According to statistics, the Mississippi River discharges 600 million tons of waste into the Gulf of Mexico every year. main reason river pollution is caused by shipping and hydroelectric power plants. There are also refineries located on this site. Every year, 30 million cubic meters/m³ of wastewater enters the water.

Situation in Russia

And this is not the entire list of rivers. In fact, there are much more of them, and in Russia there is a lot of river pollution ecological problem. The environmental situation is considered the most unfavorable. The Volga runs through the central part of the country, where the population is largest; on its banks there are many industrial cities whose enterprises dump waste. Next come the Siberian rivers, which also experience the load of the country's industrial complex, these are the Ob, Irtysh, and Yenisei. The list continues with Iset, Lena, Pechora, Oka, Tom. It turns out that most of the rivers passing through ours are mercilessly polluted.

Man's irresponsible attitude towards water resources has led to sad consequences: vast spaces, once full of life, turned into a waste dump. It is in everyone's interests to stop this inexorable destruction of all life. Our goal is to preserve water resources in their original form, because they are the source of human life and home to millions of flora and fauna. Be conscious and take care of nature!

In summer, the problem of river pollution is especially pressing: tourists, while relaxing in nature, leave mountains of garbage and neglect natural resources. We have compiled a list of the dirtiest rivers in the world, in which we advise you to refrain from swimming.

Citarum

Located in West Java, the river is without a doubt the dirtiest river in the world. It is used for numerous needs: land irrigation, as a sewer, and a source for water supply to nearby settlements. About five million people live near the basin of this river, who throw tons of slop and chemical waste into it every day. It must be said that some steps were taken to correct the situation: in 2008, huge funds were allocated to cleanse Citarum of contamination, but the situation has changed only slightly since then. It will take several decades to return the river to its previous state.

Jamna

The Indian river, which has a total length of about one and a half thousand kilometers and is one of the tributaries of the Ganges, is essentially a large dump for. Tons of garbage and slop from residential sectors and industrial enterprises flow straight into Jamna. The authorities wanted to somehow rectify the situation and even allocated funds to clean up the river, but none of their attempts were successful. The situation will not change until the infrastructure changes and the river ceases to be the most convenient place to dump waste.

Ganges

The Indian Ganges River is perhaps the most famous dirty river. A lot has been filmed about her documentaries, it is a cult place for many Indians. Pollution of the river is associated with constant population growth, toxic industrial waste, as well as a primitive sewer system that forces residents to dump waste products into the river. By swimming in the legendary Ganges, you risk getting hepatitis, cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. A huge number of people in India die every year from diseases caused by poor water conditions.

Mississippi

One of the largest and most polluted rivers on the planet. The main source of pollution is industrial enterprises. The Mississippi carries millions of tons of waste that flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

Sarno

This Italian river is considered the most polluted in all of Europe. The source of pollution is classic: city sewerage and waste from industrial enterprises.

Mining has turned this once clean river into one of Australia's dirtiest. Pollution began to increase in 1995, when tons of sulfides and other chemicals began to be released into the water. Despite careful attitude Australian government commitment to natural resources, the situation with the Royal River remains unchanged.

Buriganga

Another river that flows near the capital is an important source of water for production and an excellent place for disposing of wastewater. - most Big city in Bangladesh, with a huge number of enterprises. The water is also used for navigation, and quite intensively. The river has an unpleasant black color and a very unappetizing smell, which does not prevent local residents from using it as a source drinking water and for washing clothes. The Buriganga is considered biologically dead: all vertebrates in the river have long since died out, and only the simplest organisms can be found in it; the water cannot be used even for technical purposes.

Yellow River

It is one of the largest rivers in Asia (its length is about five thousand kilometers), in the basin of which peoples were formed and history was made. Now it is one of the dirtiest rivers in the world, used to dump toxic waste from countless industries and also as a conduit for wastewater farms. There have been repeated attempts by the authorities to reduce pollution of the river, which, unfortunately, have been unsuccessful.

