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ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Some chemical pollutants affect the air, surface water, groundwater, soil or
sediments, more than others. Different species will react to the same chemical in
different ways and to a different degree. However, aquatic life has been proven to
be the most vulnerable medium, where most effects first appear. However, what
is highly toxic to aquatic life may not be toxic to birds. Similarly, some substances
have a greater impact on other living organisms than on humans.
Rather than focusing on defining and analysing the specific characteristics of air,
soil and water contamination, the list below presents briefly different types of
exposure of human beings and other living organisms to polluted environments:
• By breathing polluted air. The World Health Organization estimates that
4.6 million people die each year from causes directly attributable to air
pollution. Many of these deaths are attributable to indoor air pollution. 24 In
addition, polluted air makes the process of photosynthesis from plants
more difficult;
Box 1.10. A tragic story: the 1984 Bhopal Disaster
On the night of 2 December 1984, over 35 tons of toxic gases leaked from a pesticide
plant in Bhopal owned by the US-based multinational Union Carbide Corporation (UCC)'s
Indian affiliate Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL).
In the next 2-3 days more than 7,000 people died and many more were injured. Over the
last 21 years, at least 15,000 more people have died from illnesses related to gas
exposure. Today more than 100,000 people continue to suffer chronic and debilitating
illnesses for which treatment is largely ineffective.
Source: Amnesty International USA. “DOW Chemical Company (DOW), Union Carbide Corporation and
the Bhopal Communities in India” http://www.amnestyusa.org/Business-and-Human-Rights/Dow-
Chemical/page.do?id=1101668&n1=3&n2=26&n3=1241 (last accessed 14 April 2008)
• By eating plants grown on contaminated soils. These chemicals can cause
changes in the composition of the soil (i.e. alkalinity or acidity of soil pH),
which affects living organisms and possibly the whole ecosystem; and
• By drinking and using contaminated water from lakes, rivers, oceans, and
groundwater.
24 WHO Member State (2002). Estimated deaths & DALYs attributable to selected environmental risk
factors http://www.who.int/entity/quantifying_ehimpacts/countryprofilesebd.xls (last accessed 19
December 2007)
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