People across the world create a tremendous amount of waste. In 2016, the world generated 2.01 billion tons of waste, which is expected to increase to 3.4 billion tons by 2050. This staggering 70% increase will have ripple effects around the world, ranging from the consumption of microplastics to increased water pollution.
Both climate change and pollution can negatively affect the health of humans across the world. This isn’t just an American issue. The behavior of one country can impact the health levels of another. People from all walks of life will be affected by pollution in the coming years — if they aren’t already.
This isn’t meant to scare you, but rather to inform you about the potential risks to your health if people keep polluting. Learn about the unseen ways that your waste lingers long after you take out the trash.
Air pollution
According to the World Health Organization, 99% of the population regularly breathes air that exceeds its limits for contaminants and other pollutants. Smoke, smog and other fumes come from a variety of sources that most people interact with each day. These sources include (but are not limited to) car exhausts, factories, household heaters and cooking devices.
Furthermore, the American Lung Association estimates that 135 million Americans (four in 10) live with polluted air day-to-day. People of color are 61% more likely to live in a place with unhealthy air. Unfortunately, there are several health issues directly correlated with breathing bad air. Here are just a few problems you might experience.
Eyes, nose and throat irritation
Minor irritants in the air can leave you with itchy eyes, a scratchy throat and a runny or stuffy nose. This could be caused by seasonal allergies or by high levels of pollutants near you. In some areas, when the air is severely bad, local governments will issue warnings to residents who have respiratory sensitivity. These citizens will need to stay inside or risk harm to their health.
If you feel like you are struggling to breathe or live normally in your town, try to research the source. There are several clean air apps that will tell you whether the air pollution in your area is high. These apps can also report on pollen levels and the potential effects of forest fires. You don’t need to live in a fire-prone area for this air pollution to affect you. In 2021, smoke from fires in the American West and Canada triggered health warnings from officials in New York and Philadelphia.
If you experience sinus discomfort and the issue isn’t pollen or pollution, visit your local urgent care. A doctor might be able to identify the issue.
Respiratory issues
Outside of sinus problems, poor air can lead to a variety of respiratory issues that make it hard to breathe comfortably. The most common sign of respiratory distress is a high breathing rate — which means you increase the number of breaths you take each minute in an attempt to fill your lungs. Wheezing, trouble speaking and nose flaring can also serve as warning signs that a person is having a hard time breathing.
Aggravated asthma
Another key problem with air pollution is that it worsens the symptoms of existing conditions. If you live with asthma, it might be manageable through most parts of the year. However, there could be times when dirty air aggravates your symptoms and causes severe discomfort. You might experience increased shortness of breath or tighter airways because of the dirty air.
Cardiovascular problems
Stress on your lungs and respiratory system can impact other parts of your body. For example, breathing in lower levels of clean air due to pollutants means your heart will have to work harder to pump the existing oxygen through your body. The anxiety and discomfort you experience due to difficulty breathing can also cause a rapid heart rate. Over time, you might experience cardiovascular stress or exhaustion.
Compromised immune health
While visiting a place with poor air can cause short-term health problems, there are also severe, long-term effects that come with living in an area with dirty air. One study found that inhaled particles from environmental pollutants will accumulate inside immune cells over several decades. This prevents the cells from doing their jobs effectively because they are essentially choked with pollution.
Poor cell health can lead to a weakened immune system, which can reduce your body’s ability to fight infections. You might be young and healthy now, but living among pollutants can impact your health over time.
Plastic pollution
When most people think about plastic contamination, they picture fast food bags on the side of the road or a soda can washing ashore on the beach. However, microplastics (pieces that are less than five millimeters long) are much more prevalent and significantly affect our daily lives.
Microplastics and nanoplastics are found all over the world — even in Antarctic sea ice. They are so prevalent that they’re in our food. One 2020 study found the presence of microplastics inside apples and carrots, while multiple studies have confirmed the presence of microplastics in fish and other animals.
