Tag: pollution

#14: Two Sides of the Coin – Comparing Pollution Action in Singapore and South Korea

madeleineshutlerThe Solution

Environmental Pollution, particularly household pollution or pollution we face on a regular basis, is a common problem globally in today’s highly urbanised world. As such, many lessons can be learnt from the various approaches different countries take in the fight against pollution. Today’s article does a cross comparison of two countries with similar pollution profiles – Singapore and South Korea. Both these countries in the past have faced pollution from plastic and excessive waste, and occasionally experience air pollution in the form of haze events and fine dust pollution respectively. However, South Korea’s environmental success stems from a largely top-down approach while Singapore’s environmental movement has garnered new speed from an increasingly bottom-up takeover. 

 

South Korea’s Top-Down Approach:

The South Korean government has ramped up its efforts against pollution in the past few years. In 2019, it legally designated the problem as a “social disaster”, enabling the government to tap on its $2.65 billion emergency reserves to fund policies combating Korea’s fine dust pollution (Chung, 2019). Examples of such policies include a mandate for every school classroom to contain an air purifier, and a cap on the sales of vehicles that run on petroleum, and artificial rain experiments. Such an approach legitimizes the fight against air pollution that South Korean residents have to face regularly, and have great potential to eradicate this health hazard. 

 

Figure 1: South Korea’s mandatory recycling (Source: The Straits Times)

 

Another environmental success of South Korea is its recycling and waste management system. In 2013, the government launched a compulsory recycling scheme, that included food waste recycling and special biodegradable bags.

 

Figure 2; South Korea’s Recycling Bags (Source: Livinko)

 

On average, households pay $6 a month for these bags, which contributes to 60% of the scheme’s total running cost (Chang, 2016). Households are expected to separate plastics and food waste accordingly, placing them into their respective bags before the trash is collected at fixed hours (6pm to midnight). Should the separation be found to be incorrect, the bags can be returned to the household since their address is recorded on the bag. Violation of the rules also warrants a 1 million won fine. Smart bins across Seoul also weigh food waste automatically and charge residents on an ID card. This motivates residents to reduce the overall volume and hence weight of their food waste, by for instance, removing all moisture first (Broom, 2019). As reported in a 2017 government study, these measures have enabled South Korea to recycle more than 85% of its total waste (Global Recycling, 2019). 

 

Singapore’s Bottom-Up Approach:

This mandatory recycling scheme is a world away from Singapore’s recycling programmes. Recycling in Singapore is on a self-motivated basis, though NEA has launched multiple National Recycling Programmes. There is however, a healthy amount of skepticism surrounding the final end point of the recycle bin trash collected. Boh (2019) reports that often up to 40% of its contents are contaminated with items that are non-recyclable, rendering the entire collection useless while reflecting the lack of awareness and education amongst Singaporean residents towards recycling. Furthermore, most public housing apartments have rubbish chutes on each floor, greatly trumping the searching for recycling bins that most Singaporeans perceive as an inconvenience. All in all, this has rendered Singapore’s recycling rate to hover at around 20 percent since 2005. Unsatisfied with this number, environmental activists have recently capitalised on the growth of social media to promote and raise awareness regarding environmental issues like pollution. This movement has led to a surge of community based and the beginnings of a bottom up approach in combating Singapore’s pollution issue. Prominent activists that catalysed this movement, particularly among the youth in Singapore are the @theweirdandwild, @lilearthgirl, @byebyeplasticbags.sg and @nocarrierpls on Instagram; eventually leading to the formation of Singapore’s first ever autonomous Climate Rally in 2019. 

 

Figure 3: The Youth Organizers of Singapore’s first Climate Rally (Source: The Straits Times)

 

In a similar fashion, community action was also prevalent in Singapore’s response to the Southeast Asian Haze events it encounters annually. During the 2015 event, many members of the community began to boycott companies that were linked to the forest fires in Indonesia, catalysing a social movement that stopped support for such pollutive events (Baker, 2015). This garnered great traction and many independent groups were formed to further such boycotts, research and awareness campaigns, including the People’s Movement to Stop Haze (PM Haze). Top-down approaches by the Government to tackle the haze may be restricted by its transboundary nature, bilateral relationships and bureaucratic tape but community based approaches such as the above harness consumer power and attack the companies profit making margins, directly influencing their very motive to start such forest fires. This shows the growing importance and effectiveness of bottom-up approaches in Singapore, including their potential to tackle more and more environmental issues in the future. 

