fossil fuels. When they escape into environment, they make breathing difficult and can also cause acid rain. One big effect of air pollution, esp. by CO2, is enhanced greenhouse effect, causing global warming.
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