Chapter53-EnvironmentalHealthHazardsLINKAGESBETWEENENVIRONMENTALANDOCCUPATIONALHEALTHAnnaleeYassiandTordKjellströmDevelopment,andindustrializationinparticular,havemadeimmensepositivecontributionstohealth,includinggreaterpersonalandsocialwealth,aswellasvastlyimprovedhealthandeducationservices,transportationandcommunication.Unquestionably,ontheglobalscale,peoplearelivinglongerandarehealthierthantheywerecenturiesandevendecadesago.However,industrializationhasalsohadadversehealthconsequencesnotonlyforworkforces,butforthegeneralpopulationaswell.Theseeffectshavebeencausedeitherdirectlybyexposuretosafetyhazardsandharmfulagents,orindirectlythroughenvironmentaldegradationlocallyandglobally(see“Industrialpollutionindevelopingcountries”inthischapter).Thisarticleoutlinesthenatureofenvironmentalhealthhazardsandthereasonsforlinkingenvironmentalhealthwithoccupationalhealth.Environmentalhealthhazards,likeoccupationalhealthhazards,maybebiological,chemical,physical,biomechanicalorpsychosocialinnature.Environmentalhealthhazardsincludetraditionalhazardsofpoorsanitationandshelter,aswellasagriculturalandindustrialcontaminationofair,water,foodandland.Thesehazardshaveresultedinahostofhealthimpacts,rangingfromcatastrophicdirecteffects(e.g.,therecentcholeraepidemicinLatinAmericaandthechemicalpoisoningoutbreakinBhopal,India),tochroniceffects(e.g.,inMinamata,Japan),tosubtle,indirect,andevendisputedeffects(e.g.,inLoveCanal,USA).Table53.1summarizessomeofthemajornotoriousdisastersinthelasthalfcenturythathavecaused“environmentaldisease”outbreaks.Thereareundeniablycountlessotherexamplesofenvironmentaldiseaseoutbreaks,someofwhicharenoteasilydetectableonthemacrostatisticallevel.Meanwhile,overabillionpeopleintheworldlackaccesstosafedrinkingwater(WHO1992b)andover600millionareexposedtoambientlevelsofsulphurdioxidethatwellexceedrecommendedlevels.Moreoverthepressureonagricultureandfoodproductionasbothpopulationandpercapitademandincrease,willlikelyleadtoagreaterburdenontheenvironment(see“Foodandagriculture”inthischapter).Environmentalhealthimpactsthusincludetheindirecteffectsofindustrialdisruptionofadequatefoodandhousing,aswellasthedegradationoftheglobalsystemsonwhichthehealthoftheplanetdepends.Table53.1Selectedmajor"environmentaldisease"outbreaksLocationandyearEnvironmentalhazardTypeofdiseaseLondon,UK1952Severeair-pollutionwithsulphurdioxideandsuspendedparticulatematter(SPM)IncreaseinheartandlungdiseasemanifestationsToyama,Japan1950sCadmiuminriceKidneyandbonedisease(“Itai-itaidisease”)South-eastTurkey1955-61HexachlorobenzeneinseedgrainsPorphyria;neurologicaldiseaseMinamata,Japan1956MethylmercuryinfishNeurologicaldisease(“Minimatadisease”)USAcities1960s-70sLeadinpaintAnaemia,behaviouralandmentaleffectsFukuoka,Japan1968Polychlorinatedbiphenyls(PCBs)infoodoilSkindisease,generalweaknessIraq1972MethylmercuryinseedgrainsNeurologicaldiseaseMadrid,Spain1981AnilineorothertoxininfoodoilVarioussymptomsBhopal,India1985MethylisocyanateAcutelungdiseaseCalifornia,USA1985CarbamatepesticideinwatermelonsGastrointestinal,skeletal,muscle,autonomicandcentralnervoussystemeffects(Carbamateillness)Chernobyl,USSR1986Iodine-134,Caesium-134and-137fromareactorexplosionRadiationillness(includingincreasesincancerandthyroiddiseasesinchildren)Goiánia,Brazil1987Caesium-137fromanabandonedcancertherapymachineRadiationillness(follow-...
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