Overall, both approaches have their respective benefits and their effectiveness depends on cultural context. Both Singapore and South Korea demonstrate that be it through national or community self-motivated movements, greater awareness and education about the severe threat of pollution and waste is the first step to achieving social change. 

 

Author: Madeleine Shutler

 

References 

Baker, J., & Si. (2015, October 9). Many will boycott products from haze-causing firms: Poll. Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/many-will-boycott-products-from-haze-causing-firms-poll 

Boh, S. (2019, June 14). Singapore wants year of zero waste. But it’s rubbish at recycling. Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3014403/singapore-wants-year-zero-waste-its-rubbish-recycling 

Broom, D. (2019, April 12). South Korea once recycled 2% of its food waste. Now it recycles 95%. Retrieved July 23, 2020, from  https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/south-korea-recycling-food-waste/ 

Chang, M. (2016, April 23). Culture shock over South Korea’s mandatory recycling of food waste. Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/culture-shock-over-south-koreas-mandatory-recycling-of-food-waste 

Chung, J. (2019, March 13). South Korea steps up fight against pollution, says problem is ‘social disaster’. Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-pollution/south-korea-steps-up-fight-against-pollution-says-problem-is-social-disaster-idUSKBN1QU08E 

Global Recycling. (2019, September 19). South Korea: The Aim Is a Resource-Circulating Society. Retrieved July 23, 2020, from https://global-recycling.info/archives/3205 

 

#7: Cleaning Up Our Act

madeleineshutlerThe Problem

The Cleansing Products that are Dirtying the Environment 

In 2018, a study was done by the UC Boulder team, to measure North American urban air pollution in the form of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which upon interaction with sunlight, form ozone and particulate matter – two forms of air pollutants that drastically affect human health and overall urban air quality.  High levels of benzene were recorded from vehicle exhaust but unexpectedly equally high levels of D5 siloxane were also found. This pollutant is not found in vehicle emissions but instead is a common ingredient base for shampoos, lotions and deodorants. Analysis highlighted that siloxane levels were the highest during morning peak hour, leading researchers to propose that such personal-care products were the culprit behind the siloxane pollution. 

This study highlighted that as technology drives cleaner vehicle engines and fuel, urban air pollution may increasingly come from other sources, often which remain largely unresearched and hence of concern. Coggan (2018) argues that ‘personal plumes’ from such beauty products, particularly their chemicals and fragrance components can be as big of a contributor to ozone as the vehicle one takes to work. This then increases the risk of negative health impacts associated with ozone (Figure 1), which is associated with asthma, lung and heart conditions and premature death.

 

Figure 1: Health Effects of Ozone and Air Pollution (Source: Edgy, 2019)

 

Another well known cleansing product that contributes widely to pollution is that of facial wash.  The 2018 St. Ives Apricot Facial Scrub scandal catalysed global awareness regarding microbeads, a pollutive component of many skincare products that makes its way into our waters and global commons. They are defined as small plastic particles below 5 mm (Kaalcikova, 2017) and are often used as exfoliants or enhancers in face washes, scrubs and toothpaste (Barrett, 2016). 

 

Figure 2: St. Ives Facial Scrub at the centre of the controversy (Source: Pai, 2019)

 

A lawsuit was filed against St. Ives, alleging that these microbeads caused microscopic tears in the skin, leading to permanent skin damage (Pai, 2019). However, aside from this negative health effect, microbeads also affect the environment in the form of aquatic pollution, in turn impacting the health and habits of aquatic organisms:

  • It can affect the root length and cell viability of aquatic plants like duckweed (Kaalcikova, 2017)
  • It can impair swimming of rotifers and sea urchins (Gambardella, 2018)
  • Bioaccumulation of microbeads can result from mistaken consumption of microbeads by zooplankton in replacement of food. This leads to the accumulation of microbeads in marine creatures like fish and oysters, building up in the food chain before their eventual consumption by humans (Barrett, 2016). 

