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Taking a look at air pollution, it occurs when elemental mercury or compounds containing mercury find their way into the atmosphere. For instance, burning of coal releases mercury into the atmosphere. Thus, coal industries are among the highest producers of human caused mercury air pollution in the United States. Once the mercury gets into the air, it ultimately settles on the land or in water leading to land and water pollution. Untreated industrial effluents are also another major source of mercury pollution in the water bodies. Mercury vapour accidents can also lead to air pollution where the pollution will result to the inhaling of elemental mercury. Other sources of mercury into the environment include the natural sources such as the volcanoes. However, these cannot be remedied since they are not as a result of human activities.

On getting in to the water bodies, mercury is then converted by microorganisms into methyl mercury which accumulates in fish. These fish are then eaten by humans and this is how methyl mercury reaches human beings. For instance, on getting into the human body, mercury affects an individual’s neurological functions. This leads to an individual not leading a normal life and in high dosage of ingestion, this can lead to death. Mercury also affects the lungs, heart and kidneys. In addition to these, is also affected an individual’s level of immunity. In addition to mercury pollution having effects on humans, high levels of accumulation of methyl mercury on animals causes their death and in other cases, it can leads to slow or stunted growth.

To solve this problem, industries should work to come up with creative and inventive means through which they will convert various industrial effluents with mercury containing compounds to other less harmful forms and this can only be achieved via the introduction of a policy. The policy should also ensure that industries and laboratories which are dealing with elemental mercury are well ventilated in order to lower the level of effect on workers in case of an accident. In addition to these various industries which releases mercury into the air should work to reduce the level and amount being released.

For this reason, a policy should be passed aiming at curbing the disposal of mercury containing compounds. In such a sense, heavy fines should be imposed for those who default this policy. This kind of policy should also incorporate programs which are aimed at enlightening the community on the various effect of mercury. This program will also be extended to the various concerned industries so that they can have the information and know the importance of minimising mercury emission into the atmosphere, land or water.