Polluted Collection (#7)

Forest fires in South America. Satellite image of smoke from thousands of fires (red circles) in South America, near the Brazil-Bolivia border

Ozone hole, September 2001
Antarctic ozone hole. Coloured satellite image of reduced atmospheric ozone levels around Antarctica (lower centre, darkest blue) on 17 September 2001

Heath and moorland fires, UK
Heath and moorland fires in the UK, Aqua satellite image. April 2003 was a warm, dry month in Northern Europe. This, combined with a strong easterly wind

Antarctic ozone hole, 2006
Antarctic ozone hole. Coloured satellite image of the reduced atmospheric ozone layer over Antarctica on 13th September 2007

Carbon dioxide levels, Atlantic, 2003
Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels centred on the Atlantic Ocean, satellite data. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming

Bangkok air pollution
Air pollution. Policeman wearing a mask to filter out particle pollution from the air he breathes as he directs the traffic. Photographed in Bangkok, Thailand

Fish killed by water pollution. Head and bones of a dead fish in a polluted river. Toxic levels of pollutants such as heavy metals, or human sewage, can kill plant and animal life

Industrial river pollution. Artwork of dead and dying fish in a river, killed by pollution from a factory

Copper mine pollution. Water coloured by mineral ores from the Rio Tinto Mines in Huelva, Andalucia, Spain. This is an opencast mine where ores of copper, iron, silver

Industrial pollution. Smoke rising from a row of open-hearth furnace chimneys at a steelworks. Here, iron ore is processed and turned into steel products

Pollution from mine

Air pollution over Los Angeles
Air pollution. Aerial photograph of smog over Los Angeles, USA

Algal bloom, aerial photograph. The red colour of the water is caused by the proliferation of microscopic photosynthetic organisms in the seawater

Polluted river running through a Malaysian slum

Environmental pollution. Computer artwork of waste drums in oil-polluted water. Smoke rising from a fire obscures the setting sun

Oil industry pollution. Tailings settling pond with residual crude oil and bitumen floating on the surface. In the background is the Syncrude oil processing plant

Water weed in Cardiff dock, Wales

Deforestation, Brazil, satellite image
Deforestation, Brazil. Satellite image of smoke plumes (pale blue, lower frame) rising over Brazil, South America. North is at bottom

Global pollution, conceptual image
Global pollution. Conceptual image of pollution enveloping the Earth, representing global levels of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), heavy metals, and greenhouse gases

Man-made pollution, conceptual artwork
Man-made pollution, conceptual computer artwork

Oil spill cleanup, Russia
Oil spill cleanup. Cleaning up oil spilt in the Neva River near St Petersburg, Russia. Photographed on 20th April 2010

Antarctic ozone hole, 2009
Antarctic ozone hole. Satellite image of the ozone hole (blue) over Antarctica (centre) on 10th September 2009. Ozone layer thicknesses are colour coded from purple (lowest) through blue

Oil and the environment. Conceptual image of an oil drop (centre) running down a container (left), with smoke and clouds in the background

Batteries polluting the environment. Many batteries contain toxic heavy metals and must be disposed of appropriately to avoid polluting the environment

Power station in winter. Steam condensing in the cold winter air as exhaust gases leave the elevated chimney outlet of a power station. In the foreground a car passes by

Smoke omitted from a flue
Israel, Hadera, The Orot Rabin coal operated power plant

Oil drilling, conceptual image
Oil drilling. Conceptual artwork of a clamp being used to squeeze the Earth to extract oil. This image can represent oil drilling and other aspects of the oil industry

Cement factory smokestacks
27.05.2008 Россия. Новосибирская область. Искитим. Производство цемента на заводе ОАО "Искитимцемент" в Новосибирской области. Фото: алерия Титиевского

Car exhaust pipe, thermogram
Car exhaust pipe. Thermogram close-up of the exhaust pipe of a motor vehicle. Thermography records surface temperatures by detecting the long-wavelength radiation emitted by an object

Future Earth cityscape, artwork
Future Earth cityscape. Computer artwork of how the Earth may appear 500 million years from now. By this time the Sun will have grown considerably hotter due to its natural evolution as a type G5V

Antarctic ozone hole maximum, 2008
Antarctic ozone hole maximum. Satellite image of the maximum extent in 2008 of the ozone hole (blue) over Antarctica (centre)

Polluted river, USA
Polluted river. This is a creek mouth on the Indian River, Titusville, Florida, USA

Nickel ore processing factory. Aerial photograph of the chimney stacks and buildings of the Norilsk Nickel Company nickel ore processing factory, near Norilsk, northern Siberia, Russia

Raw sewage overflowing from an access cover (manhole) for a public sewer, in Oxfordshire, UK. The sewage is flowing down a footpath to reach a chalk stream (not seen)

Space junk, conceptual artwork. Large number of satellites orbiting the Earth, representing the hazards of space junk (also called space debris)

Overview of the Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Sailboat on Mercury
The insectoid residents of the planet Mercury will develop their own technology to navigate their chemically polluted waters : mica will be the material of choice

Not a Drop to Drink
A comment on Londons polluted water supply - water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink !

Polluted Water / Sloper
Ally Sloper gives a lantern talk to the County Council on water pollution

Aerial image of Kamarang Mouth Station and airstrip at the confluence of the unpolluted Kamarang River with the mined and heavily polluted Upper Mazaruni River in March 2005, Guyana, South America

Used car tyres being cut up for burning as fuel in power stations. This is a highly toxic polluting mix to
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Burning plastic rubbish that was washed up on a beach on the Isle of skye near Elgol, Scotland, UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Polluted effluent being pumped into the Irish Sea from the Marchon chemical plant in whitehaven, Cumbria
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Toxic blue green algae on Haweswater reservoir dunig a hot summer. Such poisonous algal blooms are becoming far more
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

A polluted waterway near Warrinton, UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

Polluted scum floating on the river Mersey near Warrington, UK
Ashley Cooper / SpecialistStock

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"Unveiling the Dark Veil: A Glimpse into Our Polluted World" The Punch cartoon from yesteryears shows Faraday, a renowned scientist, handing his card to Father Thames, symbolizing the polluted state of our rivers and water bodies. In the era of silent highwaymen, pollution silently crept into every corner of our lives, leaving its mark on both nature and society. An oil refinery at night stands as a haunting reminder of how industrialization has contributed to environmental degradation. The Strandline plastic litter in Freshwater West serves as an alarming testament to the devastating impact of plastic waste on coastal ecosystems. "Dirty Father Thames 1848" depicts the river's sorry state during that time when it was heavily contaminated with sewage and industrial waste. Amidst smog-filled air at Smithfield Market in London, a porter struggles through his daily routine, highlighting how pollution affects even those who work tirelessly for their livelihoods. Bankside Power Station looms large over South London—a towering symbol of energy production but also a source of pollution that plagues nearby communities. Industrial power stations like Cegb London have become synonymous with pollution due to their emissions and contribution to climate change. "Under Windsor Bridge on the Irwell, " painted in 1912 by Manchester artist captures an image tainted by oil spills—an early indication of man-made contamination affecting natural beauty. Laguna Miluni's contamination due to mine effluent reveals how human activities can irreversibly damage delicate ecosystems while drought exacerbates its already low water levels. Oxford Road in Manchester depicted in 1910 showcases urban pollution—smokestacks belching smoke into the sky amidst bustling city life—a stark reminder that progress often comes at an environmental cost