Unit 3 Environmental threats

……

Sunita Pandit
HA,BPH
• Environmental threats can be defined as the
“actual or potential threat of adverse effects on
living organisms and the environment by wastes,
resource depletion, etc., arising out of an organisms
activities.”
• Due to various reasons like lack of human
resources, commitment on the part of government
and awareness among general people etc resources
has not been utilized properly.
• On the other hand, landslide, deforestation, forest
fire etc has caused many negative impacts and also
led to soil pollution, water pollution, air pollution
and so on.
• Certain environmental threats have health implications on a
wide scale than the local or national level. They include
ozone depletion, climatic change, loss of biodiversity etc

There are three types of environmental threats prevalent in

Nepal.
• Intensification of Agriculture
• Industrialization and Health
• Energy crisis and health
• Intensification of Agriculture
• As the employment opportunity is limited, majority of
population is dependent on protection of foods and keeping
animals.
• Production is being intensified, causing deforestation and
soil degradation.
• To meet the demand of increasing population, agricultural
land is subjected to even greater intensification of use
through cropping to produce more food.
• Though population is increased rapidly, agricultural land are
constant
• There has been intense pressure on agricultural land
• Similarly, imbalanced application of fertilizer has further
accelerated the decline of soil fertility
• Due to limited agricultural land, other areas like forest area,
marginal land are being used for cultivation.
Industrialization and Health
• It is no doubt that industrialization has made many
positive contributions to health, income and
lifestyle of people

• On the other hand, industrial activities creates the

risk of adverse health consequences to the workers
and general population which is either directly
through exposure to harmful agents or practices, or
indirectly through environmental degradation
• It is no doubt that industrialization has made many
positive contributions to health, income and
lifestyle of people

• On the other hand, industrial activities creates the

risk of adverse health consequences to the workers
and general population which is either directly
through exposure to harmful agents or practices, or
indirectly through environmental degradation
• Industrialization results pollution like air pollution, water
pollution, soil pollution etc. and thus degrades the quality of
environment.

• The plants and vegetables are easily pollute by the harmful

chemicals present in soil.

• Higher health risk are associated to the workers having

more exposure to toxic chemicals.
• Enough attention is not given for effective management of
industrial waste.
Energy crisis and health
• Use of fuel wood as a residential energy source has made
serious impacts on Nepal’s forest.
• It has created serious detrimental impacts on Nepal’s forest,
with deforestation resulting in subsequent soil erosion , loss
of fertile land and landslides.
• Use of kerosene in kitchen, petroleum products in vehicles
etc. contribute to air pollution leading to respiratory
problems.
• All vehicles are responsible for emitting pollutants such as:
carbon monoxide, smoke etc.
• Fuel wood constitutes 78% of total fuel consumption and its
use is one of the main causes of forest depletion which is
due to lack of alternative fuel to wood
• The number of vehicles is increasing rapidly resulting in
more consumption of more petrol and diesel.
• Alternative source of energy must be created so as to
minimize the decreased condition of energy.
• Climate Change
 Weather:
Short term, limited area, can change rapidly, difficult to
predict.
• Weather is what’s happening outside your window
right now.
• The type of temperature, humidity,
precipitation,cloudiness and wind which we experience
in the atmosphere at a given time in a specifice location
is referred to weather.
 Climate:
Long term, wide area, seasonal changes, measured and
long spans of time.
Climate change
 Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution
of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended
period of time (i.e., decades to millions of years).

 Climate change is caused by factors such

as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by
Earth, and volcanic eruptions.

 Certain human activities have been identified as primary

causes of ongoing climate change, often referred to
as global warming.
• Climate change is a change in the statistical properties of
the climate system that persists for several decades or longer
—usually at least 30 years.
• Change may be due to natural processes, such as changes in
the Sun’s radiation, volcanoes or internal variability in the
climate system, or due to human influences such as changes
in the composition of the atmosphere or land use..
 Causes of climate changes
• The evidence is clear: the main cause of climate change is
burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal. When burnt,
fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into the air, causing the
planet to heat up.
• Greenhouse gases and the greenhouse effect.
Human causes of climate change
• Burning fossil fuels – Fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal
contain carbon dioxide that has been 'locked away' in the
ground for thousands of years. When we take these out of
the land and burn them, we release the stored carbon
dioxide into the air.
• Deforestation – Forests remove and store carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere. Cutting them down means that carbon
dioxide builds up quicker since there are no trees to absorb
• Dead animals/dead organic matter releases many different
types of greenhouse gases into the air.
• For example, animals produce methane, which is 30 times
more powerful than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.
• The nitrous oxide used for fertilizers is ten times worse and
is nearly 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide!
• Cement – Producing cement is another contributor to
climate change, causing 2% of our entire carbon dioxide
emissions.
Causes of climate change
• The climate change phenomenon refers to seasonal
changes over a long period with respect to the growing
accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
• Tackling this phenomenon is of utmost importance given
the pivotal role that climate plays in the formation of
natural ecosystems and the human economies and
civilizations on which they are based.
• Human activities : industrial revolution – manifested in
fossil fuel consumption for power generation, land
deforestation for agriculture, and urban expansion –
have contributed to an increase in the concentration of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which in turn has led
to global warming
• When we talk about climate change, we mean any long-
term change in the average weather patterns in a particular
area.
• Average weather patterns include average temperature,
rainfall, wind conditions and numerous other climatic
conditions.
• These changes may take place due to the dynamic processes
of the Earth (e.g. volcano eruptions or earthquakes), due to
external forces (e.g. changes in the intensity of solar
radiation or fall of large meteorites), or due to human
activities (e.g. deforestation, tree burning or the three types
of pollution – land, air and sea), resulting in an ecological
imbalance, the disappearance of certain animal and plant
species, and the appearance of others.
Effects of climate change
Climate change has brought many environmental risks to
human health, such as ozone layer depletion, loss of
biodiversity, and spread of infectious diseases.
The three main categories of climate change impact on human
health are:
(a)   Direct impact (e.g. as a result of heat waves, large-scale
air pollution, natural disasters
• (b)  Impact on ecosystems and environmental relationships
(e.g. damage to agricultural crops, overabundance of
mosquitoes, depletion and depletion of marine species).
(c)  Indirect impact (e.g. poverty, displacement, conflict over
resources such as water, post-disaster epidemics).
• As a result, climate change threatens to reduce, reverse
global progress for those suffering from malnutrition and
dying of infectious diseases, especially in developing
regions of the world.
 UNIT 1(1.4) :Environmental Health Concept

