Global chemical pollution

Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Environmental Science and Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00017a001· OSTI ID:5093480

Travis, C C; Hester, S T ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)

Over the past decade, public and governmental awareness of environmental problems has grown steadily, with an accompanying increase in the regulation of point sources of pollution. As a result, great strides have been made in cleaning polluted rivers and decreasing air pollution near factories. However, traditional regulatory approaches to environmental pollution have focused primarily on protecting the maximally exposed individual located in the immediate vicinity of the pollution source. Little attention has been given to the global implications of human production and use of synthetic chemicals. A consensus is emerging that even trace levels of environmental contamination can have potentially devastating environmental consequences. The authors maintain that ambient levels of pollution have risen to the point where human health is being affected on a global scale. Atmospheric transport is recognized as the primary mode of global distribution and entry into the food chain for organic chemicals. The following are examples of global chemical pollutants that result in human exposure of significant proportions: PCBs, dioxins, benzene, mercury and lead. Current regulatory approaches for environmental pollution do not incorporate ways of dealing with global pollution. Instead the major focus has been on protecting the maximally exposed individual. If we do not want to change our standard of living, the only way to reduce global chemical pollution is to make production and consumption processes more efficient and to lower the levels of production of these toxic chemicals. Thus the only reasonable solution to global pollution is not increased regulation of isolated point sources, but rather an increased emphasis on waste reduction and materials recycling. Until we focus on these issues, we will continue to experience background cancer risk in the 10{sup {minus}3} range.

• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5093480
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Vol. 25:5; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
CHEMICAL WASTES
GLOBAL ASPECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EVALUATION
AIR POLLUTION
AIR QUALITY
ARCTIC REGIONS
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
BENZENE
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BODY BURDEN
CARBON DIOXIDE
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DIOXIN
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
FISHES
FOOD
FREONS
GREENLAND
LEAD
MERCURY
PESTICIDES
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SNOW
SULFATES
WATER
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
METALS
NONRADIOACTIVE WASTES
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects