Powerpoint Environmentalandoccupationalhealth 130415121127 Phpapp01

8/10/2019 Powerpoint Environmentalandoccupationalhealth 130415121127 Phpapp01

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C H A P T E R 2 5

Environmental and

Occupational Health


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Occupational and Environmental Health Hazards

Hazards such as chemicals, toxins, and othermanufactured hazards are found in the home,

workplace, and environment through the air and

water Hazards affect health, may cause myriad cancers,

neurologic disorders, allergies, and behavioralchanges

Increasing research shows a relationship betweenenvironmental health and reproductive health andchildrens health


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Reproductive and Childrens Health

Environment has shown to impact reproductivehealth, some examples are elevated rates of cancerin reproductive organs, premature births,miscarriages and birth impairments

Fetuses and babies unable to metabolize andinactivate harmful chemicals

Sperm and eggs can be damaged by pesticides,chemicals, or other chemical exposures leadingpotentially affecting the embryos development

Presidents Cancer Panel (2010) found approx. 300chemicals present in umbilical cords


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Toxins transferred through breast milk

Some babies are at higher risk example indigenous people in the high Arctic are seven times

more prone than babies in the US or Canada

Many chemicals have been banned in the US

Breast milk is still considered better than formuladue to the benefits out weighing the risks

Formula fed babies have a greater risk of earinfections, respiratory tract infections, SIDS, andchildhood leukemia, asthma, diarrhea, and eczema


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Due to a more vulnerable immune system,physiology, and metabolism children are at greaterrisk of damage to nervous system, brain,reproductive organs, and endocrine system

As the amount of concentrated chemical rises so dothe number of childhood illnesses such as leukemia,

brain cancer, and other cancers linked to

environmental carcinogens


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Occupational Health

OSHA (Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration) focuses on workplace health andsafety

Workers and surrounding environments arevulnerable to industrial practices and pollution

People constantly being exposed to chemicals, suchas pesticides


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Advocacy

Only a few hundred of the tens of thousands of chemicalsused are adequately tested; many chemicals suspected ofcausing cancer are not regulated at all

Community activists, researchers, and advocates areadvocating for a new paradigm that encouragesanticipatory action in the absence of scientificuncertainty

Precautionary Principal: requires taking action in theface of uncertainty, shifting the burden of proof to those

who create risks, and analyzing alternatives to potentiallyharmful chemicals one at a time


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Advocacy

Women are pushing for more research on risks,launching community-based health projects, callingfor enforcement of regulations to keep ourenvironment safe, and insisting that vulnerablecommunities are protected and compensated forhealth burdens

Collaborative on Health and the Environment:

organization of international partnership that paysspecial attention to reproductive and cross-generational impacts


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Types of Hazards - Lead

Lead: neurotoxin, which means affects the nerve cells. Itis natural in the environment in trace amounts: travelsthrough air, food, water, dust, and various products.

Has industrial and commercial uses: plumbing pipes and

car batteries Acute exposure can cause lead poisoning, affects 1

million children in the US. Low income families are at an8 times greater risk, due to standard housing and lack ofnutritional foods. African American children are 5 times

more likely to develop then white children Symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, coma, and

death Long term exposure: brittle bones, anemia, damage to

brain and nervous function, liver, kidney, and bloodsystems


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Types of Hazards - Mercury

Mercury can damage central nervous system,endocrine system, heart, lungs, immune system, andkidneys

Especially harmful to pregnant women and fetuses:

Can cause neurological disorders, decreasedbrain function, delayed onset of walking, permanentkidney damage, and decreased sperm count in boys

Pregnant women are told to are recommended toavoid or ingest a small amount of high risk fish,including tuna and shark


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Types of Hazards - Mercury

Symptoms or Mercury poisoning include itching,burning or pain: skin discolorations; shedding ofskin; muscle weakness; red face; loss of teeth; hairand nails; and photophobia

Mercury has been banned in most cosmetic productsand thermometers

Mercury still found in trace amounts in some eye

make-up


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Types of Hazards Pesticides

Most common and utilized synthetic product

1.2 billion pounds used annually in US, 5 billionworldwide

Exposure has been linked to developmentalproblems and reproductive complications: abnormalovary and menstrual function; decreased spermcount; early puberty; delayed testis, prostate, andpenis development; infertility; miscarriage; stillbirth;

and increased risk of cervical, vaginal, testicular, andchildhood brain cancers

If exposed during pregnancy can cause brain autism


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Types of Hazards and Avoidance Pesticides

Journal of Agro-medicine (2007) every chemicalclass of pesticides has at least one agent capable ofaffecting a reproductive or developmental endpointin laboratory animals or people

