IndexIntroductionPollution ProblemsCause – UrbanizationSolution – River Rehabilitation ProgramsCause – Open FireSolution – New Law EnforcementCause – Poor Waste ManagementSolution – Environmental EducationConclusionIntroductionEnvironmental pollution can be generally defined as the introduction of contaminants into our environment through anthropogenic means. The three main pollutions that Malaysian grid users are exposed to are air, water and soil pollution. Over the past decade or so, municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in Malaysia has gained a 91% increase (Samsudin & Mat Don, 2013) while, according to a recent World Health Organization report, outdoor air is the main root cause of 6,251 deaths in Malaysia in 2012. (Khor, 2018) The purpose of this essay is to discuss what contributes to pollution and the means of redemption from this potentially lethal phenomenon that is occurring in our country. The following paragraphs will discuss the causes of pollution, such as urbanization, open fires, poor waste management, and ways to overcome them, such as river restoration programs, law enforcement, and environmental education. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayPollution ProblemsCause: UrbanizationUrbanization is a major cause of water pollution in Malaysia. This is because increased urbanization results in the stimulation of activities that pose a threat to the longevity of our environment, such as logging and clearing of forests, heavy construction of factories and residential developments, and so on (“Threats to Rivers ", 2012). A clear example of this occurred in 2015, when coastal water quality in the Klang and Kuala Langat Rivers deteriorated (Dhillon, 2015). According to WWF Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma, the main reason for the decline in water quality is due to wastewater from residential, commercial and industrial areas combined with the increasing amount of waste resulting from the increase in population in those areas (Dhillon, 2015). River Rehabilitation Programs One solution that could help curb river pollution is to have more river quality improvement programs. An example of a program that has been successfully implemented in Malaysia is the "One State One River" which seeks to restore rivers and improve water quality for one river in each state, to ensure that rivers are free of waste and they do not overflow among many others. ("GEC - One State One River Community Participation Component", 2018). The program has proven to be effective as it successfully restored the Miri River, which was previously Grade IV (extremely polluted), to Grade III in 2004. Another successful testimony of the river rehabilitation program is the River Program of Life who will conduct river cleanup, master planning, beautification and development of the Klang River ('River of Life - Public Outreach Program (ROL-POP) - NKEA Greater KL/KV - River of Life Project Information (ROL)", 2018). According to Ziad Hafiz Razak, director of the Greater KL Key Economic Area in Pemandu (Ann-Augustine, 2017), the committee is about 71% complete in the river cleaning phase. Cause - Outdoor fires In Malaysia, activities related to outdoor fires are recognized as major contributors to air pollution that result in the deterioration of the overall quality of the atmosphere (Mustafa, Yaacob, Ariffin & Rusli, 2017).Some irresponsible development companies are notoriously known for using the cheaper alternative of burning forests instead of spending funds to cut down forests responsibly, directly causing haze incidents in Malaysia due to the enormous smoke released by the fire ( Press, 2014). For example, Air Pollutant Index readings recorded above 100, indicating "unhealthy" air quality in some parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Sibu City exceeded 200 (very unhealthy) in 2014 (Press, 2014). The haze was largely blamed on fires started by large oil palm companies that used the illegal but economical technique of burning large tracts to clear them for planting, also known as "Slash and Burn." fire on palm oil plantations causes haze in populated cities in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore |. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, 2018). Solution: New Law Enforcement Existing laws are unable to prevent outdoor fires and therefore new laws need to be enforced to curb this problem. It is suggested that prescribed burning should only be carried out under strict conditions and rules such as; fire should not be used alone to clear land and should be combined with other less harmful means, there should be an interval between burns to reduce the amount of smoke released into the atmosphere at one time (Tiedemann, O. Klemmedson & Bull, 2000 ).Another law that may be enforced is to have more severe repercussions for those who practice illegal burning. As suggested by our former Minister of Human Resources and Environment, Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, the government should confiscate lands from owners found to be involved in recurring slashing and burning in agriculture (The STAR & Asia News Network, 2016). Under Section 29(A) of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, those found guilty of open fires can be fined up to RM500,000 or jailed up to five years, or both could also be heavier to instill fear in committing the illegal act of Slash and Burn (Bernama, 2016).Cause – Poor waste managementAccording to statistics, our country produces waste amounting to 30,000 tons per day. Waste generation in Kuala Lumpur is approximately 3,000 tonnes per day and is expected to increase in the coming years (Clean Malaysia, 2015). However, solid waste disposal has been carried out almost exclusively through open landfills, which is extremely harmful to the land due to surface contamination due to leaching and soil contamination through direct contact (Raman Kutty, 2016). In fact, the percentage of rural areas covered by waste disposal services is only 66%. To further illustrate, giant piles of rubbish dumped in the Cameron Highlands have begun to burn internally, spilling toxic waste into the soil further exacerbating harmful living conditions (Clean Malaysia, 2015). Solution: Environmental Education Land pollution might prove to be a little tricky to manage as garbage and waste are generated by everyone in the country and the most effective way to handle this situation is to raise public awareness about the damage we are causing to the environment. As former Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan said, it is imperative that campaigns be held to inform the public and provide guidelines on waste management and recycling habits (Clean Malaysia, 2015). If citizens were more aware and separated their waste according to recycling containers, the amount of.