(eg. causes of fire hazard + 1 eg + environmental impact)

Research on

1. Causes of hazard (air / traffic / fire)

2. Impacts of the hazard (social, environmental & economic)

3. Provide 1 example (place, country, year) include ONE photo

4. Provide ONE group data only. Research graph / infographics / charts / etc. that shows the extent of the hazard.

Conclude: In your group, decide which hazard is the worst and justify your choice.

Be ready to share!

Impacts

Example (place, country, year and 1 photo) What happened?

Causes:

• human activities - smoking, vaping, burning of joss paper

• transportation - exhaust from public transport and vehicles, private cars

• industrial processes - release pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, ammonia and mercury

• power generation - burning of fossil fuels and coal releases air pollutants

Impacts:

• lung disease/lung cancer

• asthma

• eye and skin irritation

• animals would breathe in the air pollutants and might be fatal

• plants would not take in enough carbon dioxide and photosynthesise into oxygen at a fast rate

Examples:

• Place - Singapore

• Country - Singapore

• Year - 2024

• What happened - Air pollutants increases the amount of PM2.5 and HVOC, which would lead to premature deaths of 135000000 people globally according to NTU researches.

Air pollution stems from various sources, including burning fossil fuels, industrial emissions, transportation, agricultural activities, wildfires, and even natural events like volcanic eruptions, releasing harmful gases and particles into the atmosphere. 

Impacts:

Air pollution poses significant risks to human health and the environment, leading to respiratory problems, cardiovascular issues, and increased mortality, while also contributing to climate change and ecosystem damage. 

first outbreak was on the January 7th in LA, California.

"However, in the case of the Eaton fire, legal cases have been filed against the electrical company, Southern California Edison Company (SCE), claiming there is evidence that the blaze - one of the largest - was ignited due to negligence of the firm's overhead wires."

"Fueled by powerful winds and dry conditions, a series of ferocious wildfires erupted on Jan. 7 and roared across the Los Angeles area, killing at least 29 people, including some who died trying to prevent the fires from engulfing their homes, and destroying thousands of structures."

-the drivers drunk-driving

-speeding

-road rage

One of the most notable traffic-related incidents in Singapore was the 2013 Little India Riot, which started as a fatal traffic accident before escalating into a violent riot.

What Happened?

On 8 December 2013, an Indian construction worker, Sakthivel Kumaravelu, was hit and killed by a private bus at the junction of Race Course Road and Hampshire Road in Little India. The accident occurred as he was allegedly intoxicated and trying to board the bus, but fell into its path. His death sparked anger among a large crowd of foreign workers, which eventually led to Singapore's worst public riot in over 40 years.

Causes of the Traffic Accident

1. Human Error: The victim was reportedly intoxicated and may have been unsteady when trying to board the bus.

2. Crowded Conditions: Little India is a hotspot for migrant workers on weekends, leading to congestion and potential safety hazards.

3. Bus Driver’s Response: There was confusion over whether the driver saw the victim in time to stop.

Impacts of the Accident and Riot

1. Casualties and Damage:

   • 54 people were arrested.

   • 39 police, civil defence, and auxiliary officers were injured.

   • Over 20 vehicles were damaged or burned, including police cars and ambulances.

2. Stricter Alcohol Regulations:

   • The Singapore government introduced alcohol restrictions in Little India, banning public consumption of alcohol on weekends and public holidays.

3. Increased Security and Transport Policies:

   • Tighter security measures were implemented in worker dormitories and areas where large numbers of foreign workers gathered.

   • Public bus services ferrying workers from dormitories to Little India were temporarily suspended.

4. Legal and Social Consequences:

   • Several rioters faced criminal charges and were either jailed, fined, or deported.

   • The incident highlighted tensions between Singapore's migrant worker community and local authorities, leading to discussions on better treatment and integration of foreign workers.

This case is a stark reminder of how a single traffic accident can escalate due to external factors like crowd emotions, alcohol consumption, and poor crisis management, leading to major societal consequences.

Link: The night chaos broke out: Little India riot, 10 years on

The Straits Times

https://www.straitstimes.com › multimedia › the-night-c...

The impacts of drunk driving are death and injuries.

Air pollution is a risk for all-cause mortality as well as specific diseases, like stroke, ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, pneumonia, and cataract (household air pollution only).  

There is suggestive evidence also linking air pollution exposure with increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes (i.e. low-birth weight, small for gestational age), other cancers, diabetes, cognitive impairment and neurological diseases. 

1. Human Health and Safety

• Injury or Death: Fires can cause burns, smoke inhalation, and other serious injuries. In severe cases, fires can lead to fatalities.

• Evacuations: Large-scale fires may require evacuations, displacing thousands of people and disrupting daily life.

2. Property and Infrastructure Damage

• Destruction of Buildings: Homes, businesses, and public buildings can be completely destroyed, leading to huge repair and reconstruction costs.

• Damage to Infrastructure: Roads, bridges, power lines, and utilities may be damaged, disrupting essential services for communities.

3. Economic Impact

• Property Damage Costs: The financial toll of rebuilding after a fire can be immense, especially in urban areas or industries reliant on physical infrastructure.

• it was a lethal fog that covered city of London for 5 days in 1952 and was caused by the combination of industrial pressure and high pressure weather conditions and resulted in 1000s of death.

• These hazes were not natural formations of the atmosphere: water vapor would stick to particulates released by coal-burning factories, producing dark and heavy clouds that impaired visibility. This variety of fog later came to be known as smog

Major Sources of Air Pollution:

• Fossil Fuel Combustion:

  This is the primary driver, including emissions from vehicles, power plants, and industrial activities. 

• Household Air Pollution:

  Burning solid fuels (wood, coal, etc.) for cooking and heating in homes, especially in developing countries, contributes significantly to indoor and outdoor pollution. 

• Industrial Activities:

  Factories, refineries, and other industrial facilities release pollutants into the air. 

• Agriculture:

  Agricultural practices, including fertilizer use and livestock farming.

• Transportation:

  Motor vehicles, especially older models, emit harmful pollutants. 

• Natural Sources:

  Dust storms, forest fires, and volcanic eruptions.

for example PMDs

faulty battery or wiring.

over charging or improper charging.

- vehicle emissions

- industrial activites

- burning of fossil fuels

- burning of waste products

- deforestation

natural-causes:

-wildfires

-dust storms

-volcanic eruptions

-natural decay

Impacts:

increase in greenhouse gases in the ozone layer, causing more heat to be trapped in the atmosphere. This causes global warming and may cause effects such as glaciers and icebergs melting.

inhalation of these pollutants in the air may cause respiratory-related health problems like lung cancer and asthma and heart disease.

increased presence of pollutants in the atmosphere may also lead to increase in acid rainfall and toxicity of these rainfalls, causing property damage and also skin issues to humans when in contact.

Example (place, country, year and 1 photo) What happened?

On June 5, 2009, a catastrophic landslide killed 74 people in southwestern China. Increase in air pollutants lead to an increased acid rainfall. The acid rain dissolved the cementing carbonate minerals and organic materials in the shale, weakening the layers and causing a landslide.0

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Country: Singapore

Year: 2024

Incident: A fire broke out at a data centre in Loyang on Tuesday morning (Sep 10), with firefighters continuing to conduct operations a day after it started. The fire at the Digital Realty data centre at 3 Loyang Way broke out at about 7.45am, the company said, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the incident at 8am. SCDF deployed four water jets to contain the fire. The sprinkler system was also activated. About 20 people had evacuated from the building before firefighters arrived and there were no reported injuries.

if air pollution is not treated immediately, eventually air pollution could kill all life on earth