One of the types of pollution is point sources. These are sources of pollution where the
origin of the waste can be traced back to a single location. An example of this type is an
industrial facility that discharges into river. These sources of pollution can be easier to deal with
since the source can be directly dealt with. Source control is usually the first step when
remediating an area. The facilities that are point sources are usually under some kind of
regulation, which makes them easier to regulate. Another form of point source pollution is one
time release of a contaminant such as a spill. A chemical spill usually releases contaminants into
the environment at a much higher concentration than a stationary point source. This can lead to
toxicity effects that affect the areas closer to the spill.
The Kura and Aras Rivers suffer from heavy metal contamination mostly due to mining
activities in the area. The Kura River originates in Turkey and flows through Georgia and
Azerbaijan. The Aras River originates in Turkey and flows through Armenia, Azerbaijan, and
Iran. These rivers meet and flow into the Caspian Sea. The mining operations are examples of
persistent point sources. The heavy metal contamination can be traced back to improper
handling of mining tailings around the river, although it may be difficult to trace specific
contaminants back to a single mine. The fact that these mines continue to be operated means that
there is a continuous source of these contaminants. With proper regulation, the source can be
reduced which is necessary before any cleanup can be successful. However, because there are
multiple mining operations, establishing liability is difficult if the responsible parties are to be
held financially responsible for any clean-up.
Chemical spills are potentially more destructive form of point source pollution. With a
persistent point source, the environment has an opportunity to adjust to the contamination at a
relatively stable level. With a spill, the environment is subjected to a much higher concentration
of the contaminant which usually spikes quickly. In areas around the spill, the biota can
experience toxic effects while persistent pollution sources often result in accumulation of
contaminants. Both are potentially harmful to the ecosystem and to humans. A lethal dose of a
contaminant disrupts the ecosystem by removing the biota. However, lower levels of
contamination may not kill the biota, allowing them to interact with the rest of the food web and
potentially expose humans to the contamination.