The health effects of microbeads on humans are yet to be fully determined but research has shown that they potentially bind with other toxins, including PCBs, causing harmful effects when consumed (Barrett, 2016). In line with the “Precautionary Principle”, referring to the need to act based on not fully 100 percentage scientific evidence, due to the plausible risk to the general public, scientists have advised the public and private sectors to eradicate the use of microbeads. As such, in 2015, US, Canada and several EU nations passed a ban against microbeads. In terms of consumer action, the Beat the Bead campaign has developed a free phone application that scans product barcodes to check for plastic components. Consumers can also look out for the following ingredients to protect themselves and the environment (Aldred, 2016): 

  • polyethylene (PE)
  • polypropylene (PP)
  • polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
  • polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)
  • polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) 
  • nylon

 

Author: Madeleine Shutler

 

References 

Aldred, J. (2016, April 19). Microplastics: Which beauty brands are safe to use? Retrieved July 07, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/19/microplastics-which-beauty-brands-are-safe-to-use 

Barrett, T., & *, N. (2016, October 03). Microbeads: Bad for You, Bad for the Environment. Retrieved July 07, 2020, from https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-features/2016/10/03/427839.htm 

Coggon, M. M., Mcdonald, B. C., Vlasenko, A., Veres, P. R., Bernard, F., Koss, A. R., . . . Gouw, J. A. (2018). Diurnal Variability and Emission Pattern of Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) from the Application of Personal Care Products in Two North American Cities. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(10), 5610-5618. doi:10.1021/acs.est.8b00506  

Edgy. (2019, April 16). Do Your Personal Cosmetics Cause Plastic Pollution? Retrieved July 07, 2020, from https://edgy.app/cosmetics-cause-plastic-pollution 

Gambardella, C. (2018). Ecotoxicological effects of polystyrene microbeads in a battery of marine organisms belonging to different trophic levels. Marine Environmental Research, 141, 313-321. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.09.023 

Kalcikova, G. (2017). Impact of polyethylene microbeads on the floating freshwater plant duckweed Lemna minor. Environmental Pollution, 230, 1108-1115. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.07.050 

Pai, D. (2019, September 12). Everything You Need to Know About the St. Ives Face Scrub Lawsuit. Retrieved July 07, 2020, from https://www.glamour.com/story/st-ives-apricot-scrub-lawsuit 

#6: The Makeup Industry: Not So Pretty After All?

madeleineshutlerThe Problem

The Link between Makeup and Pollution 

A few days ago, I was scrolling through Instagram when I came across an advertisement for “anti-pollution” makeup, a Dream Urban Cover Foundation by Maybelline that promised “essential protection against the effects of urban life” (Maybelline, n.d) by reinforcing a protective barrier against pollutants and harsh weather. A quick Google search dive revealed that this “anti-pollution” trend was not recent news but had become popular since 2019 (Figure 1), with companies offering ranges of anti-pollution skincare, makeup and facials, marketed in respect to the urban pollution we are exposed to daily. Such products aim to shield the face from pollution or either penetrate deeper layers of skin to cleanse it of nanoparticles and dirt (Niven-Phillips, 2019) 

 

Figure 1: The Rising Trend of “Anti-Pollution” Beauty 

 

Indeed, such a trend highlights the growing awareness surrounding the pollution that comes with our 21st century urban lifestyles. What is ironic however, is the beauty industry highlighting such pollution while their own hands are not clean themselves. The manufacture and marketing of beauty products, from skincare bottles to the composition of makeup products itself, the industry is stained with pollution at every stage. 

Indeed, such a trend highlights the growing awareness surrounding the pollution that comes with our 21st century urban lifestyles. What is ironic however, is the beauty industry highlighting such pollution while their own hands are not clean themselves. The manufacture and marketing of beauty products, from skincare bottles to the composition of makeup products itself, the industry is stained with pollution at every stage. 

