Agent Orange, Ddt, And Benzene

Protecting the environment from toxic contaminants such as pesticide, herbicide and other Solvents are vital to the survival of the inhabitants of the respective environment. This is important because such contaminants, when released into the environment can create devastating health problems such as cancer in humans. This paper will evaluate three of the many carcinogenic chemicals that have the propensity to cause cancer and other health problems. Therefore, the paper will evaluate Agent Orange, DDT, and Benzene.

Following the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic pollutants, by 2008, 160 nations signed the agreement to eliminate DDT, considered one of the twelve pollutants of “greatest concern to the health of the global community” (Eskenazi et al., 2009). Despite unease about the lasting effects of DDT, the insecticide should not be banned completely.

One reason why DDT should not be used is because of its harmful effects on humans. First, research had shown that the consumption of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) had caused many people to contract many dangerous diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, kidney and ovarian diseases. Studies had also linked the use of DDT to be a carcinogenic, causing breast cancer in women. A study of 9,300

Today, the Agent Orange case is a serious threat to public health as veterans and generations affected up onto today are still suffering. A large amount "Herbicide Orange" was used in Vietnam has been of major belief to many that contributed to the most tragic environmental and public health problems. Scenarios such as a U.S. troop who was just an electrician said he saw "no action" in the war, decades later this veteran developed Type 2 diabetes. A lot of others experience their scars from this exposure right away, especially the troops who were in the first line of exposure. The newly releases troops complained about skin rashes such as chloracne, cancer of all sorts, other health issues, but one devastating of them all, birth defects in their children. They all believed the spraying of AO have contributed to the root of the issues. Although, the spray was normally diluted with oil and waterways, it is also believed to have long-term effects on rivers and lakes. Also causing the civilians of the affected areas to be a long lasting effect upon them. Agent Orange herbicide was not just an ordinary herbicide. It was mixed with a unique amount of two different components, 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. The U.S. introduced this chemical as a design to destroy plant life in the war in 1961. It was commonly used to destroy or defoliate dense, forest broad leaf plants, trees, shrubs and food crops. Because the North Vietnamese had a war advantage from heavy jungles and camouflage hiding

Conduct studies on food, air, water and soil to determine how they are altered when coming into contact with medicines, garden chemicals and industrial chemicals

The decisions that Gina McCarthy, the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, makes have a direct impact on the health of the nation. Gina and her agency ensure the safety and cleanliness of the environment through standard setting, monitoring levels of chemicals and pollutants, and making sure these standards are enforced throughout all levels of industry. One group of industrial chemicals that have been receiving attention recently are the environmental endocrine disrupters (EED), such as DDT and Bispehnol A, that can be found in a wide range of products that Americans use in their everyday life. From household cleaners, food and beverage containers, beauty products, and even children’s toys, these chemicals are widely

Agent Orange was a herbicide for clearing vegetation such as forests and jungles. The Army Chemical Operations Division developed this herbicide and others. “The Crops Division… initiated the first large-scale military defoliation effort--the aerial application of Agent Orange to over 2,500 acres (about four square miles, or just over ten square kilometers) of vegetation.” (“Agent Orange contamination”). “At least 20 million gallons of herbicides had been sprayed, exposing 2.1 million to 4.8 million villagers.” (Schmidt). Agent Orange has affected both U.S soldiers and Vietnamese by causing birth defects, cancer, diseases, and other health ailments.

After the list of chemicals was composed, individual chronic indices (CIs) were calculated for each emission. To narrow the scope of the study, carcinogenic chemicals disposed only in water and air are considered.

These chemicals were ingested by animals causing the chemicals to enter the food chain. These chemicals are carried up from animal to animal and even make their way to humans causing damage genetically. These chemicals killed numerous species of animals and went on to harm humans as well. The idea that this chemical could be thought of as safe but ends of being so harmful is hard to believe, but once again shows how the ignorance of humanity gives humans a false sense of safety that is not actually in the real world.

But my argument will do more than prove that one particular industrial chemical has certain toxic properties. In my article, I will also suggest alternatives of chemicals that produce similar results but are less damaging on the human body and the environment.

According to a recent study done by EPA, thirty-three percent Unites States household use toxic chemicals such as pesticides and of thirty commonly used pesticides, nineteen have studies pointing toward carcinogens, thirteen are linked with birth defects, twenty-one with reproductive effect, and fifteen with neurotoxicity, twenty-six with liver or kidney damage. Environmentalist Rachel Carson book Silent Spring discusses the lethality of pesticides, specifically parathion. Rachel Carson hopes to change American’s attitudes toward nature and pesticide use. In this influential passage, Rachel Carson discusses disastrous affect of parathion on nature in order to dissuade the further use of toxic chemicals. Carson begins the column by illustrating

Ambient air in urban, rural, and industrial areas contains an array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They spread in the air as gases from some solids or liquid materials. Society and environment are directly healthy affected in short- and long-term by VOCs at trace level concentrations (2). Air pollutants toxic are class of chemicals that may consider health problems in a significant way. There are many chemical pollutants released into the ambient air from various sources, such as power plants, and spraying pesticides. There are two types of air pollutants that are primary pollutants, which are emitted directly into the air from pollution sources, and secondary pollutants, which are from primary pollutants, but after they passing from many of the chemical changes in the atmosphere (12). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has compiled a list of 187 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). There are 30 HAPs threaten health dramatically in metropolitan areas, such as benzene, 1,3-dichloropropene, 1,3-butadiene, and chloroform that are classified as toxins (3). In accordance with the 2007 Environmental Pollution, VOCs affect adversely on health and cause many diseases, such as immune and neurological damage, cardiovascular diseases, and reproductive and endocrine disorders (8). Several methods have developed for the

This paper explores three published articles that reflect the findings from studies conducted to examine the relationships between environmental hormone mimics (endocrine disruptors) and their effect on the human body. This paper specifically discusses three key environmental hormone mimics: bisphenol-A, dioxins, and pesticides. Each of the three studies links the chosen environmental hormone mimic to abnormalities caused by exposure to the chemicals. Bisphenol-A is linked directly to altering estrogen levels in women. The consequences are carried onto the child if the carrying mother ingests BPA while pregnant. Dioxins are extremely harmful and cannot be disposed of easily despite the amount of land, money, and clean up efforts that are taken. Pesticides simply from working in fields or by eating fruits and vegetables are very harmful in men. A male’s reproductive system is directly impaired as sperm counts drop dramatically and abnormalities effecting sperm size and shape occur.

Halogenated polymer such as brominated flame retardants are widely used in plastics and textile industry because of its effectiveness. But most of brominated flame retardants have big issues with the environment and health. Some brominated flame retardants were identified as persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic towards human and the environment. As an example, fire fighters which were exposed to brominated fire retardants during firefighting operations were found to have cancer that exceeds

Pollution is affecting many different forms of life. The main reason being due to the sicknesses and diseases humans and animals face after exposure to contaminants (Weiman). Many pollutants are carcinogens, which put living things at higher risk of breathing problems and severe inner organ damage (Weiman). Although many could argue that pollution is not the cause of cancer and diseases; a study in 1995 found a connection between pollution and increased deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory problems (Weiman). Exposure to toxic chemicals and dangerous poisons are clearly affecting humans and animals. According to The World Wild Life Organization, “chemicals persist in the environment and accumulate in the bodies”.