2^nd Annual Congress on Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards October 22-23, 2018 Osaka, Japan

Plastic is a non-biodegradable product which has a potential to cause great harm to the environment. Plastic Pollution is when plastic has accumulated in an area and has begun to negatively impact the natural environment and create problems for living organisms i.e., plants, wildlife and even human population. Plastic is made from toxic compounds known to cause illness, and due to its durability, it is not biodegradable.

Basically, plastic is a synthetic polymer that consists of many organic and inorganic compounds, and is mostly derived from petrochemicals like olefins. Plastic materials are classified into thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers. Apart from these, they also can classify as biodegradable, engineering, and elastomer plastics. Although they are extremely useful in many ways, their production as well as disposal, pose a great threat to all the life forms on Earth.

Plastic generally it takes 500 - 1000 years to degrade, though we may never know its actual degradation time. During manufacture, many hazardous chemicals are emitted which leads to dreadful diseases in humans as well as other animals. Ethylene oxide, benzene and xylene are some of the toxic chemicals present in plastic. Several additives found, such as phthalates, adipates, and even alkyl phenols, have been recognized as toxic materials. Vinyl chloride, which is used in the manufacturing of PVC pipes, is classified as a carcinogen.

The sources and causes of environmental pollution include the following:

Industrial activities: The industries all over the world that brought prosperity and affluence, made inroads in the biosphere and disturbed the ecological balances. The improper disposals of industrial wastes are the sources of soil and water pollution. Chemical waste resulting from industry can pollute lakes, rivers and seas and soil too as well as releasing fumes.

Fuel emissions: The smoke emitted by vehicles using petrol and diesel and the cooking coal also pollutes the environment. The multiplication of vehicles, emitting black smoke that, being free and unfettered, spreads out and mixes with the air we breathe.

Rapid urbanization and industrialization: The urbanization and the rapid growth of industrialization are causing through environmental pollution the greatest harm to the plant life, which in turn causing harm to the animal kingdom and the human lives.

Population overgrowth: Due to the increase in population, particularly in developing countries, there has been surge in demand for basic food, occupation and shelter.

Environmental pollution has negatively affected both human beings and animals. Almost all of our success in the fields of industrial progress, science and technology had so far been realized at the cost of our health. Even our flora and fauna were found to be threatened with extinction. The environmental pollution is not caused by the fall-out from nuclear tests or industries alone. The smoke left behind the automobiles and other vehicular traffic, the increasing use of synthetic detergents, nitrogen fertilizers and insecticides contaminate both air and water.

Climate change is an adjustment in the factual conveyance of climate, Climate change may allude to an adjustment in normal climate conditions, or in the time variety of climate around longer-term normal conditions. Certain human exercises have additionally been recognized as significant causes of recent climate change, often referred to as global warming.

A Sea level rise is a rise in the water volume, leading to an increase in world Sea level. Sea level rise is typically attributed to Global Climate change by thermal expansion of the water within the oceans and by melting of Ice sheets and glaciers ashore. Sea surface temperature has been systematically higher throughout the past three decades. Sea level rise is primarily measured by tide stations and satellite laser altimeters. Sea level rise is caused primarily by two factors associated with Global warming, the thermal expansion of ocean water and from melting ice sheets and glaciers because it warms. Global Warming affects weather patterns as they pertain to cyclones.

Global warming is the defined as gradual rise in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere due to change in the climate. The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities, are believed to be the primary sources of the global warming. Changes resulting from global warming may include rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps, increase in occurrence and severity of storms and other severe weather events leading to natural calamities and disasters.

In recent decades, many environmental problems have increased as the result of human activities and unplanned management of the technological development those interference ecosystems.

The term "environmental protection" can be defined as the prevention to conserve and preserve the standard healthy level of environmental media by reducing the production of pollutants or polluting substances in environmental media. Various human activities have induce many undesirable effects to the environment which can be threatening human health, economic, natural resources and gene pool of ecosystems such as pollutions, greenhouse effect, global warming and soil erosion. Therefore, the environment should be protected for a better life in future.

Even healthy people are experiencing health impacts from Pollution, including respiratory problems or breathing difficulties during exercise or outdoor activities. Your actual risk of adverse effects depends on your current health status, type of pollutants and concentration, and the period of your exposure to the polluted air.

High pollution levels leads to immediate health problems including:

• Aggravated cardiovascular and respiratory illness
• Added stress to heart and lungs, which must work harder to supply the body with oxygen
• Damaged cells in the respiratory system
• Fluoride containing pollutants cause fluorosis i.e. neuromuscular, respira­tory, gastro intestinal and dental problems.

Long-term exposure to polluted air/water can have permanent health effects such as:

• Accelerated aging of the lungs
• Loss of lung capacity and failure lung function
• Development of diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and possibly cancer
• Shortened life span
• Typhoid, bacillary dysentery, cholera and amoebic dysentery are the predominant health hazards arising from drinking contaminated water.
• Radio-active pollutants enter humans and accumulated in the blood, thyroid gland, liver, bones and muscles.

Those most susceptible to severe health problems from pollution are:

• Individuals with heart disease, coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure
• Individuals with lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Pregnant women and Outdoor workers
• Older adults and the elderly
• Children under 14
• Athletes who exercise vigorously

People in these groups may experience health impacts at lower, or their health effects may be of greater intensity.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment discusses technical developments and data arising from environmental monitoring and assessment, principles in the design of monitoring systems, and the use of monitoring data in assessing the consequences of natural resource management and pollution risks.