This constant exposure to plastic pollution (not to mention the consumption of it) can have significant effects on human health in multiple ways.
Increased cancer risk
Constant exposure to plastics and microplastics can potentially increase cancer risks. This is because there are more than 10,000 chemicals that are used to create and modify the texture of plastic. Around 2,400 of those chemicals are classified as “substances of potential concern,” according to the European Union.
This doesn’t mean holding a plastic bottle causes cancer, but more people may develop cancer in the long run because of constant exposure to microplastics in their bodies.
Birth defects
The high levels of chemicals in plastics can also increase the number of birth defects that communities experience. Researchers have found a correlation between exposure to plastics and birth issues in infants. This is particularly prevalent for workers in plastic plants or residents who live near these factories.
Fertility issues
Along with birth defects, it’s not surprising that excessive exposure to plastics can also lead to fertility issues in women. These include problems conceiving or carrying a baby to term.
Water pollution
Access to clean and safe water is one of the biggest challenges facing global leaders. As of 2022, more than 80% of sewage generated by humans is dumped immediately into rivers and oceans without treatment. Researchers found that 80% of diseases and 50% of child deaths worldwide are related to poor water quality.
There are several sources of pollution that affect your drinking water in multiple ways. Along with sewage dumping, chemicals from factories can seep into the water supply over time. General dumping in water sources can also contaminate the water. Here are a few common problems that come with this.
Diarrhea
Drinking dirty water exposes people to a variety of diseases like cholera, dysentery and typhoid. This can lead to uncontrollable diarrhea which is painful and exhausting. Even drinking untreated water can expose people to harmful bacteria and parasites that can harm their health.
Malnutrition
Diarrhea due to poor water may have long-term effects on the body. When your body expels waste unexpectedly, your digestive system doesn’t have time to absorb the energy and nutrients through food. Long-term illness can lead to malnutrition which compromises the immune system and leaves the body vulnerable to other diseases.
Skin diseases
Hard or contaminated water could significantly affect your skin. It might become rough or feel dry and itchy over time. It might also cause breakouts and potentially even lesions. If you visit a dermatologist, they will ask about the water you use.
Soil Contamination
Soil pollution occurs when dirt and other materials used to grow crops increase in toxicity. It can occur through the spread of pollutants through the air or through the use of contaminated water. Poor soil threatens the ability to eat — which means it threatens the future of humankind itself.
Reduced food production
Poor soil yields poor crops. This means that farmers aren’t able to produce enough food or the crops don’t meet expected quality standards. Malformed food, smaller fruits or vegetables, and other issues can prevent farmers from bringing their crops to market, which limits the amount of food available for everyone. This also limits the income and livelihood of global farmers and farm workers.
Elemental toxicity
Additionally, poor soil can also create toxic crops that are unsafe to eat. People might consume higher levels of lead, arsenic and cadmium because these toxins were in the dirt where the crops grew.
Pollution affects three of the most important things humans need to survive: air, water and food.
Who is affected the most by pollution?
Pollution is a global problem. Everything from the air you breathe to the vegetables you eat is contaminated to some extent. However, some people are disproportionately affected by pollution more than others. Specifically, poor communities and people of color are more likely to experience severe adverse effects from pollution. This is known as environmental racism.
People who are wealthy are able to move when pollution clouds their town or city. Middle-class residents are more likely to be able to afford bottled water to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals. However, the working poor are less able to afford these luxuries and are more likely to take on dangerous, undesirable jobs that expose them to toxins (like factory employees creating plastic products or farm workers handling pesticides).
People who are poor are more likely to be people of color. This is the result of centuries of institutionalized racism in the United States and colonialism across the world. Even within communities of color, ethnic minorities are more likely to live in highly-polluted areas.
You should care about pollution because of your own exposure to bad air and microplastics. Moreover, fighting for the basic human rights of clean air, water and food means you can protect vulnerable populations who aren’t able to fight for themselves. Through a mixture of education by doctors, advocacy by citizens and action by political leaders, everyone can take steps to protect the planet and our futures.