 |
Comparison of polluted and not polluted lake |
Although the press coverage has been frightful pertaining to biological warfare since September 11th, only four people have died so far from the “deadly” anthrax attacks (WorldWatch, p.1). Even the perpetual talk of terrorist attacks on chemical plants hasn’t increased U.S domestic security significantly. However, for millions of Americans there is a very real danger already lurking in the waterways providing more deaths than anthrax and September 11th combined: A chemical-cocktail of compounds, ready to go back into their food chain. These chemicals include chlorine, arsenic and sulfur dioxide among others.
The U.S.-based Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) states that if there were to be a terrorist attack on any one of the 125 chemical plants across the country there would be a catastrophic affect. For example if chlorine was to escape from even one tank, its toxic gas could travel 2 miles in 10 minutes and remain lethal for up to 20 miles (Lazaroff, p.1-3). This brings to light, of course, the question as to whether chlorine should be used to disinfect the water supply to begin with. Chlorine is thorough in killing pathogens; however, residual chlorine is also thorough in killing aquatic life along with sodium hypochlorite, sulfur dioxide and sodium bisulfate. These chemicals are utilized in the process of chlorination (Lau, p.4-5).
Arsenic is another ingredient in the chemical cocktail of the American waterways. Just before President Bush took office, the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, was about to reduce arsenic levels in drinking water from 50 micrograms, the U.S. standard since 1942, to 10 per liter - the European Union and World Health Organization (W.H.O.) standard. However, last March these new regulations failed to pass congress due to a petition submitted by the National Mining Association. A number of studies hi-light that arsenic-tainted water causes skin, lung, liver and bladder cancer.
|
| Cropsprayer contributed to polluted water |
In Taiwan, a study of 40,000 villagers found that long-term exposure to arsenic from well water was the cause behind the deaths from bladder cancer (Alpert p.1-2). They also found a direct link from long-term exposure to arsenic and atherosclerosis in the veins that lead to the brain (Graham #1 p.1). A Dartmouth Medical School study shows arsenic can also disrupt the hormone glucocorticoid that regulates blood sugar levels. Arsenic suppresses by binding to glucocorticoid receptors in cells thus changing their structure. The result is a tumor growth triggered by other carcinogens. This effect can begin to be seen at 2 micrograms per liter. Most large municipal water systems possess an average arsenic level above 10 micrograms. In Norman, Oklahoma for example, it is 36.3 micrograms, in Chino Hills, California 30.2 and in Victoria, Texas 11.6 micrograms per liter. According to the EPA, if their regulations were implemented, 21-30 deaths from lung and bladder cancer annually could have been prevented. Epidemiologists, however, say the death rate is closer to 10 times that amount (Alpert, p.2).
However, chemical wastes are not the only culprits behind water pollution. Prescription antibiotics such as virginiamycin, sulfadimethoxone and tetracycline also make it into the waterways. Reproductive hormones like equilenum, progesterone, estradiol and testosterone are also found (ACS, p.17—23). In fact, a study by the U.S Geological Survey cites that 80% of US streams contain one or more organic wastewater contaminant, O.W.C. Ready to unleash back into the food chain, the compounds were found to be from residential, industrial and agricultural sources. Wastewater treatment plants and domestic septic systems are not designed to remove O.WC.s from effluent discharges. Up to 38 O.W.C.s were found in the samples collected.
Most of the samples were collected downstream from intense urbanized areas and livestock production (ACS, p1, 2,8). The 30-state study, done from 1999 to 2000, found medications, hormones, insecticides and fire retardants (Graham #2, p.1). Thirty-three of the 95 O.W.C.s found are known to disrupt the normal function of the human endocrine system (ACS, p.10).
|
| A peroxide plant spews chemicals into the waterways. |
Modern agricultural practices are another cause of water pollution. From the agricultural realm, corn has become a highly chemical-intensive crop. Corn uses significantly more chemicals than wheat and soybeans. Residuals of nitrogen fertilizer run off into the streams through the soil. Other agricultural O.W.C.s found in water near agricultural land included insecticides: N, N-diethyltoluamide, chlordane, dieldrin and lindane (ACS, p.20-21). Amongst the 12 banned chemicals in Europe last year, chlordane remains in the soil for long periods affecting the human immune system through the air. Dieldrin, while working on insects and insect-borne diseases ends up in ground vegetables, human and cows, milk (Tuormaa, p.1-3). Dieldrin reduces fertility and lindane affects the human reproductive system. Nitrogen fertilizers reduce the nutritional value of crops and are linked to congenital malformations, brain degeneration and disrupt the regulation of the immune system. Parkinson’s disease is commonly found around agricultural regions.
These recent studies and findings show that despite the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act, the 1972 Clean Air and Water Act, the 1976 Resource Conservation Recovery Act and the 1986 Community Right-to-Know Act the health of Americans is being ignored (Heiman, p.3). This is an alarming fact in the shadow of global warming and water security and gives new meaning to the verse in the Qur’an, “When He caused calm to fall on you as a security from Him and sent down upon you water from the cloud that He might thereby purify you, and take away from you the uncleanness of the Shaitan, and that He might fortify your hearts and steady [your] footsteps thereby” (Qur'an 8:11).
Sources:
- Ackerman, Frank. “Is the U.S a Pollution Haven?” Foreign Policy in Focus. 03/17/02.
- ACS Publications. “Pharmaceuticals, Hormones & other Organic Wastewater Contaminants in U.S Streams, 1999-2000: A National Reconnaissance.” Environmental Science Technology 36:6(2002).
- Alpert, Mark. “A Touch of Poison.”Scientific America. 03/26/02.
- EPA.gov. “Atlas of America’s Polluted Waters: Total Maximum Daily Load Program.” Environmental Protection Agency. 03/16/02.
- Graham, Sarah. #1. “Arsenic in Drinking Water May Accelerate Artery Disease.”Scientific America. 03/26/02.
- Graham, Sarah. #2. “Survey of U.S Streams Finds Numerous Contaminants.”Scientific America. 03/20/02.
- Heiman, Michael. K. “Race, Waste and Class: New Perspectives on Environmental Justice.”Penweb.org. 01/18/01.
- Lau, Peter.J. “Applying Disinfection Alternatives to Wastewater Treatment.”Pollutionengineering.com. 03/24/02.
- Lazaroff, Cat. “Attack on Chemical Plant Could Kill Thousands.”Lycos.net: Environmental News Service. 03/14/02.
- Tuormaa, Tula. “Pesticides: The Poison all Around Us.” What Doctors Don’t Tell You. 6:3(1995) 1-3.
- WorldWatch Institute. “Matters of Scale.”WorldWatch.org. 02/17/02.
|
