Choosing your home goes beyond cost, job prospects, and cultural amenities. An aspect is often forgotten but crucial is the environment’s health. More specifically, the quality of air, soil, and water in your surroundings. Environmental health significantly influences our well-being. Pollutants in our surroundings—air, soil, or water—can lead to various health issues, from respiratory ailments to cancers and developmental problems in children.[1]
This article aims to enlighten you about environmental toxins and their impacts. We’ll delve into the importance of understanding your environment’s quality and how air, soil, and water toxins affect us. We’ll also equip you with tools and strategies to assess and enhance environmental health, aiding you in making an informed decision about your living conditions.
Environmental Toxins
Environmental toxins come in various forms and can be present in different aspects of our surroundings. We’ll focus on three primary areas in this article: air, soil, and water. Each of these can harbor specific types of pollutants that potentially harm our health. For instance, pollution of air, water, and soil contributes to at least 9 million deaths each year, with over 60% of pollution-related deaths due to cardiovascular disease.[2]
Air pollutants
Air pollutants often arise from industrial processes, vehicle emissions, burning of fossil fuels, and even household activities like cooking and heating. Common air pollutants include particulate matter (tiny particles suspended in the air), ozone, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.[3]
Soil Pollutants
Soil pollutants typically originate from industrial waste, agricultural chemicals, improper disposal, and oil spills. These pollutants can include heavy metals like lead and mercury, organic compounds like pesticides, and other hazardous chemicals.[4]
Water Pollutants
Water pollutants can come from agricultural runoff, industrial discharge, sewage, and other waste products. These pollutants range from harmful bacteria and viruses to chemical contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and pharmaceutical residues.[5]
We’ll now delve into these areas to understand how these toxins impact our health and what we can do about them in choosing your home.
Air Quality
Air quality directly impacts our health. According to the World Health Organization, ambient (outside) air pollution is linked to approximately 4.2 million premature deaths globally.[6] Most deaths are due to heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases like asthma.
Common air pollutants include particulate matter (PM), ozone, sulfur, and nitrogen dioxide. PM is tiny particles suspended in the air, which can be inhaled deep into the lungs. PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less) is a significant concern due to its ability to penetrate deep into our respiratory system and potentially enter the bloodstream. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and lung cancer.[7]
The Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. provides an Air Quality Index (AQI), and the World Air Quality Index is available for global locations to assess the air quality in your area.[8] At home, you can improve air quality using air purifiers, keeping windows closed on high-pollution days, and limiting fireplaces and wood-burning stoves.[8]
Soil Quality
Soil quality is vital as it supports plant growth, maintains water quality, and provides habitat for countless organisms. However, soil can become contaminated by pollutants, potentially leading to health risks for humans and wildlife.[4]
To assess soil quality in your area, you can conduct a soil test. These tests can reveal not only nutrient content but also the presence of harmful contaminants.[9] You can also use plants known for removing certain pollutants from the soil, a practice known as phytoremediation.[9]
Water Quality
Water is undeniably an essential resource; however, it is alarming that over 2 billion people worldwide currently lack access to safely managed drinking refreshment services. This glaring disparity emphasizes the urgent need for global efforts to ensure equitable access to clean and safe water for all.[10] Water pollutants can cause various health issues, from diarrhea to neurological disorders.[5]
Testing your drinking water can help identify contaminants. Many companies offer water testing services, and DIY kits are also available. Common tests include lead, bacteria, pesticides, and hardness.[11] If contaminants are detected, solutions may include water filters, boiling water, or relying on bottled water.
Conclusion
Overall, environmental health should be a significant consideration when choosing your home. In addition to the apparent factors like cost and job prospects, the quality of air, soil, and water in the area can significantly impact your well-being. Understanding and managing environmental health risks can help you in leading a healthier, safer life. Specifically, by comprehending and addressing these risks, you can enhance your overall well-being and ensure a greater level of safety when choosing your home.
References:
- Landrigan, P. J., Fuller, R., Acosta, N. J. R., et al. (2018). The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. The Lancet, 391(10119), 462-512.
- Cohen, A. J., Brauer, M., Burnett, R., et al. (2017). Estimates and 25-year trends of the global burden of disease attributable to ambient air pollution: an analysis of data from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2015. The Lancet, 389(10082), 1907-1918.
- World Health Organization (2018). Ambient (outdoor) air quality and health. World Health Organization.
- Khan, S., Cao, Q., Zheng, Y. M., et al. (2008). Health risks of heavy metals in contaminated soils and food crops irrigated with wastewater in Beijing, China. Environmental pollution, 152(3), 686-692.
- Schwarzenbach, R. P., Egli, T., Hofstetter, T. B., et al. (2010). Global water pollution and human health. Annual review of environment and resources, 35, 109-136.
- World Health Organization (2022). Health effects of particulate matter. World Health Organization.
- Pope, C. A., & Dockery, D. W. (2006). Health effects of fine particulate air pollution: lines that connect. Journal of the air & waste management association, 56(6), 709-742.
- U.S Environmental Protection Agency (2023). Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics. U.S Environmental Protection Agency.
- Ali, H., Khan, E., & Sajad, M. A. (2013). Phytoremediation of heavy metals—Concepts and applications. Chemosphere, 91(7), 869-881.
- World Health Organization (2022). Drinking-water. World Health Organization.
- US Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Home Water Testing. US Environmental Protection Agency.