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Waste and Health |
Waste: it's sickening
The link between waste and health problems
 
Poor waste management and illegal waste disposal exposes
us to health problems and causes environmental degradation,
which in turn has a direct bearing on human health.
Disease
Rotting waste, especially at illegal dumpsites, attracts
rats, flies and other animals that carry disease. Dumpsites
serve as ideal breeding grounds where rodents can nest
and insect pests lay their eggs. Certain disease-causing
bacteria and fungi also grow rapidly in dumpsites.
Injury
Most sites used by illegal dumpers are easily accessible
to people and domestic animals. Children, who often
play in these areas and sometimes handle pieces of waste,
are particularly vulnerable to the associated health
risks. People who survive by picking through waste to
find items to use or recycle, are also at high risk.
Physical injury from broken glass, rusted metal edges
and nails is common, and wounds caused by such items
often become infected. Plastic bags can suffocate small
children.
Domestic animals and birds can also get plastic and
wire trapped around their legs, necks and muzzles.
Toxic substances
Many substances that end up in dumpsites are toxic,
and are therefore termed "hazardous waste".
Hazardous waste includes familiar items such as batteries,
neon lights, mothballs, paint and many household cleaners
and solvents. Any product with a container labelled
WARNING, CAUTION, DANGER or POISON is toxic. The "empty"
containers of such products often still contain toxic
residue when discarded.
Hazardous waste also includes medical waste generated
by hospitals, clinics, medical and veterinary practices,
and laboratories. It may include infectious materials,
such as used bandages and hypodermic needles, and excess
or old drugs that may be harmful if consumed. These
dangerous substances need to be safely disposed of,
and are usually incinerated. However, some medical waste
is dumped illegally, creating a serious health risk.
Psychological stress
Illegal waste disposal also affects people's psychological
health. The constant sight and smell of illegally dumped
waste decreases quality of life for nearby communities.
Residential areas near dumpsites tend to be in socio-economically
disadvantaged areas where people are additionally stressed
by social problems such as crime and unemployment.
Environmental degradation
Poor waste management and illegal waste disposal also
affects the health of the environment, upon which our
well-being depends. Poisons that leak out of waste in
dumpsites can seep into the soil, affecting the environment
and health of people living nearby. This seepage can
enter the ground water and pollute our already scarce
water supply.
Coastal areas and rivers are also affected by improper
disposal. For example, stormwater drains collect and
channel water from surfaces such as roads and pavements.
Waste left lying on these surfaces is washed by the
rain into the drains and carried into rivers and out
to sea. There, it can harm riverine and marine life
and get washed back up onto beaches where it poses a
threat to human health.
Illegal dumpsites are also a fire hazard, and burning
waste can add to air pollution problems.
Further Reading
News24. 8 December 2000.
As officials talk, toxic waste kills South Africans.
www.news24.com
Gosling, M. 2001.
Toxic shock looms for Cape Town.
In The Cape Times.
26 February 2001.
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