The Interconnected Impacts of Environmental Contamination

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We are directly exposed to a variety of substances and chemicals by the food we consume, the air we inhale, and the water we drink. Therefore, we have a close connection to nature. These are impacting our health in a number of ways. Pollution of the water, air, and soil can have serious negative effects on human health as well as that of domestic and wild animals as well as plants. A significant contributing factor to a number of non-infectious diseases, such as cancer and respiratory ailments, is environmental contamination. Antimicrobial-resistant genes proliferate and spread more readily in the environment due to biological and chemical contaminants.

Apart from chemical-induced indoor and outdoor air pollution, pollution also results in the build-up of hazardous chemicals, heavy metals (like mercury, lead, and cadmium), and microplastics in the food chain of humans, which can have a negative impact on the health of both domestic and wild animals. Human health is being adversely affected by unintentional poisonings, which are mostly caused by improper usage and excessive exposure to harmful substances, such as pesticides found in homes and/or workplaces. These poisonings are especially common in poor countries.

The health of humans and animals is negatively impacted by a number of interconnected global crises, including pollution, improper handling of chemicals and waste, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and climate change.

Extreme weather and flooding are two examples of how environmental deterioration creates direct health risks. It is a significant contributor to infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, and other negative outcomes at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. The climate crisis exacerbates the effects of destruction of the environment on the health of humans and animals and well-being by acting as a multiplier formula of these threats and weakening the resilience of ecological and environmental systems through intricate processes.

Poor, underprivileged, and vulnerable people—including women and children—can be disproportionately affected negatively by pollution.