Pollution: A global concern

Pakistan’s high ranking in IQAir is deeply concerning

Pakistan has made it to the top three, but there is no reason to celebrate, as this marks a very bad omen for the citizens of this beautiful nation. In 2024, Pakistan ranked third as the most polluted country in the world, raising concerns about public health. The Air Quality Index during the winter months is very high in particulate matter in Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar, leading to airborne diseases and allergies.

The problem is not as simple as it seems. Pakistan also faces another major threat of environmental degradation due to polluted water. This adds to the dismay of unsuspecting residents throughout the country, as they are left wondering what to do with the waste, whether it be burning garbage or disposing of solid waste. The situation is dire.

Air Pollution and the Impact on Health

There is evidence to suggest a close relationship between air pollution and various allergies, with the most dangerous aspect being cancer. Due to the absence of a population-based cancer registry in Pakistan, reliable data on the incidence and prevalence of lung cancer is not precisely known. Data from Karachi Cancer Registry and Punjab Cancer Registry show that 5% of all new cancer cases are lung cancer. It has been rated as the second most common cancer in men and the third most common cancer in both genders combined in Pakistan. During smog in the winter season and the high density of pollens and allergens in spring, the incidence of allergies, rhinitis, and eye diseases is very high.

Although Karachi did not make the Swiss Research Group’s list, this does not mean that the city’s air quality index fares better. The regular onslaught of toxic fumes from heavy traffic on the major arteries of the city contributes to the bad air quality within the city limits. The lack of green spaces also adds to the growing problem of air pollution, which seems to worsen over time as more vehicles are introduced on the streets. Karachi, the most populous city, has another problem looming in the shadows—water pollution.

Water Pollution in Karachi

As Karachi is a coastal city with a long coastline, people go there to get a breath of fresh air. However, the amount of waste dumped into the sea is increasing every year. This is true globally, where environmentalists are concerned about the ill effects of polluted waters, but not much has been done to clean the water sources.

Water pollution has reached dangerous levels despite efforts to clean wastewater. In fact, humans add 1.2 trillion gallons of wastewater to the water supply each year globally. In addition, 14 billion pounds of plastic are added to ocean water annually. If we continue to pollute our water at this rate, 47 percent of the world’s population will not have drinking water by 2050. Water pollution presents severe threats to health and the future of humanity, which can be understood through the following categories:

The Algal Blue or Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are organisms that are essentially bacteria. They are caused by water contamination with agricultural fertilizers, which induces excessive growth of plants and algae. This growth reduces oxygen levels in the water, known as ‘eutrophication,’ which suffocates marine plants and animals and can create ‘dead zones’ where waters are devoid of life. In certain cases, this excessive algae growth can also produce neurotoxins that affect aquatic wildlife. Recently, many cases of cyanobacteria occurred in the United States, such as in California’s Klamath River in 2017, and in Lake Erie near Toledo, Ohio, in 2011, which covered 1,930 square miles of the nearly 10,000-square-mile lake.

Water Pollution by Chemicals and Heavy Metals

Contamination of water by heavy metals and chemicals has a harmful effect on aquatic life. Some contaminants shorten an organism's lifespan and its ability to reproduce. In addition, these toxic chemicals make their way up the food chain, which is why it was reported that tuna has a high degree of mercury toxins. Several years ago, the Japanese government was forced to dump 2 million gallons of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean after the 2011 tsunami hit, which had a damaging effect on marine life.

Water Pollution by Oil

Water pollution by oil is another major form of pollution threatening our water resources. A study found that 1.3 million gallons of oil are spilled into the ocean every year. In addition, for every 1 million tonnes of oil shipped, one tonne is spilled in the waterways. The world has been wracked by major oil spill disasters many times, with the three largest and worst oil spills in history being the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Gulf of Mexico), considered the largest in petroleum history. The oil spill lasted for three months, and an estimated 53,000 barrels of oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico each day, causing extensive damage to the marine environment.

Plastic Waste Clogging Marine Life

It is a universally acknowledged truth that plastic takes a minimum of 100 years to degrade, and where does all this excessive plastic end up? On coastlines all over the world. Plastic waste is a global issue that has impacted Pakistan significantly. While many countries have adopted a more natural and minimalist approach, Pakistan still produces and uses a huge volume of plastic in the form of bottles, shopping bags, etc. This plastic is discarded carelessly, which ultimately ends up in the waterways, adding to the bulk of waste in the water system. As plastic does not disintegrate naturally, it affects marine life in both the oceans and rivers. Marine life either gets caught up in or strangled by plastic waste. This grave issue can be tackled by using less plastic and recycling plastic waste.

Three to four decades ago, many varieties of fish, once served as savory delights in the city, became extremely rare and thus very expensive.

Environmentalists are concerned, as Pakistan is now the third most affected country by climate change, a reality that cannot be ignored. One only has to observe the erratic weather patterns to see that the climate has changed. If concrete and serious steps are not taken to address this very real issue, Pakistan will suffer in the long run.

The destruction of marine life did not happen overnight; it gradually eroded as waste, solid or otherwise, accumulated along the coast, and a huge volume of sewage water was continuously dumped into the sea. DHA Karachi took the lead in addressing this issue when trends of littering became acute and sewage water disposal became a concern. It introduced five Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs) in different locations, with a combined capacity to treat 8 million gallons of water per day (MGD), of which 3 MGD (treated grey water) is used for green spaces.

With Pakistan’s ranking high in pollution, concrete steps need to be taken immediately. This is a ‘national emergency.’ While DHA Karachi did serve its corporate responsibility by introducing Sewerage Treatment Plants, it is but a drop in the ocean. All industries must have sustainable practices in place to safeguard the environment, especially marine life. It is also incumbent upon the general public to be responsible and stop carelessly throwing garbage, especially plastic. After all, the coastline serves as a home to many, and this is the only habitable planet for now. Let’s all be responsible.

The writer is a Karachi-based journalist.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Express Tribune.