Chapter 3 - Environmental & Occupational Health & Illness Flashcards
(3) fundamental components of environment
land
water
air
- affect health directly & indirectly
Major environmental issues facing CDNs today include.. (9)
- climate change
- chemicals
- air pollution
- second-hand smoke
- medical pollution
- land pollution
- e-waste
- biodiversity
- food safety
Link between health & environmental issues = hard to substantiate
effects on health are unseen in short term & only evident in long-term in health of future generations
Health Risk of Environmental Issues in last Century
increased → estimated 60-90% of all cancers environmentally caused
- diseases of major organ systems & reproductive problems
- *50-70k chemicals in commercial use **(farming, manufact, forestry)
- *1000 **new chemicals introduced every year → mostly untested
Ubiquitous & growing → affect whole world
Unequal distribution of health hazards
SES → poorer ppl in all countries - less likely to be ablee to move away from toxic waste dumps, drink bottled water & buy organic foods
US Study noted visible minorities more likely to live near uncontrolled waste site
poor/less-developed countries unequally subjected to damaging effects of env degredation b/c of lack of alternatives & money
- more likely to allow dumping of waste within borders for money
Climate Change
**global warming **
result of CO2 production by burning fossil fuels & methane produced (livestock)
Gases/air pollutants reflect sun energy back to earth causing warming
- less snow cover - earth absorbs more heat
**direct & indirect effects **
Average Surface Temp of Globe Increase since end of 19th Century
Canada’s mean temp increase?
avg surface temp of globe has grown between 0.2 -0.6 % since end of 19C
Canada’s mean temp increased 1 degree (higher in North)
Environmental risks are ubiquitous
changes in one nation-states env. policies/procedures affect ecology of whole world
Snows of remote Antarctic contains residue of PCBs, DDT & lead emanated from industries in NA & former soviet union
Kyoto Protocol & Canada
Target was 6% less in 2012 than in 1990
- opted out in December 2011
by 2008 → 24% above 1990 emissions
Poor, less-developed countries are unequally subjected to destructive effects of environment.
Why?
when they allow destruction of rain forest for agribusinesss (cattle ranching), provide timber for furniture, housing etc.
Lack alternatives & money → more likely to allow dumping of waste within borders in return for cash payments
Studies about Climate Change
US study showed increased rates of death & stroke at ~25 degrees
LA → during heat wave (41°) - peak mortality b/w 172-445% higher than at lower temps
2003 European Heat Wave - 35,000 deaths
1995 Chicago heat wave
Canada’s role in climate change = significant
2003 → 740 mill tonnes of GHGs emitted
2007-2009 → dropped significantly to **690 megatonnes **
- Env Canada (2011) attributes this to global recession & reduced use of coal
Rate of GHG production surpassed rate of popn growth
Chemicals & Health
WHO summarized research on health threats of chem that are part of everyday life
Lead → neurotoxic effects (children especially - hand/mouth contact)
MethylMerucury → from coal plant combustion - deposited into water → fish take it up
Pesticides → leading cause of poisoning in Canada
Benzene → live near busy road & 50% increasse in child leukemia
Air Pollution & Human Health
indoor & outdoor
1994 - 2004: ground-level ozone increased almost 1% per year
Study examined deaths in 11 CDN cities 1980-1991 - [ambient air pollutants] in body → N dioxide biggest effect on mortality (14% increased risk)
sick-building syndrome
extreme case of indoor pollution in which presence of air poll inside sealed building leads to variety of illnesses
Air Pollutants
Radon
Asbestos
Second-hand Smoke
Motor vehicle emissions
burning medical wastes
Radon
Most seriously harmful indoor pollutant
odorless, tasteless gas formed during radioactive decay of uranium in earth’s crust
- seeps through earth & into basements
- greatly increases harmful effects on lungs of smokers
Asbestos
often used in insulation (doesn’t conduct heat/electricity)
- can break down into small fibers that can be inhaled
- irritate lungs & related to lung cancer & mesothelioma (rare & mostly fatal cancer)
Second-hand smoke
env & occupational issue
contains over 100 chemicals (carcinogens & toxins)
(2) sources:
1) sidestream
2) exhaled
- lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer, bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, hay feer, headaches, coughs, SIDS, underweight babies at birth
Automobiles & Motor vehicles
2006 → 83% of households owned vehicle
40% had 2
12% had 3
Shift in type of vehicles used for personal transportation
→ from automobile to vans, SUVs, trucks (consume more & release more emissions)
Burning of medical wastes
another serious & overlooked source of air pollution
avg NA hosp produces 9kg of solid waste per patient-day
- many med. incinerators DO NOT meet standards
- burn incompletely & emit toxins 10-100x higher than waste in munic. inc.
PCPPs
pharmaceuticals & personal care products (PCPPs)
Although trace amounts, chemicals bad for your health
- found in water supply
reappear in consumable water supply
Farm animals → pharmacueticals (hormones & antib)
Cemeteries → emitted after death
Water Pollution & Human Health
Water, sanitation & hygiene responsible for 4% of all deaths globally
CDNs use more water per person than any country except USA
→ ~1,500 m3 of water per person yearly (US – 1,870 m3)
Great Lakes → 1/5 of FW supply - over 1000 chemicals & metal pol.
- overuse of water
- oil spills, overfishing
West Coast (early 20C) - hydroelectric dam & salmon
Land Pollution & Human Health
Canada = **importer of hazardous wastes for disposal **
Many hazardous waste disposal facilities closed b/c don’t meet stricter regulatory standards & others never opened bc of local opposition
→ ammonia, asbestos, chlorine, fuel oils, hydrogen peroxide, lead, mercury etc.
E-waste
