Environmental Health

Hazards
Objectives:
Name the different environmental hazards

discuss how certain component of

environmental hazards can increase the
risk of human injury, disease, or death.

 describe the community health efforts to

control or reduce the health risks caused by
these environmental hazards
Definition
World Health Organization (WHO, 1993): defines
"Environmental health comprises those aspects of
human health, including quality of life, that are
determined by physical, chemical, biologic,
social, and psychosocial factors in the
environment."

And any external factor that negatively affects

your health can be considered an
environmental health hazard.
 Introduction
 In developing countries with large rural populations ,
people continue to suffer from traditional risks
(unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and hygiene, and
indoor smoke from domestic cooking and heating)

 In developing countries with large urban populations and

more industry, people are exposed to additional
environmental risks
(including exposure to urban, industrial and agrochemical
pollution, as well as industrial accidents)

 More recently, concerns about the health impact of

changes in climate and ecosystems have been raised.
Environmental health
hazards
Land and climate related hazards
Atmospheric hazards
Water related hazards
Food Borne hazards
Vector Borne Hazards
Domestic Hazards
Occupational Hazards
Infrastructural hazards
Others
Land and Climate Related
Hazards
Land and climate related
hazards
Floods : Common in both lowland coastal
and inland areas, especially in Tropics and
monsoon areas
Storms
Hurricanes
Volcanic activity
Earthquakes
Soil erosion
Drought
Atmospheric Hazards
Atmospheric hazards
Out Door Pollution /Air
Increasing problem in many urban
areas due to road traffic;
Also associated with old, heavy
and manufacturing industries and
mining wind-blown dust also a
significant problem in some areas
Outdoor pollution- sources

Industry
Vehicles: Cars and trucks
Other sources such as
gasoline stations, farm
equipments, fires, and
outdoor pesticide use.
Primary outdoor air
pollutants
Pollutants of concern are:
Ozone (O3)
Particulate Matter (PM)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Lead (Pb)
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs
)
Water Related Hazards
Water related hazards
Surface water
In urban areas, primarily
from industrial and domestic
wastes
In rural related pollution
areas with co-use of waters
for humans and livestock
Water related hazards
Drinking water
Especially in areas
without access to
treated/piped water
contamination
Water pollution
Common pollutants of area rivers,
streams, bayous, lakes, ponds,
estuaries and bays include:
fertilizers from home lawns and
gardens, as well as agriculture;
mercury from power plants and
industrial waste;
herbicides and insecticides;
oil and other chemicals from roadway
runoff;
Water pollution
prescription medications, paint and other
toxic substances disposed down
household sinks and toilets;
trash and sediment from construction
sites;
pet waste;
faulty septic systems;
run-off from industrial sources or sewage
treatment plants; and
hormone and prescription medications in
human waste.
Health risks associated with
water pollution

Drinking or washing with

contaminated water;
Eating seafood from polluted rivers or
bays;
Eating crops watered with polluted
water; and/or
Swimming in polluted waterways.
Food BorneHazards
Food Borne hazards

Biological Contamination
Associated with poor
domestic sanitation and
hygiene arrangements
Food Borne hazards

Chemical contamination
E.g. food additives,
pesticides
Vector BorneHazards
Vector Borne Hazards
Water related vectors
guinea worm, schistosomiasis

Animal related vectors

sleeping sickness, bubonic plague

Arthropod related vectors

sleeping sickness, bubonic plague, malaria,
dengue, filariasis
Domestic Hazards
Domestic Hazards
Indoor Air Pollution
Domestic problems -Often associated
with over-crowding and poor living
conditions
Sanitation: Severe problem in areas
lacking organized sewerage system (e.g.
in informal settlements)
Waste handling: Associated especially
with open waste dumps – e.g.
communities living on, or regularly
sorting trough, waste sites
Common Indoor Air Pollutants
second-hand tobacco smoke;
airborne mold and mildew;
pet dander;
lead-impregnated dust from old paint and
some vinyl mini blinds;
cockroach shedding;
dust mite particles;
combustion gases released by stoves,
heaters, candles and fireplaces; and
Common Indoor Air Pollutants
chemicals released by
dry cleaned clothes;
cleaning products;
room deodorizers;
office supplies;
carpets;
paints and sealers;
new furniture and pressed wood;
personal care products; and pesticides
Things You Can Do To Reduce Indoor Air
Pollution