 

The Manufacture 

First and foremost, the underlying principles of makeup products seem to be wasteful in nature, with consumers constantly buying and throwing out their makeup in response to new makeup trends or seasonal colours. Many products are designed to be ‘one-time use only’, meaning they cannot be refilled but instead one must buy a whole new product, incurring even more waste that could be avoided. Furthermore, the very chemicals within makeup are often unsuspectingly toxic or health damaging in nature, unsurprisingly given their confusing names that one cannot out rightly identify on the ingredients list. The Environmental Working Group reports that women are exposed to 168 chemicals from an average of 12 products a day, including hormone-altering chemicals like phthalates (Lupkin, 2015). Adding to the list is lead that is found in lipstick, mercury in mascara, and talc in blush that has been linked to cancer and respiratory issues (Martinko, 2020). 

Aside from consumer exposure to such chemicals, is the scary question of: What about the workers who collect these chemicals? Recently, a Refinery29 video went viral, garnering 10.1 million views on a documentary that exposed the exploitative practice of mica, a shimmery mineral that goes into almost every single makeup product. 

In the mica mines, child workers are exposed to fine dust that can cause infections, disease, and permanent lung damage, on top of the risk of mine collapse. The Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation in India, a country that supplies 60% of total mica production, estimates that every month 10 to 20 children die in mica mines (Lebsack, 2019). The coverup of such exploitation is extreme to the point that UK brand Lush Cosmetics was denied independent verification and tracing of their mica supply by Indian suppliers and instead recommended armed accompaniment should they wish to visit the mines (Lebsack, 2019). In response, Lush Cosmetics switched fully to utilising a substitute biodegradable shimmer pigment in place of mica, highlighting that the pollutive and exploitative effects of the mica industry actually can be avoided, yet many beauty corporations choose not to.  

 

The Marketing

The beauty industry recently came under fire for its often over-extravagant and hence wasteful press release kits to influencers, that generate tonnes of plastic and packaging waste. Influencers worldwide, from America to Singapore began to refuse such media kits or wasteful packaging, urging the beauty industry to relook at its waste patterns. 

 

 

Labelled as ‘beauty pollution’, the industry creates 120 billion units of mostly non recyclable packaging annually (Brownsell, 2018), which of course equates to pollution from their production and disposal. New consumer awareness surrounding such practices and its environmental consequences means brands are slowly losing the “social license to use plastic packaging” which is driving a new era of green goals in the beauty industry (Borunda, 2019). Brands such as L’Oreal have declared “New Plastics Economy Goals” that aim to be 100% plastic free by 2025, 50% of which will be recyclable material (Borunda, 2019). On the consumer side, there are various Environmental watchdog resources that can aid us in our pollution free journey. The Environmental Working Group for instance, has a Skin Deep Cosmetics Database that catalogs over 70, 000 beauty and personal care products into hazard ratings (low, moderate and high) based on their ingredients (Wilson, 2017). For more information, click here. 

 

Author: Madeleine Shutler

 

References:

Brownsell, A. (2018, November 10). Why bold, bedazzled makeup is everywhere. Retrieved July 04, 2020, from https://i-d.vice.com/en_au/article/zmj7kj/why-bold-bedazzled-makeup-is-everywhere 

Lebsack, L. (2019, May 4). The Makeup Industry’s Darkest Secret Is Hiding In Your Makeup Bag. Retrieved July 04, 2020, from https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/05/229746/mica-in-makeup-mining-child-labor-india-controversy 

Lupkin, S. (2015, April 28). Women Put an Average of 168 Chemicals on Their Bodies Each Day, Consumer Group Says. Retrieved July 04, 2020, from https://abcnews.go.com/Health/women-put-average-168-chemicals-bodies-day-consumer/story?id=30615324

Martinko, K. (2020, May 12). 20 Toxic Ingredients to Avoid When Buying Body Care Products and Cosmetics. Retrieved July 04, 2020, from https://www.treehugger.com/toxic-ingredients-avoid-when-buying-body-care-products-and-cosmetics-4857867 

Maybelline. (n.d.). Maybelline Dream Urban Cover SPF50 Foundation 121ml (Various Shades). Retrieved July 04, 2020, from

https://www.lookfantastic.com.sg/maybelline-dream-urban-cover-spf50-foundation-121ml-various-shades/12097316.html?affil=thggpsad 

Niven-Phillips, L. (2019, March 24). The latest trend in skincare: Anti-pollution makeup sales soar. Retrieved July 04, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/mar/24/anti-pollution-skincare-beauty-products-sales-rise 

