6 consequences of pollution on health and society

All humans share everything on Earth with all living beings on the planet. In this way, no matter how far one living being is from the other, what negatively impacts the planet potentially affects each and every species.

It is obvious that there are consequences of pollution on health and society. Pollution in our environment is one of the agents that are negative for ecosystems in which we live, having a significant impact on the lives of people and all beings alive.

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Main consequences of pollution for health and society

Pollution is one of the world's main concerns for its contribution to the destruction of the world as we have known it. In addition, it has a serious impact on human health and the environment.

Most people think of industrial waste water pipes, oil spills, or toxic waste containers left in the environment. Even so, sources of contamination are generally more subtle and the most dangerous pollution.

When we live in an environment without pollution, we have a better quality of life. There are different types of pollution, if air and water pollution stand out from all of them. Next we are going to see what are the main consequences of pollution on health and on society.

1. Poisoning of the waters

In addition to industrial waste and motor vehicles, there are other sources of pollution closer to our activity than we think. Fertilizers used in our gardens, oil discarded by the sink or used batteries without recycling are examples of this.

During heavy rains, all the material can seep into the subsoil with water, and can poison the ecosystems in which we live, affecting plants and animals. For example, water pollution ends up affecting marine life, which is one of our food sources.

Farm animal husbandry also involves many problems for the subsoil because of the waste of these animals. These can provide products derived from nitrogen or phosphorus, as well as cations such as potassium or magnesium that remain fixed in the subsoil and contaminate it, harming other species of the environment.

Bacteria, viruses and parasites are also biological agents that can contaminate water used for human consumption. Pathogens can come from human or animal fecal material due to improper water treatment.

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2. Harmful food

Even though they are not intentionally added, contaminating chemicals or natural substances can be found in food. Its presence is mainly due to the result of various stages of production, processing or transport, as well as environmental contamination.

Due to environmental pollution, some heavy metals can be part of our food. Its effects depend on the concentration in which they are found and is due to their presence naturally or by pollution from polluting sources such as motor vehicle engines.

Arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium and aluminum are the main causes of environmental pollution in food in a natural way, but other metals are added to them or the same ones from industrialization global.

3. Great pollution in cities

The consequences of pollution affect the population as a whole due to health issues and also at the level of society, being the people most directly affected those living in large cities. Coughing and wheezing are common symptoms seen in city people.

It is estimated that in the world 7 million people die a year from pathologies that are related to air pollution. In urban areas with a high concentration of population is where there is more pollution, product of means of transport, industry, heating systems, etc.

In a city there is the emission of large amounts of gases that are harmful to our health. Scientifically, a very close relationship has been found between poor air quality in large cities and the increasing rate of disease. Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases stand out, as well as other organic complications, cancer, and low birth weight and complications in fetal growth.

4. Harm with physical exercise

Having polluted air is a cause for concern even if we want to take care of ourselves by doing physical exercise. When it comes to physical activity, it is always better to do it away from sources of air pollution. If we don't do it like this we can breathe in many harmful particles, and it is that before the great oxygen demands of our body we need more breaths per minute.

In this way, more pollutants can reach our respiratory tract, where they can remain thereafter.

If there is no possibility of doing sports outside the city, it is better to select the areas and times with the lowest pollution index. For example, the first hours of the morning are more suitable for exercising, as there has been no traffic at night. There are also people who use masks with special filters, allowing them to exercise wherever they want.

5. Disease development

Exposure to toxic substances, either short or long term, has a toxicological impact on living beings, and obviously this includes us as humans.

Of the types of pollution that are the main risk factors, air pollution stands out. Diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, ventricular hypertrophy, autism, retinopathy or degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's have a higher incidence and progression if the person is exposed to this type of contamination. The immune system and the endocrine and reproductive systems are also damaged.

On the other hand, water contaminated by chemicals can also cause hormonal and reproductive problems, damage to the nervous system, liver and kidney damage, and cancer. Being exposed to water contaminated with substances such as mercury can lead to Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, heart disease and even death in very high concentrations.

6. Species extinction

Pollution destroys ecosystems and causes food chains to destabilize, leading to the extinction of all kinds of life forms.

Bibliographic references:

• Díaz-Fierros Tabernero, F., Díaz-Fierros Viqueira, F. and Peña Castiñeira, F.J. (2000) Problems and perspectives of environmental health. Notebooks on Bioethics, 9 (42), 169-176.
• Ferrer A, Nogué S, Vargas F. and Castillo O. (2000). Toxicovigilance: a useful tool for public health. Med Clin, 115, 238.
• Smith, K.R., Corvalan, C.F., Kjellstrom, T. (1999). How much global ill health is attributable to environmental factors? Epidemiology 10 (5), 573-84.
• Weiland, S.K., Husing, A., Strachan, D.P., Rzehak, P. and Pearce, N. (2004). Climate and the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema in children. Occup Environ Med, 61 (7), 609-615.