Marilao

The Marilao River in the Philippines is a wastewater channel for numerous industries. Constant sewer discharges worsen the ecological condition of the river, making it unsuitable even for technical purposes. Toxic chemicals are causing a decline in biodiversity, and government efforts to curb pollution have failed. People continue to dump waste into water, despite hefty fines.

Songhuajiang

A river in northeast China that was seriously contaminated with benzene after an incident at a chemical plant.

Human carelessness towards water resources leads to horrific consequences: vast spaces, once full of life, turn into dead, stinking garbage dumps. It is in our interests and in our power to preserve the pristine appearance of rivers, which are sources of fresh water for humans and home to millions of species of animals and plants.

Technological progress does not spare nature. People are too accustomed to a comfortable existence and rarely think about the harm that is constantly being caused to our common house. Every second, tens of tons of garbage are thrown away around the world, industry poisons the environment with harmful waste, and plastic and other artificial materials are used even more widely. Especially clearly surrounding nature can be seen in the example of rivers. Historically, settlements were founded near them, they were used as shipping canals and sources of drinking water. Despite their importance in human life, there are many examples of barbaric attitudes towards rivers. This rating presents dirtiest rivers in the world.

10. King (Tasmania, Australia)

The fate of this river changed with the opening of the Copper Mine on its banks in the first half of the 19th century. During this time, from the largest source of fresh water in Tasmania, it turned into a real swamp and for this reason it is among the ten dirtiest rivers in the world. Moreover, almost all animals die from contact with its yellow water. There is nothing royal left in the river; today the old name sounds like a mockery of nature. Every year the Copper Mine poisons the river with sulfides in huge quantities. Approximately half a million tons of waste end up there with rain, which often falls due to the large amount of harmful substances. In total, over 100 million tons of sulfides entered the river, as well as a large number of other dangerous compounds.

9. Sarno (Italy)

Human activity has led to this river being called the dirtiest in Europe. This happened due to the fault of agricultural enterprises. Dozens of such facilities constantly release waste containing various harmful substances into it. Even the fact that the river flows into the Bay of Naples does not stop them. It is one of the most visited places in Italy and its poisoning could harm thousands of tourists. Hundreds of organizations are fighting for the cleanliness of the Sarno River, and the authorities are making serious efforts to resolve this situation.

8. Marilao (Philippines)

In previous cases, pollution was caused by industrial activities. There are also about a hundred factories located near the Marilao River that poison it. Due to the large number of different sources of pollution, hundreds of tons of substances from the entire periodic table enter the water every year. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the local population actually uses the river instead of a trash can. All waste is simply dumped near the banks of the river.

7. Yellow River, “Yellow River” (China)

This river is one of the largest in the world and serves as a source of drinking water for much of northern China. Despite this, many enterprises and settlements constantly poison it. The level of pollution of the Yellow River is quite high, which allows us to consider it one of the dirtiest rivers in the world. Heavy metals, oil industry waste and other harmful substances are found in such large quantities that this water is not suitable for some production facilities. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the river constantly contains impurities from the erosion of local soils. Because of them, the water has a yellow color. The number of people poisoned by drinking water from this river runs into the thousands.

6. Mississippi (United States of America)

America occupies one of the leading places in terms of development and is a fully formed state. But at the same time ecological situation in some places it is more similar to the situation in rapidly developing countries. The Mississippi River provides a clear illustration of this. The amount of municipal, industrial and agricultural waste in it is so great that “dead zones” have formed in some places. Water from them cannot be used in any way, even for industrial needs. Not to mention swimming, fishing or drinking it. Dozens of organizations are fighting to protect the river from pollution, but this does not bring visible results. Therefore, the Mississippi ranks 6th in the ranking of the dirtiest rivers on the planet.

5. Yangtze (China)

The Chinese are known for their disregard for the environment. The Yangtze River is a clear example of this. The water in it usually has a dark gray color. But at times, due to emissions of hazardous waste, it takes on shades of almost any color, which locals are no longer surprised by. In 2012, the river temporarily turned blood red. The length of its channel is the longest among rivers throughout Eurasia. Therefore, about 20 thousand industrial facilities are located on the shore. Almost all of them dispose of waste using the river, without bothering to install filters or treatment facilities.