• Concept of environmental pollution health issues

• Environmental pollution is defined as "the contamination
of the physical and biological components of the
earth/atmosphere system to such an extent that
normal environmental processes are adversely affected.
• Environmental pollution is not a new phenomenon, yet it
remains the world’s greatest problem facing humanity, and
the leading environmental causes of morbidity and
mortality.
• Man’s activities through urbanization, industrialization,
mining, and exploration are at the forefront of global
environmental pollution
•  Environmental pollutants have various adverse health
effects from early life some of the most important harmful
effects are perinatal disorders, infant mortality, respiratory
disorders, allergy, malignancies, cardiovascular disorders,
increase in stress oxidative, endothelial dysfunction,
mental disorders, and various other harmful effects.
• Though, short-term effects of environmental pollutants are
usually highlighted, wide range of hazards of air pollution
from early life and their possible implication on chronic
non-communicable diseases of adulthood should be
underscored.
• Numerous studies have exposed that environmental
particulate exposure has been linked to increased risk of
morbidity and mortality from many diseases, organ
disturbances, cancers, and other chronic diseases 
• Both developed and developing nations share this burden
together, though awareness and stricter laws in developed
countries have contributed to a larger extent in protecting
their environment.
• Despite the global attention towards pollution, the impact is
still being felt due to its severe long-term consequences.
• Environment-Related health illnesses
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Obesity
• Occupational injuries
• Arthritis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Malaria
• Dysentery
• Depression
• Identify the three importance environmental heath
issues in the world todays
• 1. Air pollution and climate change.
• Problem: Overloading of the atmosphere and of ocean
waters with carbon. Atmospheric CO2 absorbs and re-emits
infrared-wavelength radiation, leading to warmer air, soils,
and ocean surface waters.
• 2. Deforestation.
• Problem: Species-rich wild forests are being destroyed,
especially in the tropics, often to make way for cattle
ranching, soybean or palm oil plantations, or other
agricultural monocultures.
• Not only do natural forests act as biodiversity reserves, they
are also carbon sinks, keeping carbon out of the atmosphere
and oceans.
• 3. Species extinction.
• Problem: On land, wild animals are being hunted to
extinction for "medicinal" products. At sea, huge industrial
fishing boats equipped with bottom-trawling or purse-seine
nets clean out entire fish populations. The loss and
destruction of habitat are also major factors contributing to
a wave of extinction
• 4. Soil degradation.
erosion, soil compaction, overexposure to pollutants, land-use
conversion - there's a long list of ways that soils are being
damaged.
• 5. Overpopulation
The effects of overpopulation are quite severe, Degradation
of Environment, Conflicts and Wars, Depletion of Natural
Resources. Rise in Unemployment., High Cost of Living,
Pandemics and Epidemics, Malnutrition, Starvation and Water
Shortage
• Discuss the different types of health problems related to
each form of pollutions
Air pollution
• There are many effects on the human body from air
pollution. It ranges from, lung disease, asthma, and heart
disease.. It can even do damage to the brain, nerves, liver,
and kidneys.
 Land Pollution:
• Land pollution is hazardous waste improperly disposed..
Chemicals that are absorbed in to the soil . bacteria, which
causes a large quantities of carbon dioxide
•  Land pollution can affect wildlife, plants, and humans
,fruits and vegetables that have been grown in polluted
soil ,Skin problems are often diagnosed , and also Lead to
birth defects
• Noise Pollution
Noise pollution is generally defined as regular exposure to
elevated sound levels that may lead to adverse effects in
humans or other living organisms Noise Pollution affects
hearing loss, sleep disturbances, Annoyance, aggression
hypertension, high stress forgetfulness, severe depression
and at times panic attacks

•  Water Pollution
 Contamination of lake, river, oceans, and groundwater ,
Chemical and oil spills, Garbage in the water
 Water Pollution affects Drinking water Skin diseases
Infectious diseases such as typhoid and cholera harms
human health and the natural environment