6 Aftermath of Industrial Pollution, Post COVID-19 …
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to receive natural sounds which play a crucial role in the reproduction and survival
of wildlife [8]. In the past, noise pollution was considered to be a city problem
but due to rapid growth and development of humans in rural areas, its reach has
been extended [8]. Environmental noise is the main causal agent of health-related
problems, discomfort in environment and population, and finally alters the natural
conditions of this ecosystem [71]. According to Zambrano-Monserrate et al. [72] the
imposition of lockdown measures by most of the governments of different countries
in the world ordered people to stay at home resulting in the significantly decreased
use of public and private transportation, many commercial activities, and air traffic
have halted. All these changes help in dropping the level of noise considerably in
various cities of the world. Mandal and Pal [41] reported that a decrease in the levels
of noise was observed in the stone crushing and quarrying site situated in Dwarka,
the river basin of Eastern India the noise level dropped to <65 dBA which was above
85 dBA in stone crusher dominated area during pre-lockdown period. Throughout
the complete lockdown and quarantine period several drastic changes occur in the
earth’s atmosphere including reduction in the noise pollution, decreased emission of
greenhouse gasses, reduced solid waste production, etc. [30].
On the other hand pollutants levels which are being dumped or disposed in the
soil such as solid byproducts of industries, automobiles used parts, mining wastes,
etc., also decreased during lockdown but if we talk about the household wastes,
hospital’s solid wastes material, the amount of these kind of wastes increases in
the soil. The quarantine policies in various countries shift the consumers toward
the online shopping and home delivery, hence the organic, inorganic solid wastes
generated by households have increased. According to Zambrano-Monserrate et al.
[72] hospitals in Wuhan are production houses of approx. 240 metric tons of medical
wastes per day during COVID-19 outbreak with respect to previous average, i.e. 50
tons. Increased garbage from personal protective essentials (mask and gloves) was
also reported in the USA [10]. The generation of inorganic and organic wastes is
directly or indirectly associated with the broad range of environmental issues like
deforestation, soil erosion, water and air pollution, etc. [55].
6.4 Effect of Revived Pollution Level on Existing Life
Forms and Mother Earth
Environmental health is an essential factor to maintain the health of a being [11].
The over-exploitation by humans on nature and its natural resources had led the
mother earth unable to breathe. At the dawn of the twenty-first-century humans
started acknowledging the environmental changes and the threats caused by human’s
anthropogenic activities to mother Earth. After which various policies, set of rules
and steps were taken by us at various levels including global level, national level,
local level, and by various types of NGOs. But due to some of the other reason
or may be due to our continuous exploitation of the natural resources to all these
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to receive natural sounds which play a crucial role in the reproduction and survival
of wildlife [8]. In the past, noise pollution was considered to be a city problem
but due to rapid growth and development of humans in rural areas, its reach has
been extended [8]. Environmental noise is the main causal agent of health-related
problems, discomfort in environment and population, and finally alters the natural
conditions of this ecosystem [71]. According to Zambrano-Monserrate et al. [72] the
imposition of lockdown measures by most of the governments of different countries
in the world ordered people to stay at home resulting in the significantly decreased
use of public and private transportation, many commercial activities, and air traffic
have halted. All these changes help in dropping the level of noise considerably in
various cities of the world. Mandal and Pal [41] reported that a decrease in the levels
of noise was observed in the stone crushing and quarrying site situated in Dwarka,
the river basin of Eastern India the noise level dropped to <65 dBA which was above
85 dBA in stone crusher dominated area during pre-lockdown period. Throughout
the complete lockdown and quarantine period several drastic changes occur in the
earth’s atmosphere including reduction in the noise pollution, decreased emission of
greenhouse gasses, reduced solid waste production, etc. [30].
On the other hand pollutants levels which are being dumped or disposed in the
soil such as solid byproducts of industries, automobiles used parts, mining wastes,
etc., also decreased during lockdown but if we talk about the household wastes,
hospital’s solid wastes material, the amount of these kind of wastes increases in
the soil. The quarantine policies in various countries shift the consumers toward
the online shopping and home delivery, hence the organic, inorganic solid wastes
generated by households have increased. According to Zambrano-Monserrate et al.
[72] hospitals in Wuhan are production houses of approx. 240 metric tons of medical
wastes per day during COVID-19 outbreak with respect to previous average, i.e. 50
tons. Increased garbage from personal protective essentials (mask and gloves) was
also reported in the USA [10]. The generation of inorganic and organic wastes is
directly or indirectly associated with the broad range of environmental issues like
deforestation, soil erosion, water and air pollution, etc. [55].
6.4 Effect of Revived Pollution Level on Existing Life
Forms and Mother Earth
Environmental health is an essential factor to maintain the health of a being [11].
The over-exploitation by humans on nature and its natural resources had led the
mother earth unable to breathe. At the dawn of the twenty-first-century humans
started acknowledging the environmental changes and the threats caused by human’s
anthropogenic activities to mother Earth. After which various policies, set of rules
and steps were taken by us at various levels including global level, national level,
local level, and by various types of NGOs. But due to some of the other reason
or may be due to our continuous exploitation of the natural resources to all these