| How to Reduce & Prevent Negative Effects
People come into contact with numerous pollutants in their environments each day. Sometimes, these pollutants are harmless, particularly if a person only has contact with a small amount of the substance for a short period of time. However, other contaminants (such as pesticides, heavy metals, and sediments) can be toxic to humans when the body is exposed to them over long periods of time. Soil contamination (such as fertilizers, sewage sludge, animal waste, etc.) is also a potential source of harmful chemicals that can cause cancer or other diseases.
People should take care not to eat fish products as well as consume contaminated water in any form (soil or water), this will affect your health if you consume contaminated water regularly. For example, consuming contaminated water from a pool, river, lake, or beach can lead to health problems like kidney stones, which result from minerals in the water. This mineral may include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfate, phosphorus, and fluoride depending on the salt content, so choose an outdoor swimming pool, river, or lake rather than drinking water in public places.
Pesticides
Pesticides can be dangerous if consumed too much, especially if they contain mercury or lead. If the pesticide gets into the bloodstream it can affect brain cells and organs. Pesticide use is banned in many countries, but some countries still allow the use of a limited number of pesticides in certain applications—such as weed control, insect control, plant protection, and more. It is recommended to never eat foods containing synthetic pesticides for safety reasons. A wide variety of foods can be safe to eat, but eating fish, beef, pork, shellfish, eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, wine, fruit juices, and soft drinks is a great option. Even organic produce contains pesticides. Food additives and preservatives can harm consumers from developing the symptoms of cancer and other illnesses if consumers ingest these products without knowing what is in them.
Mercury poisoning can be caused by consuming contaminated water, as well as ingestion of seafood, meat, and dairy items that contain high amounts of mercury. Mercury has been associated with birth defects, skin cancer, neurological disease, and developmental problems for infants younger than twelve months of age. Research suggests that exposure from prenatal exposure during pregnancy to excess mercury in the fetal blood could contribute to several serious disorders in children. There is no way to tell what amount of mercury one consumes (in the diet) because most people are unaware of how much mercury is in food and drink. The Environmental Protection Agency advises that most people, irrespective of gender, should limit mercury intake; however, individuals who have eaten high quantities of unsafe mercury-heavy foods should talk to their doctors about avoiding such foods.
Lead poisoning can cause lifelong impacts on children and adults in general. Children must avoid all forms of lead exposure. Lead poisoning usually occurs from eating fish and shellfish, including canned tuna, sardines, mackerel, crab and prawns, oysters, crustaceans, trout, mussels, shrimp, and herring. Adults, regardless of sex, should avoid exposure to lead. Some older adults may be unable to tolerate the effects of lead poisoning, so they may need medical intervention. Most healthy people can eliminate lead from the U.S. population through water sources, like lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, wells, and groundwater. People who work with lead should discuss these measures with their providers to ensure they are aware of the risks of having their workers exposed to lead.
Sediments
Sediments can accumulate in landfills, contaminate waterways or stream systems, damage buildings, and pollute soil quality. These substances may occur naturally, but humans can accidentally deposit sediment onto the ground from construction jobs, oil rigs, industrial machinery, and vehicles. Sediment may fall from rocks, wind, rain, snow, hail, snowflakes, or even car tires. In addition, these sediment particles can accumulate in different types of soils, including wetlands and grass, and weeds, as well as the root zone of trees, shrubs, and plants. As a consequence, these conditions are called "urban runoff," and they can negatively impact the environment and human populations in particular regions. When there are changes in these conditions, the risk of illness increases because more species and communities become vulnerable to disease. People should always check water flow and remove excess materials before disposing of them.
Asphalt surfaces that do not wash away after stormwater may harbor harmful sediments. Excess moisture can evaporate from asphalt, leaving its chemical structure to degrade and release large amounts of hydrocarbons (which can pose threats when mixed and transported across cities, highways, roads, and pipelines). All construction projects should be evaluated for any hazardous material that may be buried in or near the site. To reduce the risk, construction works should be designed and installed properly to limit the amount of dust that enters the atmosphere, where it contaminates the air. Maintenance of equipment should be done to avoid contamination. Construction project owners should obtain permits, licenses, insurance coverages, and other documents necessary for proper maintenance. Contractors should obtain permits at least six months in advance of beginning work. Permits can help prevent a company from running afoul of local environmental regulations and fines can be issued when required.
There are many ways in which we can contribute to protecting our environment and avoiding adverse outcomes. We need to learn and teach others the importance of conserving our land to avoid ecological disasters. Each year, approximately 6 billion tons of waste enter landfills around the world and end up contaminating our ecosystems, causing the destruction of vegetation and wildlife in addition to releasing toxins into our oceans. Landfills produce millions of tons of greenhouse gases that are absorbed or released back into nature. Waste management experts advise us to stop using plastic bags, instead, we should replace them with reusable shopping bags. Plastic bags contain microplastics, which are tiny plastic pieces and toxins that are considered non-biodegradable. Microplastic is a part of the larger problem of global climate change and contributes to ocean acidification. By utilizing sustainable practices, we can protect the biodiversity of wild animals, increase crop yields, and decrease our own emissions because the crops grown without pesticides or herbicides would be healthier than those with pesticides.