4. Jamna, “Yamuna” (India)

The Jumna is one of the dirtiest rivers in India. This is largely due to the fact that for most people living in the capital, it is the only way get rid of waste. Many enterprises and factories are also doing their bit. The state is spending huge sums of money trying to clean up the river, but the large amount of harmful substances coming in greatly hinders this. Simply put, this river has turned into one big garbage dump for a huge city.

3. Buriganga (Bangladesh)

Water of an incomprehensible shade, from which a strong odor reeks from afar, heaps of plastic waste and the absence of signs of any living creatures nearby - this is what the Buriganga River looks like. This does not alarm the local population, who manage to wash and wash their things in such conditions. The river is officially declared dead because only protozoa can survive in it. I think that this is a good reason to place Buriganga on the 3rd place in the ranking of the dirtiest rivers in the world. Every year, dozens of tons of garbage are dumped into it, and the bottom is largely covered with a layer of dangerous and long-decomposing substances. Enormous amounts of pollution and a lack of understanding from industry and local residents are preventing authorities from correcting the problem.

2. Ganges (India)

If in other cases the local population tries to limit contact with contaminated water as much as possible, here they themselves get into it. This is due to the old superstition that swimming in this river gets rid of all diseases. If you look cynically at the result of contact with water, then you can say that this custom works one hundred percent today. A huge amount of pathogenic microbes, toxins and heavy metals can kill a person who momentarily plunges into the river. Official data says that every year about one and a half million people die from this “therapeutic” procedure. This statistics does not stop new applicants.

1. Citarum (Java Island)

The first, far from honorable place in the ranking belongs to the Citarum River, which means that it the dirtiest river in the world. The number of different wastes in it is so great that in some places it becomes unclear whether there is water in it. From the outside, the river simply looks like a large stream of garbage, sluggishly moving in one direction. Such volumes of pollution arose due to the large concentration of industrial facilities on its shore. There are about five hundred textile, plastic and other plants and factories per 300 kilometers of riverbed.

It is also worth noting that there are many more than a dozen heavily polluted rivers on our planet. For example, the Matanza River flows through the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. Its waters contain high concentrations of toluene and other harmful chemicals. This river is officially recognized as the site of an environmental disaster. The sacred Jordan River, located in Israel, is one of the dirtiest rivers in the world. Swimming in it is prohibited by the country's Ministry of Health. This is because the river water is used by many enterprises, including agricultural ones, and therefore it contains a high content of toxic waste hazardous to human health.

The dirtiest river in the world | Video

Swimming in these places can be very dangerous because the purity of the water leaves much to be desired. Swimming in them poses a risk of contracting disease, stench, and sometimes even death. Places like the Indian Ganges or Lake Karachay are famous all over the world for their levels of pollution. However, there are places on Earth where human contact with water does not contribute to health. Here is a list of the dirtiest rivers in the world. Find out where not to swim.

1. Kitarum, Java island:

On the island of Java in Indonesia flows the dirtiest river in the world - Citarum, 300 km long, on the banks of which there are more than 500 factories that dump industrial waste into it. This makes the Citarum the most polluted river in the world. There are places where, due to garbage, you can’t even see the surface of the water, and instead of fish you can only catch a plastic bottle. In addition, diving into the dark waters of this river poses a serious threat to human health, but people continue to swim here.

2.Great North American Lakes, USA

The lakes on the border between Canada and the United States - Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario - are among the most polluted bodies of water on the American continent. Chemical plants, oil refineries, metallurgical plants and chemical fertilizers are to blame. Toxins from a variety of sources make these lakes a toxic soup that the governments of the United States and Canada have been trying to combat for years.

3. Yangtze River, China

This is the longest river in Asia and the third after the Amazon and the Nile, with a length of 6300 km. The Yangtze ranks first in the WWF ranking of the 10 dirtiest rivers in the world because more than 17,000 Chinese cities do not have treatment facilities and all waste migrates along the river. For cities such as Shanghai, Wuhan and Nanjing, this river is the only source of water, making its condition one of China's biggest problems.