Pollution Analysis can provide an important aid in the choice of the strategy to control the level of some hazardous elements. The difficulties in detecting polluting sources from experimental data are related not only to the adoption of suitable and systematic measuring procedure, but also to a correct management of the available information. From the theoretical point of view, the use of simplified models, coupled with classical regularization techniques, shows that, in general, the problem is badly posed and consequently, numerically ill-conditioned. Hence the possibility of using expert systems algorithms, introducing further qualitative information, improves the reliability of the solutions.

The problem is first solved using traditional procedures, showing that the distributed sources are not recognized. Afterwards, different results obtained from various algorithms derived from the assumed a-priori knowledge are examined. In this case, it is possible to obtain a more realistic situation of the pollution sources, inside the boundaries of the controlled area.

Pollution is the effect of undesirable changes in our environment that have harmful effects on all living Organisms. During the last few decades we have polluted our environment on which life itself depends with a variety of waste products.

Toxicology is the study of chemical or physical agents that produce adverse responses in the biological systems with which they interact.

From an Ecological point of view, pollutants can be classified as Degradable or Non-persistent pollutants which can be rapidly broken down by natural process. e.g. domestic sewage, discarded vegetables etc., Slowly-degradable or Persistent pollutants are pollutants that remain in the environment for many years in an unchanged condition and take decades or longer to degrade. e.g. DDT(pesticides) and most plastics. Non-degradable pollutants cannot be degraded by natural processes. Once they are released into the environment they are difficult to eradicate and continue to accumulate.eg: toxic elements like lead or mercury and nuclear wastes.

Environmental sustainability is defined as responsible interaction with the environment to avoid depletion or Environment degradation of natural resources and allow for long-term environmental quality. The practice of environmental sustainability helps to ensure that the needs of today's population are met without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The three pillars of sustainability are Economic development, Social development and Environmental protection.

Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is one of the most widely used measures of well-being. The weak point of this index is that it does not take into account the concept of sustainability and, more precisely, it is lacking in the environmental component specification. On the other side of the spectrum, some indicators provide useful information about the environmental health of countries but not about Human development, such as the Environmental Performance Index (EPI)

Human impact on environment in several ways, some common effects include water quality, environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, depletion of natural resources and contribution to climate change. Some of these are the direct result of human activities, whereas others are secondary effects that are part of a series of actions and reactions. Though, technology is making lives of humans easier and comfortable. It poses a great threat to the environment. The threat is due to pollution, radiation hazards, exploitation of natural resources etc. Greenhouse gases and aerosols affect climate by altering incoming solar radiation and out-going infrared (thermal) radiation that are part of Earth’s energy balance. Changing the atmospheric abundance or properties of these gases and particles can lead to a warming or cooling of the climate system.

The control of the emission of various contaminants into the environment which brings down the level of the pollution is done by various updated methods. The various technologies which control the pollution are Bioremediation laser methods, chemical methods, nanotechnology etc. Phytoremediation is a way to mitigate environment pollutions, such as in air, water and soil pollution in virtue of plants, more often than not, combined with their associated microorganisms. This concept has been widely applied to treat pollutants in soil and water. Vapour recovery is the process of recovering the vapours of gasoline or other fuels, so that they do not escape into the atmosphere.

The increasing trend in Recycling and waste management has increased. Recycling is a way of life. Once we have made that choice to implement all the steps of recycling in our daily lives, and stick to that choice every single day, recycling becomes second nature to us. Sure there will be lapses; it’s not easy for us creatures of habit. But no matter, we press on. Every small contribution to the recycling movement and the initiative to protect our environment adds up to how our present society eventually shapes our nation’s and the Earth’s future. Waste management or Waste disposal is all the activities and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. Very one of us has an important role to play in reducing the quantity of waste buried in landfills. Sorting waste in order to recycle or compost it are efficient means to reduce garbage.

Bioenergy is the single largest Renewable energy source today, providing 10% of world primary energy supply. It plays a crucial role in many developing countries, where it provides basic energy for cooking and space heating, but often at the price of severe health and environmental impacts. The deployment of advanced biomass cook stoves, clean fuels and additional off-grid biomass electricity supply in developing countries are key measures to improve the current situation and achieve universal access to clean energy facilities by 2030.

Biofuels are produced from living organisms or from metabolic by-products (organic or food waste products). In order to be considered a biofuel the fuel must contain over 80 percent renewable materials. Bio-hydrogen may be a potential biofuel available from each cultivation and from waste organic materials. Although element is created from non-renewable technologies like steam reformation of gas, rock oil processing and chemical change of coal, chlorophyte and cyanobacteria supply another route to renewable H2 production. Steam reforming of methane made by anaerobic digestion of organic waste are often used for bio-hydrogen also. Bio-plastics are any plastic material that's either bio based, perishable, or options both properties. They’re derived from renewable biomass sources, like vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, or micro-biota. Organic phenomenon is that the production of electrical potentials and currents within/by living organisms. Bioelectric potentials area unit generated by a range of biological processes and customarily zero in strength from one to some hundred millivolts.

Risk assessment is the determination of quantitative or qualitative estimate of risk related to a well-defined situation and a recognized threat (also called hazard). Quantitative risk assessment requires calculations of two components of risk (R): the magnitude of the potential loss (L), and the probability (p) that the loss will occur. An acceptable risk is a risk that is understood and tolerated usually because the cost or difficulty of implementing an effective countermeasure for the associated vulnerability exceeds the expectation of loss. "Health risk assessment" includes variations, such as risk as the type and severity of response, with or without a probabilistic context.

In all types of engineering of complex systems sophisticated risk assessments are often made within safety engineering  and reliability engineering when it concerns threats to life, environment or machine functioning. The nuclear, aerospace, oil, rail and military industries have a long history of dealing with risk assessment. Also, medical, hospital, social service and food industries control risks and perform risk assessments on a continual basis. Methods for assessment of risk may differ between industries and whether it pertains to general financial decisions or environmental, ecological, or public health risk assessment.