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We like to think of airports as modern centres channelling travellers and goods in a linked world. Do we often stop to think about the environmental effects of airport pollution? It is highly doubtful in light of the services we obtain from this modern centre.

Where once there was lush vegetation centuries past, there now stands a man made island of construction, one of the first forms of airport pollution. This has several implications. The removal of lush vegetation has removed natures home and food for some of her creatures. Who knows how many creatures are now extinct or endangered by the construction of this modern centre?

Where once there was lush vegetation soaking up carbon dioxide and producing life giving oxygen, there now sits a man made island where activities that produce carbon dioxide take place. From aircraft fumes to vehicle emissions using life giving oxygen and spitting out carbon dioxide among other pollutants. These carbon producing activities are thought to increase the chances of global warming occurring.

Another serious environmental effect that is a form of airport pollution is the immense amount of noise produced from activities carried out at the airport. From noisy aircraft engines to travellers arriving to and fro, there is no end to the headache. We need to consider our airports neighbours. Are they affected when aircraft fly in the vicinity to and from the airport? This is another form of airport pollution affecting the environment. Does noise affect wildlife in the vicinity of the airport regardless of whether they are resident or transient? Most definitely. We can only hope that natures creatures have adapted to the noise that is our airports.

We then consider waste that is produced at the airport from litter to fuel leakages to oil spillages. No doubt these all have impacts on the environment from degrading natures aesthetic qualities to polluting her waterways and land and affecting surrounding wildlife.

When we think of airport pollution and its effect on the environment it is clear that there are many forms of airport pollution and it may have a multitude of effects on our environment. Perhaps the challenge is to design and build more greener airports and aircraft that reduce the impacts that an airport has on the environment. We can only hope that we all seriously consider carefully how airport pollution impacts our environment.

Learn more about this author, Vincent J.D. Grant.
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