Environmental pollution in Malaysia

Abstract

The word pollution is derived from the Latin word "pollutionem", which means defilement or to soil. Since the 18th century, the word pollute has been used to imply an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological characteristics of air, land and water; a change that may or will harmfully affect life. In general, pollutants are residues of things we make, use and throw away. Pollution is increasing at a rapid rate, not only because as people multiply the space available to each person is becoming smaller, but also because the demand per person is increasing continuously, so that each throws away more each year. As our earth becomes more crowded, there is no longer an "away", so much so that one's trash basket is another's living space. To the throw away pollutants, human activities add the inevitable by-products of TRANSPORTATION, IN- DUSTRY & AGRICULTURE. As human mortality from infectious diseases show a rapid decline, the mortality and sickness from environmentally related diseases and cancer has shown an equally precipitious rise. In a review of human health and cost of air pollution in the United States, Lave & Seskin (1970) estimated that a 50% reduction in air pollution in urban areas could save two billion dollars annual- ly in the aggregate cost of medical care and work hours lost in sickness. These authors also documented a close relationship between the incidence of lung cancer and air pollution.