Wilson, J. (2017, December 07). Get Some Earth Day Beauty Goodness. Retrieved July 04, 2020, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/organic-beauty-products-earth-day_n_5184712 

#3: Why we need a Pollution Revolution

madeleineshutlerThe Problem

It is very easy for us to shrug off our role in contributing pollutants into human environments, especially if those environmental costs are being hidden under our noses. However, even if we do not want to believe in the impacts of pollution issues, we may not have much choice. Especially not if our own lives or the lives of our loved ones are threatened as well. Here are several reasons why it is so important to address Environmental Pollution. 

 

1. It Impacts our Health  

 

  Source: Fred Rivett

 

Environmental pollution can have a direct effect on humans through physical contact or direct inhalation of toxins and pollutants. Examples of the latter include China’s smog and South Korea’s fine dust pollution that residents deal with almost daily. Another prominent example is the annual South East Asian Haze, a transnational air pollution crisis that affects people in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and so on. In the 2013 SEA Haze event, the PM2.5 concentration in Singapore at its highest was equivalent to passively smoking 150 cigarettes (Van der Zee et al., 2016). Such direct exposure to the pollutants can impact human health greatly, causing short term respiratory illnesses or gastro-intestinal and skin related conditions. In the long term, it can lower our immune systems and increase our risk of contracting cardio-vascular and respiratory illnesses. Notably, Xiao Wu et al (2020) found that previous exposure to PM2.5 was associated with “an 8% increase in the COVID-19 death rate), highlighting that pollution can indeed have unexpected and long term impacts on our health. 

 

However, exposure to toxins and chemicals can also be in a more insidious and unexpected form – through our food and water, the very essentials that are supposed to maintain and improve our health. The pollution transfer continuum and bioaccumulation are two concepts that explain why this impact occurs. 

 

The Pollution Transfer Continuum is a timeline of pollution from source to sink, highlighting the overall large and complex reach and impact it can have. It is based on a study on The Phosphorus Transfer Continuum by (Haygarth et al., 2005; Withers and Haygarth, 2007) and is outlined in the figure below. 

 

The Pollution Transfer Continuum

 

An important takeaway from this continuum is that pollutants can often be mobilised and transported to new environments far from their original source. In this way, they can easily enter surface or subsurface water bodies or agricultural areas, potentially contaminating water sources for locals (for example, read more on India’s Arsenic Groundwater issue) or entering the food chain through the body of organisms that are exposed to the pollutants (through the water, soil or their own contaminated food supply). Bioaccumulation can then occur with the gradual accumulation of the toxin in organisms along the food chain (Chojnacka & Mikulewicz, 2014), eventually appearing in higher levels when consumed by humans, with various poisonous effects. 

 

2. The Longevity and Spread of Pollutants 

The chemistry and original purpose of pollutants often result in them having long half-lives, meaning they can exist in the environment for long periods of time. This entails that new human activity could catalyse a string of events that disrupts the natural chemical balance, leading to the release or chemical transformation of the once buried or neutral pollutants. This is particularly a problem in the Arctic (Morello, 2011), where global warming is triggering the release of toxins once trapped in its ice and snow. 

 

An added layer to such issues, is that the pollutants can also travel long distances, far from its original source, potentially turning into transboundary crises that are complex and difficult to navigate. Air pollution, as seen in the previous example of the South East Asia Haze event, can rapidly spread throughout a whole region, and aquatic pollution can become a geopolitical issue, with disproportionate effects on upstream and downstream countries should a river and watershed cross national boundaries (for example, see the Mekong River’s transboundary heavy metal pollution). 

 

3. It Exacerbates Existing Problems 

As mentioned above, environmental pollution can very easily heighten geopolitical tensions in the case of transboundary pollution. Furthermore, in recent years, the disproportionate pattern of waste and in turn pollution, has become prominent in activism movements. Statistics and case studies have shown that the richest countries and people in the world contribute the most to emissions and waste and yet the poorest experience the effects of such waste:

 

Source: The Guardian

 

  • E-waste is often exported from developed countries, dumped and burned in less developed countries such as Africa and India (Minter, 2016). 
  • Pollution from transnational corporation-run factories in less developed countries are dumped into local rivers, contaminating rural water and food supplies.
  • Environmental Racism jarringly highlights how the poor, rural and discriminated are targeted for waste and pollutant dumping sites – 70% of these in America are built near low-income and African American neighbourhoods (Bergman, 2019)  In Canada, indigenous communities are protesting against the TransMountain pipeline which would cut across and potentially pollute indigenous lands (Cecco, 2019). 

