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What Is the Difference Between Human & Natural Air Pollution?

Air quality can make a big difference in human health, and the most well-known example of air quality degradation is the large clouds of smog that collect around cities. Some natural processes, however, are just as capable of releasing harmful substances into the atmosphere as human industrial activity.

Air Pollution Defined
- Air quality affects most living things on the planet, so most major organizations that regulate air quality define quality and the pollutants that can damage it in terms of potential harm to both humans and the environment. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines "hazardous air pollutants" as those "that cause or may cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental and ecological effects." The EPA lists 187 hazardous air pollutants.
Human Pollution
- Human industry, manufacturing, mining, power production, transportation and other activities can all release polluting chemicals into the air. For example, burning fossil fuels for electricity or to power vehicles releases carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, as well as other pollutants. Depending on the technology that is emitting pollutants, the rate and degree of pollution can be reduced by using filters, scrubbers, catalytic converters or other green equipment designed to cut the negative impact of human activity.
Natural Pollution
- Natural activities can also release pollutants into the air. Forest fires produce large amounts of smoke, while volcanoes vent ash, hydrogen sulfide and various toxic gases during eruptions. Bacteria feeding on decaying organic matter can emit methane as a byproduct. Even pollen, a source of distress for many who are allergic to the substance, is the result of the natural process of plant reproduction. Natural pollution is as old as the atmosphere itself.
Human vs. Natural
- The major difference between human and natural pollution is that human pollution is much easier for humans to control. For example, the Clean Air Act of 1970 and subsequent regulations led to significant improvements in the air quality of the United States, but there is little people can do about volcanic eruptions. In cases like cities that produce a lot of smog, the human pollution is much more significant than the natural pollution anyway, so control over this aspect of air quality is still an important determinant in the overall level of pollutants in the atmosphere.

Nature