Types of Environmental pollution

Types of Environmental Pollution

There are three major types of environmental pollution:

• Air pollution
• Water pollution
• Soil pollution (contamination)

For a list of other pollution types, please see the Types of Pollution article.
Some of the most important air pollutants are sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and airborne particles, with radioactive pollutants probably among the most destructive ones (specifically when produced by nuclear explosions).
Please refer to the Summary of Air Pollutants article for a brief overview of sources and effects of air pollutants.
Water pollutants include insecticides and herbicides, food processing waste, pollutants from livestock operations, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals, chemical waste and others.
Some soil pollutants are: hydrocarbons, solvents and heavy metals.