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Environmental variables contribute significantly to the burden of disease, particularly in underdeveloped nations. Globally, environmental hazards are estimated to be responsible for 25% of deaths and sickness, and roughly 35% in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa (Priority Environment and Health Risks, n.d.). Unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene contribute to the death of an estimated 1.7 million people per year, primarily due to diarrheal disease. Indoor smoke from solid fuels is projected to harm approximately 1.6 million individuals each year due to respiratory illnesses. Malaria claims about 1.2 million lives each year, most of whom are African children under the age of five. Poor irrigation and water systems, insufficient housing, waste management, inadequate water storage, deforestation, and biodiversity loss may all contribute to the spread of the most common vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, and leishmaniasis. Each year, around 800,000 people die due to urban air pollution caused by traffic, industries, and energy production. Each year, 355 000 people die due to unintentional acute poisoning. In developing nations, which account for two-thirds of all deaths, such poisonings are significantly connected with excessive exposure to and inappropriate usage of toxic chemicals and pesticides found in work and household environments. Climate change-related effects, such as increased frequency of extreme weather events, changes in disease patterns, and impact on agricultural production, are expected to result in about 150 000 deaths per year (Priority Environment and Health Risks, n.d.).
With the growing amount and diversity of chemicals manufactured, transported, and used internationally in all facets of modern life, the danger of human exposure to these compounds and consequent health impacts increases as well. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a chemical incident as “the uncontrolled release of a dangerous substance that may have a detrimental effect on public health or the environment.” These chemical catastrophes might result from industrial or home accidents, natural disasters, or intentional releases (e.g., due to terrorist activities). Chemicals involved in these occurrences may include prescription medications, food additives, harmful industrial chemicals, illicit substances, and household chemicals (e.g., cleaning products). These chemicals may have rapid acute and chronic long-term effects, depending on the chemical dose, the period of exposure, and the mode of exposure (e.g., dermal/eye absorption, ingestion, and inhalation). Chemical events can be severe (e.g., industrial explosions) or chronic (e.g., chemical spills) (such as prolonged exposure to environmental pollutants) (Gaulton et al., 2021). Additionally, they can be localized, as with a fall from a storage vessel, or broad, as with a contaminated consumer product. Chemical events can also significantly impact exposed individuals more than other risks such as infectious diseases, necessitating a far faster reaction to treat exposed individuals and avoid additional injury.
References
Gaulton, T., Hague, C., Cole, D., Thomas, E., & Duarte-Davidson, R. (2021). Global event-based surveillance of chemical incidents. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-021-00384-8
Priority environment and health risks. (n.d.). WHO. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://www.who.int/heli/risks/en/
