Environmental Hazards In New York

Pollution continues to pose an enormous threat to residents of urban cities worldwide. In the August 2008 Monthly Update, it is stated that approximately 800,000 deaths each year can be attributed to outdoor air pollution, making pollution the single most harmful environmental hazard to human health in urban areas (Kallman). The fact that pollution kills hundreds of thousands of people each year alone portrays just how dangerous living in these conditions can be. Kallman writes about a study which proves an increase in upper respiratory diseases, cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, and low birth weights when exposed to air pollutants (August 2008: Monthly Update). These can be very serious diseases and complications which, when contracted, can lead to death or very serious illnesses. There

Environmental conditions can directly impact one’s health and safety. Davis explains, that primary prevention through assessments of the home and community are

Municipal solid wastes are leftovers made by the population such as food, plastic bottles, household wares and many more. These items referred by most as “the garage” or “trash”. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2015) In the early 1900’s, incinerators were used to burn waste however by the Mid-20th century, lawmakers enacted the first government regulations in an attempt to address increasing concerns about the environmental impact of unregulated waste management practices. With the first waste management legislation being passed in 1965, brought along the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, thus bringing us into a new world of waste management.(Vault, n.d.)

In Shreveport, LA, many residents suffer from respiratory issues that they believe are caused by the local refinery, Calumet (Moskowitz). Residents have suffered for generations losing family members to cancer that they believe is brought on by pollution that the refinery emits. Some residents suffer lesser but chronic health issues ranging from minor respiratory issues like asthma to blood clots in their lungs. “Calumet denies that its refinery is the cause of any of these health issues” (Moskowitz). Many chemicals that are released by refineries can cause respiratory problems, cancer, nerve damage, and in some cases even death. There is no absolute way to be sure that all health problems happening near Calumet are caused by the pollution that it emits, but it could be a contributing factor in worsening symptoms. A resident of Marrero, LA, a town south of Norco refining, stated that they could not leave their house due to excess levels of pollution triggering asthma attacks (Ludwig). Sulfur dioxide is a known chemical that can trigger asthma attacks, it is also one of the many harmful chemicals that can be released by refineries (Sturgis). Refineries will measure levels of emissions when there is a chemical spill, so they know almost exactly how much pollution they have emitted. Minor incidents are not always reported or are under reported, but they can have the same damaging effects on the environment and the overall health of the community (Sturgis). “LABB’s reports confirms what workers and residents have known for years-petrochemical companies to often skirt the laws for reporting serious incidents”

This movement is centered around two issues which are the, “siting and expansion of hazardous and undesirable facilities in poor and minority communities and the effort to remediate, relocate, and/or pay damages to members of poor and minority communities affected by pollution.” (Allen 2007).

Environmental health is concerned with the natural and built environment. The built environment includes buildings, parks, water and energy infrastructure, and transportation systems. The natural environment includes vegetation, air, water, climate, radiation, and heat.

Environmental racism is the “targeting of minorities and low-income communities to bear a disproportionate share of environmental costs. It refers to any policy or practice that differently affects or disadvantages individuals, groups or communities based on race or skin color” (Schill & Austin 1991). Pollution is disproportionately distributed across the country; it is also distributed unequally within individual states, within counties, and within cities (Schill & Austin 1991). Hazardous waste sites, municipal landfills, incinerators, and other hazardous facilities are disproportionately located in poor and minority neighborhoods (White-Newsome 2016). Each year, America produces 275 million metric tons of hazardous waste. Environmental regulations only regulate 40 million tons of the waste leaving the rest to be sent to landfills and waste sites (White-Newsome 2016). According to research done by The Commission for Racial Justice of the United Church of Christ, Zip code areas containing at least one hazardous waste site had, on average, 24% people of color, compared to 12% in areas without a hazardous waste site. Additionally, “zip code areas containing either two or more facilities or one of the five largest hazardous waste landfills in the nation had, on average, 38% people of color “(White-Newsome 2016). One of the largest dumping grounds is located in Emelle, Sumter County, Alabama. Sumter County houses the nation’s largest hazardous landfill facility. The landfill

Watertown, NY is vulnerable to various natural hazards. Hazard mitigation is very important to emergency management. Hazard mitigation are actions that are taken to minimize the efforts of a natural disaster.

of these environmental issues are man made and could have been prevented if precautions and

The topic was based on " Toxic Passaic River to Get $1.38 Billion Cleanup Over 10 Years". Two weeks ago, Mach 4 2016 in Newark tons of garbage was seen along the Passaic River shore. A Environmental Protection Agency has broadcast a solution to this problem , which will dispose 3.5 million cubic yards of toxic sediment from the waterway. My overarching question : How can we protect the environment and at the same time improve people's standard of living? My guiding questions:Why are humans so careless of their environment?What are the sources and effects of water pollutants?

Many health specialist have taken an interest to the affects certain molds may have on an individual’s health as the numbers of illnesses and deaths linked to mold exposure increases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 3 million people have died in the past year due to a respiratory disease, and 235 million suffer from asthma; about forty-five percent of those cases are related to exposure to mold toxins. Although federal agencies are engaged in a number of efforts to address mold, there are no federal or generally accepted health-based standards for safe levels of mold in the air or on surfaces. According to EPA officials, the lack of federal regulation of airborne concentrations of mold indoors is largely due to the insufficiency of data needed to establish a scientifically defensible health-based standard. Another factor is the lack of scientific consensus regarding how to best measure these concentrations. Mold affects human health directly as it releases hazardous toxins into the environment, causes health effects in children and adults, and is linked with causing various diseases and health complications and should be further researched as the numbers of cases

Air pollution has been recognized as a major threat to environmental health, and the effects that it can have on the population are extremely varied. In the environmental aspects, air

In some of the states within the United States, we have witnessed new policies that have created indoor carbon monoxide poisoning requirements to avoid the giant poisonings that occur otherwise. At the suggestion of the authors of this report published in the CDC, health officials should look at considering these setting up these requirements for the safety of everyone involved.

“In the United States, communities of color and low-income neighborhoods are historically the hardest hit by pollution from industrial factories and incinerators, the illegal dumping of chemical wastes on vacant lots, lead contamination in building materials, a lack of parklands and other

Exposure to mold takes place particularly when emptying dust collectors, filters etc. Exposure to molds or mold spores potentially leads to adverse health effects in workers. The most common disorders are allergic diseases, asthma and other respiratory diseases, nose, eye and throat irritations, fungal infections and sick building syndrome. Sick building syndrome, has become an important occupation and environmental health issue related to indoor air pollution and