contaminate
/kənˈtæməˌneɪt/to make water, food or land dirty or unsafe by adding a harmful substance
Example: Chemicals from the factory could contaminate the village's drinking water.
B218 words · Upper-intermediate
Pollution vocabulary — B2
Pollution vocabulary for news and discussion about the environment, covering emissions, toxic waste, acid rain and groundwater, and ideas like biodegradable and e-waste.
18 questions
Words in this set
18emissions
/ɪˈmɪʃənz/gases or other substances sent out into the air, for example by cars and factories
Example:
The government wants to cut emissions from cars by half.
toxic waste
rubbish from factories that is poisonous and dangerous to people and nature
Example:
They found barrels of toxic waste hidden in the woods.
acid rain
water falling from the clouds that harms plants and buildings because the air has dirty gases in it
Example:
Acid rain has damaged many of the old stone statues here.
biodegradable
/ˌbaɪoʊdəˈɡreɪdəbəl/able to break down naturally in the earth without harming nature
Example:
These plates are biodegradable, so you can put them in the compost.
hazardous
/ˈhæzərdəs/very dangerous, especially to people's health or safety
Example:
Workers must wear masks when handling hazardous materials.
pollutant
/pəˈlutənt/a substance that makes air, water or soil dirty and harmful
Example:
Sulphur dioxide is a major pollutant in many big cities.
carbon dioxide
the gas that people and animals make when they breathe out, and that is also made when fuel is burned; plants take it in
Example:
Trees take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen.
waste disposal
the way rubbish is taken away and got rid of safely
Example:
Our town has a new system for waste disposal.
incinerator
/ˌɪnˈsɪnərˌeɪtər/a large machine or building where rubbish is burned
Example:
The new incinerator burns rubbish and makes electricity for the town.
run-off
rainwater that flows over the ground and carries dirt or chemicals into rivers
Example:
Run-off from the farm has turned the stream green.
light pollution
Too much bright glow from street lamps and buildings that hides the stars at night.
Example:
Light pollution makes it almost impossible to see stars from the city.
groundwater
/ˈɡraʊnˌdwɑtər/water that is stored under the earth and comes up in wells and springs
Example:
Fertiliser can slowly seep into the groundwater below the fields.
dumping
/ˈdʌmpɪŋ/getting rid of rubbish in a place where it is not allowed
Example:
Dumping old fridges in the forest is against the law.
ozone layer
the thin part of the sky that protects the Earth from the Sun's harmful rays
Example:
Some old chemicals were harming the ozone layer above the poles.
clean-up operation
a big, organised job to remove dirt or damage after an accident
Example:
A huge clean-up operation began on the beach after the leak.
e-waste
Old phones, computers and other electrical goods that people throw away.
Example:
Mountains of e-waste are shipped abroad every year.
air quality index
A number that shows how much harmful dirt is in the air we breathe on a particular day.
Example:
Schools stayed closed because the air quality index was far too high.
