An international problem
Acid rain is an problem, because pollutants can be carried many hundreds of kilometres by . This problem is highlighted by the fact that of a particular pollutant from one country does not equal the deposition of that pollutant in the same country. Some countries emit small quantities of pollutants yet deposition can be several times greater. Other countries emit more pollution than is deposited in their country because of prevailing wind directions. For example Sweden who does not have as many people, power plants or cars as the UK, and yet acid rain in Sweden has become so severe that the Swedish government called it ‘’the most pressing environmental issue facing the nation’’. 90% of Sweden’s sulphur pollution from abroad.
Impacts of Acid Rain
If large quantities of acid rain are deposited they may have detrimental consequences.
Lakes and streams
The more acidic a lake becomes, the fewer species it can support. Plankton is among the first to die from acidification, and when the pH of a lake drops below 5, more than 75 per cent of its fish species disappear and the lake becomes ‘’dead’’.
Forests
Acid rain dissolves nutrients and helpful minerals in the soil and washes them away before trees can use them to grow. It also releases toxic chemicals, which interferes with the uptake of nutrients. Nutrient-starved trees can experience stunted growth and loss of leaves, and are more vulnerable to pests and disease.
Buildings
Acid rain and contribute to the corrosion of metals and the deterioration of paint and stone. These effects seriously reduce the value to society of buildings, bridges, cultural objects (such as statues and monuments). Dry deposition of acidic compounds can also dirty buildings and other structures, leading to increased maintenance costs.
Many other countries have noticed an acceleration of damage to their cultural heritage. For example The Taj Mahal in India and the Colosseum in Rome are continuing to deteriorate and needs continuous maintenance. We must attack the problems of acid rain, before it starts to damage our cultural heritage.
Health
The pollutants that cause acid rain (sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide) can damage human health. These gases interact in the atmosphere to form fine sulphate and nitrate particles that can be transported long distances by winds and inhaled deep into people's lungs. Many scientific studies have identified a relationship between elevated levels of fine particles and increased illness and premature death from heart and lung disorders, such as asthma and bronchitis.
Solutions
Liming
At present the main way of reversing acidification of lakes and streams is liming. The main liming method is to add the lime directly to the lake or stream. The advantages of liming are that the alkalinity of the lake is increased and so is the . This means that life again can live in the lakes and streams.
Acidified lakes in Sweden have been restored in the short term by liming. Each year thousands of tonnes of limestone are sprayed on Swedish lakes and streams, by means of trucks, boats or helicopters. Liming on such a large scale, however, is expensive, costing million of pounds, but it’s worth it in the long term. My opinion is that you as our government should follow the example of Sweden.
However, Liming provides only a short term solution; hence it is far better to attack the source of the problem by reducing of acidifying pollutants as this will last in the long term.
Public awareness
Acid rain is a big problem, but it is not unstoppable. If the amount of sulphur dioxides and nitrogen oxides in the air is reduced, then acid rain will be reduced. There are many helpful things that the public can do. First of all, conserve energy and pollute less, use less electricity, use public transportation, or walk when possible. This will help more than one might think. When less energy is used, less coal is burnt, and as a result, there is less acid rain. In order to encourage the public, the government must launch awareness campaigns, to advise the public to conserve energy and pollute less.
Transport Transport is the fastest growing energy-consumption sector in the UK and the number of on the road is increasing rapidly. It is therefore an area that requires great attention to reduce fuel consumption and hence pollution. As an alternative to driving the car, the public should be advised to walk, cycle or use public transport where it is suitable and safe to do so, particularly for short trips where using the car is not really necessary. Where walking or cycling is impractical, they should be encouraged to consider taking public transport if it is available and convenient to use.
You the government have all the means to make the public use the car less. Ways of doing this is to increase the price of fuel and road tax. You could also provide more traffic free zones and research into alternative sources of energy, which are more environmentally friendly.
pollution from cars can be significantly reduced by fitting a catalytic converter to the exhaust system, which has little effect on vehicle performance and fuel consumption. If a new law was passed that all new cars should be fitted with catalytic converters, then the amount of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide would decrease rapidly, resulting in less acid rain.
Conclusion
Acid rain is a serious problem with disastrous effects. Each day this problem increases and many British politicians still believe that this issue is too small to bother with right now. The reason why they think so is that they can’t look further ahead than to the next election and how they can get as many votes as possible. There are no votes in acid rain because the public are not notified about the problems and consequences of acid rain So many British politicians would rather spend the money on other issues which can attract more votes. But this is wrong; this issue should be met head on and resolved before it is too late or else the consequences will be devastating.
Businesses such as power companies and car makers also oppose controlling acid rain because they fear the effects on their profits. They are more worried about how they can make more money, but don’t give a damn about the environment.
Their most common argument is that the effects have been exaggerated and the cost of reducing emissions would be too high.
Many people would back me up on what I have discussed in this report. For example Greenpeace and the Swedish government
Their most common argument is that the effects have been exaggerated and the cost of reducing emissions would be too high. To this I would say that the effects have not been exaggerated and yes I understand that the costs are going to be high, but we have to do it. Not to mention the damage that is done to the human health
Acidification is an important issue in Sweden and has been so for thirty years.
Whatever way it is done, acid rain will certainly have to be limited in the future.
