Title: Environmental Issues In Europe
1Environmental Issues In Europe
- Acid Rain in Germany
- Air Pollution in the United Kingdom
- Nuclear Disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine
2Acid Rain In Germany
- is rain, snow, sleet, or other wet precipitation
that is polluted by acids such as sulfuric and
nitric acids. - caused chiefly from the burning of coal, gas, and
oil by cars, factories, and power plants
3Effects of Acid Rain In Germany
- harms the environment over large areas
- a) can damage statues, buildings, and
bridges, - b) has killed entire fish populations in
lake, - c) can harm forests and soil
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5Areas Where Acid Rain Is A Major Problem
- Central Europe- Germany is hit particularly hard
by this problem because of their large industrial
based of their economy. - Scandinavia
- Eastern North America
6Pollution Management
- German government passed laws to reduce emissions
from automobiles and factories. - Some factories developed devices that remove
harmful particles from smokestack emissions, such
as filters, by traps that use static
electricity, or by devices called scrubbers that
wash out particles with chemical sprays.
7Air Pollution in the United Kingdom
- Smog is a form of air pollution
- first used in 1905 to describe the combination of
smoke and thick fog that at times hung over
London and other cities in the United Kingdom - also refers to a condition caused by the action
of sunlight on the exhaust gases from automobiles
and factories
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10Effects of Smog
- Can kill (About 4,000 Londoners died within five
days as a result of a thick smog in 1952) - destroys plant life
- causes building materials to deteriorate faster
than usual
11London-Type Smog
- occurs when moisture condenses with smoke
produced by the burning of coal - forms smog droplets
- sulfur dioxide is in air in London--attacks the
lungs and makes breathing difficult (called
sulfur smog)
12What is Being Done to Reduce Air Pollution in the
UK????
- The UK has been working hard to reduce air
pollution since the Great London Smog occurred. - The government has
- tightened emissions standards for vehicles,
- endorsed the use of cleaner fuels, and
- urged citizens to use public transportation like
buses and subway systems.
13Chernobyl Disaster in the Ukraine
- the worst nuclear accident in history
- April 26, 1986
- Chernobyl nuclear power station in Ukraine (then
part of the Soviet Union) - caused numerous deaths and injuries
- widespread environmental contamination
- Note In the 1980s many countries were using
nuclear power. Nuclear power plants were
producing cheaper energy without filling the air
with pollution and without using up Earths
supply of fossil fuels.
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15How Did The Disaster Happen?
- had four nuclear reactors (devices that produce
and control nuclear energy) in service - operators shut off several safety systems and
began to power down the fourth reactor for a test
of the plants emergency electrical power supply - power surge caused fuel in the reactor to
overheat, resulting in a steam explosion and fire - produced a radioactive cloud more than 3,280 feet
in height - radioactive substances spread over parts of what
are now Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus - Air Currents/Winds carried the radioactive
material into northern and central Europe.
16Radiation Found In the Ground After Chernobyl
Disaster
17Effects of Chernobyl Disaster
- 31 people reportedly died from radiation sickness
or burns - more than 200 others were seriously injured
- Fallout (radioactive material) from the accident
caused a number of health and environmental
problems - increased rate of cancer, skin diseases,
respiratory ailments, and heart problems
18Check Your Answers
Questions Acid Rain (Germany) Air Pollution (UK) Nuclear Disaster (Chernobyl, Ukraine)
What is the problem? Acid Rain Air Pollution (Smog) combination of smoke and thick fog. Nuclear Disaster
What are the causes of the problem? Sulfuric and Nitric Acids caused from the burning of coal, gas, and oil by cars, factories, and power plants caused by sunlight on the exhaust gases from automobiles and factories four nuclear reactors were in service at Chernobyl nuclear power plant. power surge caused fuel in the reactor to overheat, resulting in a steam explosion and fire produced a radioactive cloud more than 3,280 feet in height Air Currents/Winds carried the radioactive material into northern and central Europe
How has the problem affected the country? Damage statues, buildings, and bridges, Killed entire fish populations in lake, Harm forests and soil Can kill Destroys plant life Causes building materials to deteriorate faster than usual 31 people reportedly died from radiation sickness or burns increased rate of cancer, skin diseases, respiratory ailments, and heart problems
What are solutions to the problem? laws to reduce emissions factories developed devices filters and scrubbers tightened emissions standards for vehicles use of cleaner fuels nearby towns were evacuated Cleanup workers covered the reactor with a concrete shell