Chapter 15 - The Ultimate Goal of Zero Pollution

Abstract

This chapter discusses the various hurdles faced in achieving the goal of zero pollution. Based on the population dynamic/GDP relationships, it appears that only a fraction of today's global community has the means to achieve zero pollution as the technology that exists to achieve this goal is currently limited by economics. On a global scale, population continues to increase, and when this growth is coupled with an almost universal migration to urban population centers, pressures on the environment take an even greater toll on one's ability to approach the goal of zero pollution. Increasing population accelerates consumption, thus, it is inevitable that pollution will also increase. Furthermore, pollution does not simply keep pace with population, but tends to expand at a greater rate than the population. At a time when increased environmental pollution controls are required, there are escalating economic pressures that mitigate against implementing more comprehensive pollution control measures, and, in some cases, even result in the relaxation of existing pollution programs and requirements. Several data also clearly show that the pollution potential rate from the production and use of chemicals are significantly greater than population growth. In addition to the growth in chemical production, the toxicity of the chemicals being produced is equally important. In this regard, the most significant category is the production of synthetic organic chemicals, which are not found in nature, and thus, have difficulty in assimilating into environment. Pesticides are also a hazard to the environment, and the ban on the use of all chlorinated pesticides is specially warranted. However, the ban on pesticides can have adverse effects on food production, which reduces the probability of banning them altogether.