Avoidance: -avoid using pesticides in homes and on lawns and gardens

- wear protective clothing when using pesticides

- never smoke, eat, or drink when using pesticides

- do not apply pesticides before a heavy rain, may wash intosewers contaminating water supply

- apply in early cool weather with a small breeze to reduce airtravel

- Follow disposal recommendation, never pour down toilet,

sink, or sewer


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Pesticides and Food Safety

Purchase certified organic foods

Purchase and consume the 15 least sprayed fruitsand vegetables: onions, avocados, frozen sweet corn,

pineapple, mango, frozen sweet peas, asparagus,kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, cantaloupe, watermelon,grapefruit, sweet potato, and honeydew melon

Wash and limit intake of most sprayed fruits and

vegetables celery, peaches, strawberries, apples,blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, kale,cherries, potatoes, and imported grapes


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Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals EDCs

Industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals that mimicnatural hormones and include any chemical or substancethat affects development and function.

Used to block or interfere with complex hormonalmessages that affect body function such as thyroidmechanics, sexual development and behavior,metabolism, and nervous and immune function

Low level exposure is not greatly understood, howeverincreasing concerns on the danger of high level exposureon reproductive health

Example: diethylstilbestrol, or DES, a synthetic estrogenhave shown high miscarriage rates and vaginal cancers inthe children of pregnant DES users


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Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals EDCs

Found in pesticides, bisphenol (a material used tomake plastic), some cosmetics, flame retardants,glues, sealants, and cleaning products

Fat-soluble they accumulate in animal fat andanimal products and are then consumed

Women at higher risk due to increased body fat

Exposure affected by indoor air quality


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BPA - Bisphenol A

used in hard plastics such as baby bottle linings,cans, sippy cups, food containers, ect

Endocrine disrupting chemical

May cause cancers, infertility, heart disease, liverabnormalities, genital abnormalities, obesity, earlypuberty in girls, cognitive and behavioralimpairments, diabetes, asthma, ADD, hyper activity

disorder, and cardiovascular system abnormalities.


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Other Hazards to Avoid

PCBS Polychlorinated biphenyls, one of the mosthazardous chemicals

Most usage banned since 1979, but can contaminate ourbodies and environment for years

PCS hotspots are NYC, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Phthalates chemical that makes plastic more pliable

Found in wallpaper, paints, soda cans, pesticides, andfood

Nearly all Americans have this in their urine Exposure associated with asthma, allergies, autism,

endocrine disorder, among others


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Exposure

Exposure is heavily affected by environmentalconditions, gender, race, ethnicity, and class

Economic and social power determines how we are

able to protect ourselves Low socioeconomic status=higher exposure risks

3 of 5 largest landfills in US are based in Black orLatino communities


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Decrease Risks

Be a careful consumer, be aware of ingredients in allfoods and containers

Investigate environmental conditions, get info onunder worker and right to know legislation at

scoregaurd.com Investigate studies, find out who paid for study, are

they biased?

Talk to your neighbors, develop alliances to protectcommunity health

Document your health. Keep a log of exposures anddiagnosis


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Decrease Risks

Work in coalition Join a movement ororganization. There are many organizations work toprotect families and communities, such as TheNational Council for Occupational Safety and Health,Center for Health, Environment and Justice,Physicians for Social Responsibility, and many more


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Improving Workplace Safety

Substitute safer alternatives

Isolate or enclose the process

Improve housekeeping

Accept personal protective equipment Secure Protections

Create Committees

Negotiate contracts


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Women making a Difference

Alice Hamilton grandmother of environmentalmovement

Author of Exploring the Dangerous Trades, a book onoccupational hazards

Rachel Carson author ofSilent Spring, publicized risks ofpesticide dangers

Hazel Johnson cofounded West Harlem EnvironmentalAction to challenge the location of a water treatment plant

Patty Martin founded Safe Food and Fertilizer afterdiscovering hazardous wastes being blended into fertilizerscausing crop failure


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QUOTE by Presidents Cancer Panel

The true burden of environmentally induced cancerhas been grossly underestimated. With nearly80,000 chemicals on the market in the UnitedStates, many of which are used by millions of

Americans in their daily lives and are un- or understudied and largely unregulated, exposure topotential environmental carcinogens is widespread

Page 728 Our Bodies, Ourselves


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Reflection

The chemicals mentioned are widespread andobviously recognized to be harmful. Dont you seesomething wrong with a well known BPA chemical

being used in our childrens baby bottles and cupswhen people are ware of the possible affects? Thisreally boggles my mind. I wonder why thegovernment has not done away with this chemical.They are so worried about healthcare and costs. Why

wouldnt they attack at the root of a lot of diseases?

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