4.Onondaga Lake, USA

Located near Syracuse, New York, Onondaga Lake is so polluted that it has been designated as extremely dangerous place in the United States. Phosphates, nitrates, mercury and extremely dangerous bacteria clearly indicate the development of industry in the region. Swimming in sewage can be fatal.

5.King River, Tasmania

King River in Tasmania is the dirtiest river in Australia. Here the cause is coal mines. Before 1995, millions of tons of waste flowed directly into the river, and smoke from factory chimneys caused acid rain. Currently the situation has not improved much - the river is still toxic because the waste from the mines is at the bottom of the river.

6. Lake Tai, China

The shores of Lake Tai in eastern China have been “occupied” by over 3 thousand factories. The third largest reservoir of the Middle Kingdom is also one of the most polluted. Several billion dollars have already been spent to save Lake Tay, where industrial waste and sewage sludge must be removed. In addition, the entire surface of the lake is covered with a thick layer of algae, which impedes the access of oxygen, and thus leads to the extinction of the fish living in it. By the way, there are tent rentals nearby, you can throw a party or just relax.

7.Yellow River, China

The Yellow River (Yellow River) is the second largest river in China - its length is 5464 km in length, and yellow The river's waters came from loess deposits. But now the color has turned brown and sometimes even red - all due to chemicals leaking from nearby factories. Due to frequent changes in flow and the installation of new dams, not many sections of the river dry up, and rapidly developing cities increase the level of water pollution. This in turn is a huge problem because it is the only source of water for millions of Chinese.

8.Lake Victoria, Kenya / Tanzania / Uganda

Three countries have access to the lake, and so there is a dispute over who should take care of it. There are several rules for residents and guests of Lake Victoria, but no one adheres to them - cars are washed here, sewage is drained, but they also swim and fish here. And everything is so serious that contact with this water can lead to cholera, diarrhea and severe skin diseases.

9. Sarno River, Italy

The Sarno River in central Italy is the most polluted river in Italy, and probably also in Europe. Chemical fertilizers from the fields, as well as city wastewater, regularly poison the Sarno, and measures taken to protect the river are insufficient. The Sarno often spills, which further contributes to the pollution of the land along its course.

10.Mississippi, USA

The Mississippi River flows through 10 US states and is the mother of all American rivers. It is also an extremely toxic wastewater that brings in millions of cubic meters of germs, toxins and waste. The mouth of the Gulf of Mexico is a real "death zone" - not only because of pollution, but also because of the low oxygen concentration, for this reason there are no aquatic organisms here.

To answer all this, only one thing can be said: “What closer person to nature, the more terrible the consequences!!!”

Perfect condition environment Now not a single corner on the planet can boast: people are merciless to nature. But there are places that are especially shocking: first of all, this concerns rivers, from which we usually expect freshness and purity. In this article we will present a sad list of the most polluted rivers on earth.

Mississippi,

Delta largest river V North America(and the 4th longest in the world), the greatest natural and economic resource of the United States is one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the world. Unfortunately, today the waters at the mouth of the Mississippi are increasingly called “dead zones”: along the entire route from the north to the south of the country, the river is filled with toxic waste such as nitrates, benzene and arsenic, sewage, petroleum products and simply garbage. Due to terrible pollution, the water at the mouth of the river is overgrown with algae, which absorb all the oxygen, and their dominance makes it impossible for any other organisms to survive.

Sarno,

Known in ancient times as Sarnus, the Italian Sarno River today leads the ranking of the most polluted rivers in Europe. It originates on the slope of Vesuvius, flows through Pompeii to Naples and flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Sarno River has served as the waterway of southern Italy for centuries, and today its importance in the region is quite great. It is a pity that most of the riverbed is polluted with colossal volumes of industrial and agricultural waste, which are dumped into the water more and more every year. The river carries its muddy waters into the Gulf of Naples, which in turn poses a threat to the marine environment.

