POLLUTION EFFECTS ON HUMANS

There is no doubt that excessive levels of pollution are causing a lot of damage to human & animal health, plants & trees including tropical rain forests, as well as the wider environment. Pollution effects are indeed many and wide-ranging. Experts admit that pollution effects are quite often underestimated and that more research is needed to understand the connections between pollution and its effects on all life forms.

Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans. Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion. Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrheal sickness every day. Nearly 500 million Chinese lack access to safe drinking water. 656,000 people die prematurely each year in China because of air pollution. In India, air pollution is believed to cause 527,700 fatalities a year. Studies have estimated that the number of people killed annually in the US could be over 50,000.

Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance. Mercury has been linked to developmental deficits in children and neurological symptoms. Older people are majorly exposed to diseases induced by air pollution. Those with heart or lung disorders are under additional risk. Children and infants are also at serious risk. Lead and other heavy metals have been shown to cause neurological problems. Chemical and radioactive substances can cause cancer and as well as birth defects.

Other pollutants such as lead can interfere with the normal production of red cells and can induce anemia. Lead may damage the nervous system, impair mental function, impair memory, affect learning and cause behavioral changes. Benzene, nitrogen dioxide and small particulate matter can cause damage to the bone marrow and the immune system. Benzene was found to be linked to leukemia especially after long term exposure.

There is a lot to be done by politicians and governments for controlling this increasingly threatening situation. Public health actions should be undertaken based on pollution control measures with the primary target being the diminution of the death toll that we witness today.