The presence of hazardous substances in or on land which subsequently is expected to pose, as a threat to human health as well as to the environment itself is known as contaminated land (Ministry of the Environment, 2013). Compared to other developed countries in the world, New Zealand does not measure up to their numbers of sites that are contaminated (Ministry of the Environment, n.d). And although the numbers may not be as high nationally, the issue is still present and exposure that is lethal to human health still has the capability to occur (Ministry of the Environment, n.d).
Contaminated land is largely caused by a number of past human activities that were not considered to be hazardous at the time; this includes the usage, storage, and disposal of chemicals in past practices (Waikato District Health Board, 2014). An example of this would be sheep dipping. A sheep-dip was basically when sheep were dipped into a bath filled with chemicals that were used for the treatment of parasites. This practice was necessary among farmers as it was a requirement under many Acts of Parliament in New Zealand during the 19th century (Ministry of the Environment, n.d). Although sheep-dip sites are no longer used in modern farming, they are still known to be contaminated. The reason for this is because the common chemicals that were used in the sheep-dips were persistent and toxic, these chemicals include: Arsenic, Lindane, and DDT (Ministry of the Environment, n.d). These main toxic chemicals are highly likely to stay in the soil for many years even after the practice has been terminated and also the concentration of these chemicals is prone to still be able to exceed into the limit of it being hazardous to human health (Ministry of the...
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... Environment. (2013). What is contaminated land? Retrieved April 23, 2014, from http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/managing-environmental-risks/contaminated-land/about/what-is.html
Waikato District Health Board. (2014). Contaminated land. Retrieved April 23, 2014, from http://www.waikatodhb.health.nz/public-health-advice/a-z-of-public-health-topics/a-c/contaminated-land/
Waikato Regional Council. (n.d). Contaminated sites. Retrieved April 23, 2014, from http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/Services/Regional-services/Waste-hazardous-substances-and-contaminated-sites/Contaminated-sites/
Waikato Regional Council. (n.d). Community wellbeing. Retrieved April 23, 2014, from http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/Council/Policy-and-plans/Regional-Policy-Statement/Regional-Policy-Statement-Review/RPSdiscussiondocument/2-Community-wellbeing/27-Hazardous-substances-and-contaminated-land/
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering took ground water samples that showed volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in the supply well. This well was formerly used for drinking water for the community. The results indicated that the ground water beneath the property was contaminated with radioactive material and VOCs. A sphagnum bog on the grounds had evidence of radioactive contamination. The soil, sediment, surface water, and ground water on the site had high levels of depleted uranium. On some of the soil and sediments, Poly Chlorinated Bi-phenyls were recorded. The buildings and structures on the grounds were as well contaminated with depleted uranium and other hazardous substances.
Dixon, Will. "Will Dixon's ECO 108 Site: Critical Analysis: The Case for Contamination." Will Dixon's ECO 108 Site: Critical Analysis: The Case for Contamination. Class Summary, Oct. 2010. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
The author describes each chapter with a surreal narration. It begins with “A Fable for Tomorrow”, which starkly declares a bleak future of every U.S village if they erred to use pesticides. “The Obligation to Endure” describes the lack of public awareness and how it would become grievous. She justly reasons that if the public might suffer from long-term misfortunes due to insecticides usage, they have a right to know the facts. Felicitous “Elixirs of Death” describes the nature of insecticides in three apt words. Chemical structures of common biocides are explained in an uncomplicated fashion. A series of three successive chapters is dedicated to Earth and its components. These chapters include the closely inter-connected ecological cycles, existing in the water, mantle and soil horizons. Pesticide dispersal in soil followed by its access into the ground water table and the waterways is an inconceivable process. The book promulgates the escape of biocides from their place of application, and their integration into natural bodies. All her chapters thereafter revolve around the various short-term and long-term effects of biocides on the biosphere. Rachel Carson had stated countless dire cases wherein complete ecosystems faced annihilation. The influx of detrimental chemicals extended their reach over animals and plants, and were causing human mortalities as well. Humans are a part of
EPA. (2009, December 29). Retrieved January 15, 2011, from Toxicity and Exposure Assessment for Children's Health: http://www.epa.gov/teach/
Toxic substances and Areas of concern: includes pollution prevention, clean up of the most polluted areas in the Great Lakes. Although many so...
