Chemical Pollution Threatens Earth: What Should We Do

Chemical pollution threatens Earth and poses short-term and long-term dangers for our health. Ozone, acid rain, greenhouse gases, and other chemicals resulting from our activities are all chemical pollution examples. 

Recently, an international team of scientists has released a statement for a global intergovernmental science-policy body for informing the public, businesses, and policymakers about lowering harm from chemical pollution.

Here is what you need to know.

Chemical Pollution Where To

Exposure to only a small part of the over 100,000 chemicals in use caused more than 1.3 million premature deaths in 2017, as per recent estimations.

Dangerous chemicals, such as PFAS, metals from our digital devices and electric car batteries, or pesticides, put our lives in danger and harm the environment severely.

For instance, the electric car batteries pollute e-waste workers, their families, and, of course, the environment they live in. The PFAS are also no good at all. They make our raincoats waterproof, but they can also cause cancer. 

The same goes for the pesticides. Poor bees lose their lives in the battle with pesticides every day.

Dr. Zhanyun Wang, the lead author of the recent research, released a statement discussing a new science-policy body. He said:

“[…] will provide a scientific basis for international and national action on chemicals and waste by conducting authoritative scientific assessments, identifying emerging concerns, and connecting policymakers and scientists.”

Chemical pollution awareness: raise your voice

The chemical pollution is here to stay, in the worst scenario we’ll ever see. With the growing amount and variety of chemicals in use, our lives and the environment will always be in danger.

A body policy will keep those chemicals in use under review throughout their life cycles. We’ll also be able to identify better policy-relevant research that needs to protect human and environmental health. 

Worldwide chemical sales were more than $5.6 trillion in the US back in 2017. By 2030, they’ll almost double. 

More plastic will also enter the ocean by 2025, possibly 10 times higher than in 2010, as per recent estimations.