 

These are just a few of the reasons that make environmental pollution such a pressing and significant area of concern and as such, warrants even greater governmental, private enterprise and social action to prevent and counter it.  

 

Author: Madeleine Shutler

 

References 

Bergman, M. (2019, March 08). ‘They chose us because we were rural and poor’: When environmental racism and climate change collide. Retrieved June 28, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/08/climate-changed-racism-environment-south 

Cecco, L. (2019, January 11). Pipeline battle puts focus on Canada’s disputed right to use indigenous land. Retrieved June 28, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/11/canada-pipeline-indigenous-trudeau-treaty 

Chakraborti, D., Singh, S. K., Rahman, M. M., Dutta, R. N., Mukherjee, S. C., Pati, S., & Kar, P. B. (2018). Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in the Ganga River Basin: A Future Health Danger. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(2), 180. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020180

Chojnacka, K., & Mikulewicz, M. (2014). Bioaccumulation. Encyclopedia of Toxicology, 3rd ser., 456-460. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-386454-3.01039-3

Forber, Kirsty & Withers, Paul & Ockenden, Mary & Haygarth, P.. (2018). The Phosphorus Transfer Continuum: A Framework for Exploring Effects of Climate Change. ael. 3. 10.2134/ael2018.06.0036.  

Fu, Kaidao & Su, Bin & He, Daming & Lu, XiXi & Song, Jingyi & Huang, Jiangcheng. (2012). Pollution assessment of heavy metals along the Mekong River and dam effects. Journal of Geographical Sciences. 22. 10.1007/s11442-012-0969-3. 

Minter, A. (2016, January 13). The Burning Truth Behind an E-Waste Dump in Africa. Retrieved June 28, 2020, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/burning-truth-behind-e-waste-dump-africa-180957597/

Morello, L. (2011, July 25). Climate Change Remobilizes Long Buried Pollution as Arctic Ice Melts. Retrieved June 28, 2020, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/climate-change-remobilizes-buried-pollution-as-arctic-ice-melts/

The Guardian. (2017, July 04). Is inequality bad for the environment? Retrieved June 28, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/jul/04/is-inequality-bad-for-the-environment 

Van der Zee, S., Fischer, P., & Hoek, G. (2016.). Air pollution in perspective: Health risks of air pollution expressed in equivalent numbers of passively smoked cigarettes. Elsevier, 148, 475-483. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2016.04.001 

Xiao Wu, Nethery, R. C., Sabath, M., Braun, D., & Dominici, F. (2020). Exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 mortality in the United States: A nationwide cross-sectional study.

#2: A Wake-Up Call

madeleineshutlerThe Problem

The Hidden Pollution in our Daily Lives

The word pollution stems from the Latin word pollutionem, meaning “to desecrate, to defile” (Online Etymology Dictionary, n.d.). In today’s globalised and fast-paced world, the separation of production and consumption processes often entails that such desecration on Mother Nature and human lives pass unnoticed. Yet, pollution remains embedded in the majority of the everyday products and events we encounter. Today, we decided to take a second look at our day’s activities, to identify the hidden pollution that they may have generated. 

 

Snippets from Our Daily Routine (Circuit Breaker Edition) 

Since the start of the great Singapore Circuit Breaker (CB), we like many other Singaporeans, have found ourselves sleeping and waking up much later as compared to our pre-CB routines. Madeleine’s past habit of making a homemade breakfast has been replaced by her parents ‘dabao-ing’ lunch for her (noon being a typical wake up time for her). Today, lunch consisted of curry chicken and assorted side dishes, which she is ashamed to admit, generated a large amount of plastic trash as pictured in Image 1. 

