 Pollution
and Biodiversity
Introduction
Pollution occurs when a system’s natural coping
mechanisms cannot deal with the amount of compounds being introduced,
so that they begin to build up and affect the functioning of that
system. Many pollutants can affect biodiversity, leading to irreversible
changes and the loss of many species. The costs incurred by a company
following the loss of ecosystem services, and the resources they
support, are unpredictable but likely to be considerable, therefore
the management and minimisation of this risk should be of high strategic
importance to businesses.
Pollution and Biodiversity
In the UK, The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, established
in 1970, interpreted “pollution” in broad terms of the
“introduction by man into the environment of substances or
energy liable to cause hazards to human health, harm to living resources
and ecological systems, damage to structures or amenity, or interference
with legitimate uses of the environment.” This definition
effectively means that pollution can be anything that causes damage
and/or aggravation to people, wildlife, or the environment such
as chemicals, noise or gases.
Due to the complex nature of relationships between organisms in
an ecosystem, the release of pollutants into the environment can
not only kill organisms outright, but they can also change the conditions
and processes occurring within a system and result in changes that
can degrade entire habitats and disrupt ecological processes. These
changes have the potential to cause long-term environmental change
through the accumulative effects of their release.
Causes & Types of Pollution
Pollutants arise from a variety of sources, such as toxic substances,
accidental spills, industrial processes or illegal dumping. Not
all pollutants are man-made, however human activities often exacerbate
or increase their polluting effects. For example, uranium is a naturally
occurring radioactive element, however in mining it and stockpiling
the residues, humans increase the amount of radioactive waste that
needs to be safely managed, increasing the risk of contamination
and radiation that can cause lethal genetic mutations and kill living
organisms. Uranium mining often occurs in remote areas that are
considered valuable for biological diversity, therefore the control
of risks such as leakages into groundwater and food chains is essential.
The major causes of environmental pollution stem from human activities
that unfavourably modify natural ecosystems. According to the Environment
Agency, the most frequent contributors to industrial pollution in
the UK are waste management facilities and the sewage and water
industries, although the construction, transport, agriculture and
utilities sectors also generate high quantities of waste and pollution.
Pollution and Businesses
Pollution of our natural ecosystems can have large economical impacts
for business operations. The reduction and control of the amount
of polluting substances discharged into the environment can yield
significant financial savings, as well as help to ensure legal requirements
are met, improve operational efficiency, strengthen environmental
policies, improve stakeholder relations and ultimately benefit biodiversity.
Many of the raw materials and environmental services which biodiversity
provides are themselves the key ingredients to most business operations.
Because many companies’ survival depends on biodiversity,
helping businesses to help biodiversity ultimately can help businesses
to prosper, whilst simultaneously contributing to economic and social
well-being.
Legislation
In order to control levels of pollution, extensive legislation
has been passed that regulates the amounts and types of environmental
discharges that are permitted. Laws covering the production, storage
and disposal of polluting substances in the UK have been in place
since the mid-1950’s, with significant landmarks being the
Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968.
Governing the effects of pollution on biodiversity is particularly
challenging because the non-point based effects of pollution on
biodiversity, such as downstream water and air pollution, can be
significant. Traditionally, pollution control has concentrated on
tackling ‘end of pipe’ pollution, however mechanisms
are developing to increase company liability at all stages of production
by combining end-of-pipe treatment with source control. This is
the concept behind the Integrated
Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) Directive (96/61/EC), which
will be fully implemented in all EC member states by October 2007.
The ‘polluter pays principle’ of the Environmental
Liability Directive (2004/35/EC) is to be fully implemented
in the UK through national law within the next three years. Two
distinct but complementary liability regimes are:
• Operators that conduct risky activities will be liable
for damage to the environment, encompassing water (covered by the
EU
2000 Water Framework Directive), land and air pollution.
• Operators who cause damage to protected species and natural
habitats protected at EU level will be liable under the 1992 Habitat
and 1979 Birds Directives.
Fines for breaching laws such as Environmental Protection Act,
Water Resources Act, and Air Quality Directives can be substantial,
posing a material risk for companies which pollute and whose pollution
impacts biodiversity.
Resources
www.acidrain.org
www.iucn.org
Marine
pollution regulation and prevention
Netregs
Norfolk
Biodiversity
Air
Quality Archive
National
Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection
The
British Astronomical Association's Campaign for Dark Skies
Campaign
to Protect Rural Englan
English
Nature
Environment
Agency
US Environmental Protection Agency
Photo Credit: Jo Zaremba/Earthwatch Institute (Europe)
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