ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDSHEALTH HAZARDS

DefinitionDefinition► World Health Organization (WHO, 1993): definesWorld Health Organization (WHO, 1993): defines"Environmental health comprises those aspects of "Environmental health comprises those aspects of

human health, including quality of life, that are human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical, chemical, biologic, social, determined by physical, chemical, biologic, social, and psychosocial factors in the environmentand psychosocial factors in the environment."."

► And any And any external factor that negatively affects your external factor that negatively affects your health can be considered an health can be considered an environmental environmental health hazard.health hazard.

Environmental health hazardsEnvironmental health hazards► Land and climate related hazardsLand and climate related hazards► Atmospheric hazards –Atmospheric hazards –►Water related hazards-Water related hazards-► Food Borne hazardsFood Borne hazards► Vector Borne HazardsVector Borne Hazards►Domestic HazardsDomestic Hazards►Occupational HazardsOccupational Hazards► Infrastructural hazardsInfrastructural hazards►OthersOthers

Land and climate related Land and climate related hazardshazards

► Floods : Common in both lowland coastal Floods : Common in both lowland coastal and inland areas, especially in Tropics and and inland areas, especially in Tropics and monsoon areasmonsoon areas

► StormsStorms►HurricanesHurricanes► Volcanic activityVolcanic activity► EarthquakesEarthquakes► Soil erosionSoil erosion►DroughtDrought

Atmospheric hazardsAtmospheric hazards

►Out Door Pollution /AirOut Door Pollution /Air► Increasing problem in many urban Increasing problem in many urban

areas due to road traffic; areas due to road traffic; ►Also associated with old, heavy and Also associated with old, heavy and

manufacturing industries and mining manufacturing industries and mining wind-blown dust also a significant wind-blown dust also a significant problem in some areasproblem in some areas

Outdoor pollution- sourcesOutdoor pollution- sources► IndustryIndustry►Cars and trucksCars and trucks►Other sources such as gasoline Other sources such as gasoline

stations, farm equipments, fires, and stations, farm equipments, fires, and outdoor pesticide use. outdoor pesticide use.

Primary outdoor air Primary outdoor air pollutantspollutants

►Pollutants of concern are Pollutants of concern are ►Ozone (O3) Ozone (O3) ►Particulate Matter (PM) Particulate Matter (PM) ►Carbon Monoxide (CO) Carbon Monoxide (CO) ►Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) ►Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) ►Lead (Pb) Lead (Pb) ►Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Water related hazardsWater related hazards► Surface waterSurface water► In urban areas, primarily from industrial and In urban areas, primarily from industrial and

domestic wastesdomestic wastes► In rural related pollution areas with co-use In rural related pollution areas with co-use

of waters for humans and livestockof waters for humans and livestock►Drinking waterDrinking water Especially in areas without Especially in areas without

access to treated/piped wateraccess to treated/piped water contaminationcontamination

Water pollutionWater pollutionCommon pollutants of area rivers, streams, bayous, lakes, Common pollutants of area rivers, streams, bayous, lakes,

ponds, estuaries and bays include: ponds, estuaries and bays include: ► fertilizers from home lawns and gardens, as well as fertilizers from home lawns and gardens, as well as

agriculture; agriculture; ► mercury from power plants and industrial waste; mercury from power plants and industrial waste; ► herbicides and insecticides; herbicides and insecticides; ► oil and other chemicals from roadway runoff; oil and other chemicals from roadway runoff; ► prescription medications, paint and other toxic substances prescription medications, paint and other toxic substances

disposed down household sinks and toilets; disposed down household sinks and toilets; ► trash and sediment from construction sites; trash and sediment from construction sites; ► pet waste; pet waste; ► faulty septic systems; faulty septic systems; ► run-off from industrial sources or sewage treatment plants; run-off from industrial sources or sewage treatment plants;

and and ► hormone and prescription medications in human waste. hormone and prescription medications in human waste.

