All Flashcards
Significance of identifying pollution sources?
Crucial for effective regulation and remediation efforts.
Why is nonpoint source pollution difficult to regulate?
Due to its widespread and diffuse nature.
Goal of the Clean Water Act?
To make all water "fishable and swimmable".
How does the Clean Water Act regulate pollution?
Through permits and technology standards.
What are the four categories of environmental hazards?
Physical, Chemical, Biological, and Cultural.
Why is it important to distinguish between point and nonpoint source pollution?
Different sources require different management and regulatory strategies.
What is the goal of the Clean Water Act?
To make all water 'fishable and swimmable'.
How does runoff contribute to nonpoint source pollution?
Runoff carries pollutants from diffuse sources into water bodies.
What are the four categories of environmental hazards?
Physical, chemical, biological, and cultural.
Define pollution.
Any substance or energy introduced into the environment that has harmful effects.
What is point source pollution?
Pollutants from a single, identifiable location.
What is nonpoint source pollution?
Pollutants from many diffuse sources, hard to pinpoint.
Define Best Practicable Technology (BPT).
Technology used for cleaning up point sources of pollution.
Define Best Available Technology (BAT).
Technology used for cleaning up toxins from pollution sources.
Define physical environmental hazards.
Hazards arising from natural processes posing risks to human health.
Define chemical environmental hazards.
Synthetic chemicals that our society manufactures that are hazardous.
Define biological environmental hazards.
Ecological interactions where hosts get sick after a virus or bacteria invades.
Define cultural environmental hazards.
Hazards resulting from our place of residence, socioeconomic status, and behavior.