“[…] a treatability technology that uses biological activity to reduce the concentration or toxicity of a pollutant. It commonly uses processes by which microorganisms transform or degrade substances hazardous to human health or the environment.” This statement is often used to describe the fundamental aim of bioremediation around the world. Richard Raymond, who is thought by some the father of bioremediation, foresaw that “adding acclimated microorganisms to contaminated sites could become a common practice” thus benefiting society by attacking the pollutants and converting them into harmless products to humanity and animal habitat. Bioremediation technologies can be generally classified as ex situ in which treatments involve the physical removal of the contaminated material for treatment process and in situ techniques that involve treatment of the contaminated material in place. Although the use of living systems to make a product has an established history, bioremediation have generated many social and ethical controversies to the foreground. The idea promoted by Richard Raymond illustrates a direct connection between bioremediation and its potential to restore contaminated environments inexpensively yet effectively.
Pollutants are contaminants that enter and affect the natural environment which can cause negative changes. There are two main types of pollution, air and water, which occur from different sources and have different effects. Air pollution is the main cause of “dirty air” in the United States. Suburban areas suffer from outdoor air pollutants as well as indoor air pollutants. Indoor air pollutants are caused by the burning of coal and wood, which are used for heating. Outdoor air pollutants are caused by chimneys, in which smoke is released into the air, and crop fertilizers, which are generally used in rural areas. The impact air pollution has on humans are large cases of health defects in rural areas: such as cancer, tuberculosis, heart diseases, and low birth weights. J.P Majra, author of “Air Quality In Rural Areas” states that, “This leads various health problems, mainly affecting the respiratory and cardiovascular system...” (Majra, 2). This shows that if the United States alone uses this much fertilizer, in which affects our health, imagine how much the world will be affected. Kirk Smith, professor of environmental health sciences at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health states that ”nearly 10% of all lost-life years worldwide” has been due to air pollution (COEH
Water contamination comes in various different forms. The most common in today’s world is chemical contamination. At the dawn of the industrial era, factories and sewage plants were the main culprits behind water contamination. In her article Water Quality, author Mary Cooper notes that “although the most egregious point-source pollution [factories and sewage treatment plants] has been reduced, a more insidious form of pollution continues to dirty the nation’s waterways – runoff from city streets, suburban construction sites and farms” (955). In farmland America today, the focus of contamination is mostly on runoff. Runoff...
Comment on class result with respect to differences in filter types, differences in filter assemblies, and overall on the confidence you would have in using this type of sterilisation process in preparation of pharmaceutical products. List the factors that may cause contamination during filtration. (20 marks)
The poisons that we are introducing into our environment is causing us a new slew of health problems. We once had to worry about things such as the bubonic plague, but now, we have to worry about what Rachel refers to as “environmental disease” (p.169).
Parkes, M., Panelli, R., & Weinstein, P. (2003). Converging paradigms for environmental health theory and practice. Environmental health perspectives, 111(5), 669-675.
that can endanger the health of human beings, plants, and animals, or that can damage
Also, when soil in and close production ranges turn out to be unclean due to dumping of excess material, such terrestrial cannot be used for farming processes. Pollution is also caused by iron and steel mills; zinc, lead, and copper smelters; municipal incinerators; oil refineries; cement plants; and nitric and sulphuric acid plants. Soil pollution is mostly due to elements in herbicides (wild plant killers) and pesticides (toxins which kill flies and other invertebrate mice). Litter is unused material put in public places such as streets, parks, picnic areas and near shops. The addition of waste intimidates the wellbeing of individuals in housing areas. Waste decays, heartens domestic rascals and goes urban places into unappealing, unclean and unhealthy areas to live in.( (Michael
Kiefer, Irene. (1981). Poisoned Land : The Problem of Hazardous Waste. New York : McClelland & Steward, Ltd.
Efforts to improve the standard of living for humans--through the control of nature and the development of new products--have also resulted in the pollution, or contamination, of the environment. Much of the world's air, water, and land is now partially poisoned by chemical wastes. Some places have become uninhabitable. This pollution exposes people all around the globe to new risks from disease. Many species of plants and animals have become endangered or are now extinct. As a result of these developments, governments have passed laws to limit or reverse the threat of environmental pollution.