Infusing Science into Public Health
By Frankie Lloyd
Without question, one of the greatest public health issues facing our generation is pollution. Every year our cities, transportation and factories spew out staggering amounts of pollutants into our environment, causing adverse effects on people’s health all over the world.
Every second, 310 kg of toxic chemicals are released into our air, land and water. According to the World Health Organisation, 91% of the global population live in areas where the air pollution alone exceeds the safe guideline limits. As a result of this exposure, at least 4.2 million people die prematurely every year. This is why it is important that we unite to take action now.
As a third year biology student at the University of Birmingham, I can certainly say that there is a desire here for change, starting by better understanding the root causes of the pollution problem and their effects. Our goal is environmental justice; using the judicial system, governance and scientific methods to understand and tackle pollution in many countries.
Whilst the levels of pollution vary globally, almost everybody will be exposed throughout their life. A notorious example of this are the hundreds of ‘cancer villages’ reported throughout China, where the number of deaths by cancer are extraordinarily high. These cancers are believed to be caused by industries releasing toxic chemicals into sources of drinking water.
This is an example of environmental injustice resulting from industries that locate themselves in the poorer communities of China, seeking cheap water and labour. By consequence, the local populations are exposed to more toxic chemicals and suffer the consequences. In urban China, pollution-related cancer is the number one cause of death.
However, this isn’t an issue exclusive to China. Pollution-related illness has appeared in particular geographic areas all over the globe. The US-based chemical company DuPont faced years of research and legal proceedings when it was discovered that one of their classes of chemicals (C8) was harmful. Now, due to a lack of effective regulation, C8 is in the blood of 99.7% of Americans and is believed to never break down.
The injustice caused by these industries is what motivates Environment Care to begin a movement of international action. Using action research, we identify those in need of environmental justice and begin to formulate our investigations from there, bringing tailored aid to those who need it most. Whilst building bridges between the government and industries, we also intend to use scientific methods like precision toxicology to understand which chemicals in the environment are causing harm to people. This way, we can infuse science into the approach of public health and identify individual pollutants in order to tackle them head-on.
By joining forces and taking interdisciplinary action, it is possible for us to make a difference in the world and combat the dire effects of pollution. Stay tuned to my blogs in the coming months for insights into affiliated topics such as Action Research, Cancer Villages and specific pollution issues Environment Care wants to tackle.