To reduce the levels of indoor air pollution you

can:
never allow smoking indoors;
use less toxic cleaning products;
make certain that the indoor space is properly
ventilated;
reduce levels of cockroach and dust mite
particles;
reduce pet dander;
avoid or minimize use of pesticides indoors;
Things You Can Do To Reduce Indoor Air
Pollution

use low toxicity paints, sealers

reduce the use of solvent-based dry cleaning

and/or air out dry-cleaned clothes thoroughly
before bringing into one's home;

avoid idling an internal combustion engine,

such as a car, lawn mower or fork lift, in an
enclosed space or near the entrance to one's
home or workplace; and

change air filters frequently.

Infrastructure Hazards
Infrastructural hazards
Traffic : Accidents and noise pollution,
Growing problem in major cities
Industrial Accidents: Associated
mainly with poorly regulated chemical
industries
Contaminated land: Old industrial
sites and waste-dumps
Noise Pollution
Noise Pollution

Traffic, trains, buses, lawn mowers,

leaf blowers, helicopters, construction
noise, low-flying recreational planes,
jet skis, air-conditioning units,

Exposure to noise levels higher than

85 decibels for long periods of time
can cause permanent hearing
damage
Noise Pollution

Higher levels have been shown to

cause stress, increase blood
pressure, cause sleep disturbances
which affect sleep quality as well as
mood and performance
Hazards from Waste
 Municipal solid waste includes residential and industrial
waste. Solid waste is usually disposed of in landfills or
recycled
 Hazardous waste, defined as that which is toxic,
corrosive, flammable, or ignitable needs to be disposed
of properly.
 Nuclear waste raise concerns about potential radiation
exposure.
 Sources are commercial power plants, hospitals, and
non-military sources nuclear power plants
Socioeconomic Factors
Include income
Ethnicity, sense of community and other
such factors.
Studies have shown that certain
segments of society are
disproportionately exposed to
environmental hazards, and may be
more vulnerable to such hazards than
other populations
Residents in low income
In general, residents in low income, minority
neighborhoods are more likely to live near:
chemical waste dumping sites;
electric power plants;
municipal incinerators;
solid waste landfills;
industrial plants; and
heavily traveled roadways.
Other Environmental Health Hazards
 Heat and Humidity
 High humidity impedes the
body's ability to cool itself.
 This is a particular problem for
the elderly.
 Stress
Excessive stress is associated
with decreased immune
function and an increased risk
of environmentally related
illness.   
 Climate Change and
Environmental health Hazards
Climate change
Over the ages, human societies have altered
local ecosystems and modified regional
climates

Climate and weather has a powerful impact

on human health and well-being.

The recent rapid increase in population size,

energy consumption, intensity of land use,
international trade and travel, and other
human activities has an impact on the health
of the population
Climate change
Abnormally high temperatures in Europe in
the summer of 2003 were associated with at
least 27,000 deaths

Climate change was estimated to be

responsible in 2000 for approximately 2.4%
of worldwide diarrhea, and 6% of malaria in
some middle-income countries

Global climate change is, therefore, a newer

challenge to ongoing efforts to protect human
health
Health Impacts due to Climate
Change
Certain infectious diseases –
including vector-borne infections
such as malaria and dengue fever,
and food-borne infections (e.g.
salmonellosis) which peak in the
warmer months.
Health Impacts due to Climate
Change
Extremes of both heat and cold
can cause potentially fatal
illnesses, e.g. heat stress or
hypothermia, as well as increasing
death rates from heart and
respiratory diseases.
Health Impacts due to Climate
Change
Others are food-producing
ecosystems, rising sea-levels and
population displacement for
reasons of physical hazard, land
loss, economic disruption and civil
strife