Pollution and waste disposal are major problems faced by many countries.

Pollution takes
place when substances with harmful effects are released into the environment and this in turn
affects the quality of the environment. The three main types of pollution are air pollution, water
pollution and land pollution.
Air is polluted when smoke, ash, dust and other poisonous gases are released into the air.
Today, there are laws that prohibit open burning but this still goes on. Forest fire is a contributing
factor as well. Then, there are the numerous factories that release harmful gases into the
atmosphere. If we find traffic jams an inconvenience to us, just imagine what all the vehicles
emitting exhaust fumes would do to our air. All these contributing factors lead to air pollution. The
most serious outcome, as Malaysians have experienced is the haze. This would surely increase
respiratory diseases as air pollutants affect our lungs, eyes and various parts of our bodies in the
long run. Air pollution also blocks out sunlight and therefore plants and animals depending on it will
not be able to survive. Air pollution also causes acid rain which is again hazardous to the
environment.
Apart from that, waste products have found their way into the rivers. Waste material is
substance that is useless and unwanted. It can be grouped into two main categories. Domestic waste
is the waste that we throw into our bins for the garbage collector to take away for disposal.
Industrial waste is what being discarded by factories and industries. Waste can also be grouped into
toxic waste and non-toxic waste. While toxic waste is poisonous and destroys marine life, non-toxic
waste chokes up the rivers and leads to flooding. At sea, ships collide and the subsequent oil spillage
harms aquatic and marine life. It is no wonder that our supply of fish, an important source of protein
is being depleted. Water borne diseases can spread through polluted water. Water is a very
important element and without it, no living things can survive.
Basically, we have to control pollution before it is too late. We should stop using non-bio-
degradable products that pollute the environment. An example would be to stop using plastic bags.
Use cloth bags instead those which you can reuse many times. We should all play a part in recycling
in order to reduce waste material as well as pollution. Finally, the government should impose heavy
fines or punishments on those found guilty of polluting the environment. The government should
not just have strict rules but should implement them as well. After all, action speaks louder than
words-enforcement is very important.