Marilao,

The state of the river flowing in the Philippine province of Bulacan, near metropolitan region Metro Manila, so depressing that the concerned government is forced to take serious measures to clean it up. In addition to traditional sources of pollution - toxic waste industrial production, the water is overflowing with household garbage. Tons of plastic bottles, bags, rubber slippers and other non-degradable items overwhelm the river, and sewage has made it a source of infection and a accumulation of pathogenic bacteria, so being on the water without protective equipment is strongly discouraged.

Yellow River,

The second largest river in Asia and the sixth largest in the world, Yellow River(as its name is translated) originates in the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, crosses the country and flows into the Bohai Gulf of the Yellow Sea. The territories along the river are considered to be the cradle of the formation of Chinese civilization. The Yellow River, the main source of drinking water, today suffers from catastrophic pollution and more than a third of it is no longer suitable for human use, even in agriculture. According to a UN report, about 4.29 thousand tons of industrial waste and sewage fill the Yellow River every year. In the city of Lanzhou, the Yellow River suddenly turned red several years ago due to the release of unknown chemicals.

Jordan,

When John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the waters of the Jordan, this legendary river was the pride of Israel. Today, on the banks there are signs “Baptism is prohibited due to pollution” and its condition is rather a reason for shame: instead of a transparent rapids with creeks and waterfalls, the Jordan, especially in the lower reaches, has turned into a sewer. In 1964, the Israeli government built a dam that destroyed the river's ecosystem. Now the waters of the Jordan are not only dry and full of garbage, but also stink due to the huge amount of sewage and agricultural waste discharged.

Yamuna (Jamna),

The largest tributary of the Ganges, flowing down from the Lower Himalayas, flows through several states of Northern India and forms a very fertile valley at its confluence with the Ganges. The waters of this bright river are considered absolutely pure, but only in the spiritual sense. Now the situation with the real state of the river is critical; it is second only to the Ganges in terms of pollution (perhaps because it is smaller in size). Millions of tons of household garbage and sewage are dumped into the Yamuna every day, and this horrendous process cannot be stopped. Besides, in Lately More and more very dangerous toxic substances are being discovered in water.

Buriganga,

The Buriganga River plays a huge role in the life of the country: it is an important transport artery and, until recently, the main source of drinking water for the capital of the state, the city of Dhaka. But for some reason the people of Bangladesh do not value their natural wealth: water is extremely polluted with chemical and household waste, sewage, medical waste, industrial oil, plastic, and animal corpses. The government is not yet able to stop clogging the river, and every day about 1.5 million cubic meters of harmful substances enter it. The river is considered biologically dead, but residents of the capital bathe in it and wash their clothes.

Matanza-Riachuelo,

This river flows through the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires, filling the air unpleasant smell. Millions of tons of wastewater are poured into it every day, along with huge amounts of household waste. Oil refining companies are not above getting rid of chemical waste with the help of the long-suffering Matanza. Pollution does not stop, despite the statements of environmentalists and government organizations.

Ganges,

The sacred river of Hindus originates from a glacier in the western Himalayas, crosses northern India, flows through Bangladesh and empties into the Bay of Bengal. In 2007, the Ganges was ranked as one of the five most polluted rivers in the world. They spoil sacred river and industrial waste, and plastic, and sewage, and numerous ritual offerings, and even corpses. But for Hindus, the Ganges is a mother, and a mother cannot be dirty, so they consider it an honor to bathe in “holy water,” wash clothes, cook food on its banks, and sometimes send the dead downstream. According to a recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Ganges is so full of toxic substances that people living along its banks are suffering from cancer more than any other part of the country.

Citarum,

The Citarum River flowing through West Java has vital importance in the island's agriculture, its water supply, industry, fisheries, and electricity generation. At the same time, the river is on the verge of an environmental disaster. It is overcrowded with household and industrial waste. In some places there is so much debris on the surface that it is difficult to see that there is a river flowing here at all. Plastic bottles, tires, rubber gloves, broken furniture, sewage, harmful chemical substances, heavy metals and much more are absorbed by the Citarum River. The level of mercury in water is 100 times higher than permissible. The river is on the verge of death, but what will happen to the people living on its banks?