Health risks associated with Health risks associated with water pollutionwater pollution

►Drinking or washing with Drinking or washing with contaminated water; contaminated water;

►Eating seafood from polluted rivers or Eating seafood from polluted rivers or bays; bays;

►Eating crops watered with polluted Eating crops watered with polluted water; and/or water; and/or

►Swimming in polluted waterways.Swimming in polluted waterways.

Workplace HazardsWorkplace Hazards

Many jobs expose workers to environmental toxinsMany jobs expose workers to environmental toxinsExposure to Exposure to ► Lead, Lead, ► solvents,solvents,► Asbestos, Asbestos, ► Pesticides, Pesticides, ► Inks, Inks, ► Dry cleaning chemicalsDry cleaning chemicals► Molds and other substances in the workplace. Molds and other substances in the workplace.

Infrastructural hazardsInfrastructural hazards►TrafficTraffic : Accidents and noise pollution, : Accidents and noise pollution,

Growing problem in major citiesGrowing problem in major cities►Industrial AccidentsIndustrial Accidents: Associated : Associated

mainly with poorly regulated chemical mainly with poorly regulated chemical industriesindustries

►Contaminated landContaminated land: Old industrial : Old industrial sites and waste-dumpssites and waste-dumps

Noise PollutionNoise Pollution

► Traffic, trains, buses, lawn mowers, leaf Traffic, trains, buses, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, helicopters, construction noise, blowers, helicopters, construction noise, low-flying recreational planes, jet skis, air-low-flying recreational planes, jet skis, air-conditioning units, conditioning units,

► Exposure to noise levels higher than 85 Exposure to noise levels higher than 85 decibels for long periods of time can cause decibels for long periods of time can cause permanent hearing damagepermanent hearing damage

► Lower levels have been shown to cause Lower levels have been shown to cause stress, increase blood pressure, cause stress, increase blood pressure, cause sleep disturbances which affect sleep sleep disturbances which affect sleep quality as well as mood and performancequality as well as mood and performance

Hazards from WasteHazards from Waste► Municipal solid wasteMunicipal solid waste includes residential and includes residential and

industrial waste. Solid waste is usually disposed industrial waste. Solid waste is usually disposed of in landfills or recycled of in landfills or recycled

► Hazardous wasteHazardous waste, defined as that which is , defined as that which is toxic, corrosive, flammable, or ignitable needs to toxic, corrosive, flammable, or ignitable needs to be disposed of properly. be disposed of properly.

► Nuclear wasteNuclear waste raise concerns about potential raise concerns about potential radiation exposure. radiation exposure.

► Sources are commercial power plants, hospitals, Sources are commercial power plants, hospitals, and non-military sources nuclear power plants and non-military sources nuclear power plants

Socioeconomic FactorsSocioeconomic Factors

► Socioeconomic factors Socioeconomic factors ► Include incomeInclude income► Ethnicity, sense of community and other Ethnicity, sense of community and other

such factors. such factors. ► Studies have shown that certain segments Studies have shown that certain segments

of society are disproportionately exposed to of society are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards, and may be more environmental hazards, and may be more vulnerable to such hazards than other vulnerable to such hazards than other populations populations

Other Environmental Health Other Environmental Health HazardsHazards

► Heat and HumidityHeat and Humidity► High humidity impedes the body's ability to cool High humidity impedes the body's ability to cool

itself. itself. ► This is a particular problem for the elderly. This is a particular problem for the elderly. ► StressStress

EExcessive stress is associated with decreased xcessive stress is associated with decreased immune function and an increased risk of immune function and an increased risk of environmentally related illness.   environmentally related illness.   

SummarySummary► The big 3 are physical, chemical, and The big 3 are physical, chemical, and

biological. biological. ► Physical- noise, lighting, vibration, Physical- noise, lighting, vibration,

temperature, electricity temperature, electricity ► Chemical-solvents, acids, metals, dust, Chemical-solvents, acids, metals, dust,

pesticides pesticides ► Biological- bacteria, virus, fungus/molds Biological- bacteria, virus, fungus/molds ► The fourth is probably the occupational side The fourth is probably the occupational side

of environmental health of environmental health ► Ergonomic-repetitive movement, poorly Ergonomic-repetitive movement, poorly

designed equipment, designed equipment,