pollutes
Taints the air
Pollutes is the present-tense form of pollute, meaning to contaminate or make impure.
The word applies most often to environmental degradation—factories that pollute rivers, emissions that pollute the air.
It extends to corruption of anything pure or wholesome: Violence pollutes the minds of children.
Social media pollutes public discourse with misinformation.
Makes slightly impure
- contaminatesMakes unclean or impure
- sulliesDamages purity or honor
- defilesContaminates or desecrates
- besmirchesDamages someone's good name
tarnishes · adulterates · degrades · spoils · mars · stains · compromises · debases
Liquid refuse in drains
- effluentDischarged liquid waste
- runoffExcess water drainage
- emissionsSubstances released into air
- dischargeRelease of substance outward
wastewater · leachate · dumping · pesticides · fertilizers · microplastics · pathogens · eutrophication
Capable of causing death
- hazardousLikely to cause injury
- noxiousHarmful, especially when inhaled
- carcinogenicCauses cancer
- radioactiveEmitting nuclear decay particles
mutagenic · lethal · harmful · dangerous · unhealthy · pernicious · detrimental · venomous
Sunlight-activated urban pollution
- hazeMurky atmospheric suspension
- particulatesMinute airborne solids or droplets
- ozoneTriatomic oxygen allotrope
- exhaustUse up entirely
smokestacks · visibility · inversion · aerosols · soot · fumes · emissions
Industrial production facilities
- refineriesFacilities that purify raw materials
- manufacturingIndustrial product creation
- byproductsSecondary results of production
- chemicalsManufactured or isolated substances
smokestacks · effluent · wastewater · emissions · slurry · slag · tailings · mills
taints
Makes slightly impure
- contaminatesMakes unclean or impure
- sulliesDamages purity or honor
- defilesContaminates or desecrates
besmirches · tarnishes · adulterates · degrades · spoils · mars · stains · compromises · debases · desecrates
sewage
Liquid refuse in drains
discharge · wastewater · leachate · dumping · pesticides · fertilizers · microplastics · pathogens · eutrophication · sedimentation
poisonous
Capable of causing death
- hazardousLikely to cause injury
- noxiousHarmful, especially when inhaled
- carcinogenicCauses cancer
radioactive · mutagenic · lethal · harmful · dangerous · unhealthy · pernicious · detrimental · venomous · pathogenic
smog
Sunlight-activated urban pollution
- hazeMurky atmospheric suspension
- particulatesMinute airborne solids or droplets
- ozoneTriatomic oxygen allotrope
exhaust · smokestacks · visibility · inversion · aerosols · soot · fumes · emissions
factories
Industrial production facilities
- refineriesFacilities that purify raw materials
- manufacturingIndustrial product creation
- byproductsSecondary results of production
chemicals · smokestacks · effluent · wastewater · emissions · slurry · slag · tailings · mills · smelters
- tarnishesblemishes, blots, corrupts, defames, denigrates
pollutespurifies
Removes unwanted substances
cleanses · cleans · decontaminates · depollutes · disinfects
pollutespurifies
Removes unwanted substances
sanctifies · cleanses · hallows · consecrates · redeems
- air pollutionToxic atmospheric contamination
- water pollutionHarmful substances in H2O
- noise pollutionHarmful environmental sound
- pollution preventionStopping contaminants at origin
- light pollutionExcessive artificial nighttime brightness
- pollution sourcesOrigins of environmental contamination
pollution, pollute, polluted, pollutions, pollutant, polluting, polluter, unpolluted, polluters