Since I was in primary school, when I was sitting at the balcony and observing the falling movement of leaves from a huge durian tree, which is still standing and growing healthily outside my wooden house, an unexpected thought popped-up and since that particular day, environmental protection seems like becoming a part of my mission during this life.
That is why I choose Environmental Engineering in my undergraduate course.
However, the content of my core subjects lately is really “frightening” (in some extent).
My geo-environmental engineering lecturer showed us the case studies and photos below in the introduction lecture in the part two of the course, which is mainly focused on land and groundwater contamination.

This is an illegal dumpsite in Malaysia.
According to my professor, they are about 260 refuse dumpsites in Malaysia.

At Hoole Bank,UK, a clay pit excavated in Pleistocene till was utilised for hazardous waste disposal prior to 1967. At least 62 000 tonnes of liquid acid tar was poured directly into the pit together with spend bentonite containing absorbed oil.

A waste pit filled with crude oil left by
Chevron Texaco (oil company) drilling operations, Ecuador.

Waste oil leaks from an aboveground storage tank.
The owner of this abandoned site is bankrupt, and
there is no state fund to clean up such “orphan” pollution case.

The leaking of Underground Storage Tank will cause groundwater contamination.
These tanks can be found easily under petrol stations, in order to store unwanted waste.

Mine waste. Please observe the condition of trees grown around this area.

Contaminated site in Northeast Cope, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska.
The wastes were left by the US air force after they abandoned their military site.
It causes 13 deaths from cancers among the residents there.
继续阅读“Who should take the responsibility?” →