Acid Rain
Acid rain refers to any form of precipitation polluted by acid in the atmosphere. It is mainly a problem in eastern Canada because many of the water and soil systems in this region lack natural alkalinity, and therefore cannot neutralize acid naturally. The problem of acid rain is not new. It was first noticed during the 17th century when people observed the effects of industrialization on plants and animals. The issue of acid rain affects all wildlife, the society, the environment, and the population. Solutions include monitoring the environment carefully and applying strict pollution controls. The increase in problems of acid rain in eastern Canada is the result of industrial processes and the burning of fossil fuels.
The main cause of acid rain is industrial processing and over-burning fossil fuels. They create two common air pollutants which acidify rain, known as sulphur dioxide (SO²) and nitrogen oxide (NO×). These two substances may be carried over long distances by prevailing winds before returning to earth as acidic rain, snow, fog, or dust. Some examples of how the burning of fossil fuels is used in manufacturing are ore smelting, coal-fired power generators, and natural gas processing. In addition, fuels in motor vehicles, residential and commercial furnaces, and industrial and electrical-utility boilers and engines also contribute to the problem of acid rain. Up until the year 2003 in eastern Canada, scientists have concluded that most SO² emissions come 75% from industrial sources, 5% transportation, and 20% electric utilities. Whereas most NO× emissions come 25% from industrial sources, 55% transportation, 15% electric utilities, and 5% from fuel combustion. Even so, eastern Canada is not the only cause to its problem of acid rain, as more than half of the acid deposition in eastern Canada originates from acidic emissions coming from the industrial areas of northeast USA. If the burning of fossil fuels can be lessened in both...
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