 


Image 1 : Trash from today’s Lunch

 

Alicia’s day on the other hand, began with a parcel delivery, a product of her retail therapy phase on ‘Shopee’ (a popular shopping platform in Singapore) during the start of CB (Image 2). 

 

Image 2: Trash from Parcel Delivery 

 

Upon reflection, it was evident to us that pollution was very much embedded in such trash that we generated. Toxic leakages of chemicals into nearby water bodies or pollutants into the air follows plastic and such disposal packaging from its manufacture overseas to eventual disposal via incineration and dumping into Singapore’s Semakau landfill (The Straits Times, 2018). In this way, pollutants like microplastics can eventually end up contaminating our water supply and food chains or end up in our lungs itself through direct inhalation (CIEL, n.d.). 

 

After lunch, Alicia spent the rest of the afternoon playing the video game ‘Overcooked’ (Image 3), while Madeleine similarly spent her time surfing social media and YouTube, as well as watching the online lectures for our Geography module, GE3246. On a surface level, using our phones, PC computers and laptops have become second nature to us, essential to our daily functioning during CB. However, today we stopped to think about the link between pollution and my electronic devices (Image 4).  

 

Image 3: Overcooked Video Game (Source: Steam)

Image 4: Electricity Use for Activities 

 

Singapore generates 95% of its electrical supply from natural gas (EMA, n.d.), a fuel source largely touted for its efficiency and low environmental impacts. However, is it as non-pollutive as we believe? Natural gas is most commonly produced by hydraulic fracturing, and Carpenter (2016) highlights the pollutive problems associated with it, including:

  • Groundwater contamination from the leakage of toxic wastewater containing salt and chemicals, during its transportation or disposal. 
  • The release of methane and carcinogenic pollutants such as benzene, contributing to air pollution. 
  • These impacts are implicative of the short and long term health effects on “workers and near-by residents who are exposed to air and water contaminants, radioactivity and excessive noise and light pollution” (Carpenter, 2016). 

 

Additionally, the long term impact on health from PC use is still very much up in the air. Bakó-Biró (2004) points out how this is a neglected yet prominent source of indoor pollution, with ‘stealth chemicals’ decreasing air quality, leading to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms and lower productivity. More and more, we are wondering if the multiple laptops and computers in my vicinity during CB are the culprits behind our increase in migraines and fatigue. 

Both of us then ended the day by winding down with the air conditioner switched on (Image 5). Once again, its pollutive cycle is linked to possible inefficient and improper processes during manufacture, the energy associated with its transportation and usage, and its eventual disposal should it stop working in the future. 

 

Image 5: Air conditioner Usage 

 

Such appliances highlight that we, in the comfort of our homes, may not be the ones experiencing firsthand the health and environmental impacts from the pollution generated in its life cycle. Rather, these impacts are often disproportionately felt across various communities, countries and regions, which is a significant issue within the study of environmental pollution. As such, this blog aims to uncover more well-hidden sources of pollution in day-to-day life, as well as bring about a possible revolution of lifestyle changes and solutions.

 

Author: Madeleine Shutler

 

References: 

Bakó-Biró, Z., Wargocki, P., Weschler, C. J., & Fanger, P. O. (2004). Effects of pollution from personal computers on perceived air quality, SBS symptoms and productivity in offices. Indoor air, 14(3), 178–187. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0668.2004.00218.x

Carpenter, D. O. (2016). Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas: impact on health and environment, Reviews on Environmental Health, 31(1), 47-51. Doi: https://doi-org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1515/reveh-2015-0055

CIEL. (n.d.). Plastic and Human Health: A Lifecycle Approach to Plastic Pollution. Retrieved June 25, 2020, from 

https://www.ciel.org/project-update/plastic-and-human-health-a-lifecycle-approach-to-plastic-pollution/

EMA. (n.d.). Electricity Journey. Retrieved June 25, 2020, from 

https://www.ema.gov.sg/electricity-journey.aspx 

Online Etymology Dictionary. (n.d.). Pollution (n.). Retrieved June 25, 2020, from 

https://www.etymonline.com/word/pollution

The Straits Times. (2018, November 20). Watch: Where does all your rubbish go? Retrieved June 25, 2020, from https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/where-does-all-your-rubbish-go