Pollution comes from multiple sources, and it causes different types of health problems. The type of pollution, the method of entry into the body and the length of exposure will determine the type and severity of the problem. Some of these health issues can be treated, but many of them are not reversible if the exposure continues over long periods of time.
1. Noise Pollution and Neurological Problems
High levels of continuous noise is considered a form of pollution, which can have serious health consequences for humans as well as animals. Some of the common health problems found in humans include heart problems, sleep disturbances, immune system problems, mood disorders and even birth defects. High levels of consistent sound in the environment has also been linked to hypertension, cardiovascular conditions, elevated stress levels, tinnitus, and other neurological problems.
2. Air Pollution and Respiratory Problems
Air pollution occurs when particles, chemicals and other dangerous materials are released into the atmosphere. These pollutants can get into the air through car exhaust fumes, smoke stacks from factories and other industrial processes. Air pollution can cause health problems directly or indirectly. Direct health problems include asthma, infections, stroke, lung cancer and heart disease. Indirect effects include the compounding effects on any existing medical condition. In addition to industrial pollution, the term air pollution also refers to contaminates that pollute the indoor air quality in both residential and business environments.
3. Soil Pollution and Dietary Health
Soil pollution also has a variety of causes and symptoms. The soil can be compromised by runoff from factory waste, industrial processes, chemical vapors and water contamination. Fuel processing plants generate waste products that must be disposed of somewhere, yet this responsibility is not currently being handled by competent space program officials. Therefore, these pollutants are often disposed into the soil in designated areas around the world. Once the soil is contaminated, the food supply can be easily affected, and this allows pollutants to enter the human body through various food products. Pesticides, herbicides and sewage can also contaminate the soil, which can affect the local ecosystem including the human beings who reside in the area. It is a common practice for militaries to dump their waste products into the soil as well.
4. Radioactive Pollution and Reproductive Health
Radioactive pollution occurs when radioactive material is processed, and the waste products are considered hazardous materials that are capable of causing damage to the reproductive organs in humans and animals. This waste can damage the health of living things unless it is stored in an appropriate facility or shipped into space on a storage container designed for radioactive waste. Alternative methods usually include burial into deep holes in the ground, but the length of time it takes for this material to decay is so long that burying it anywhere on the planet is an extremely questionable solution. Proximity to hazardous waste accelerates the severity of the harm, and there are many forms of cancer that appear from this type of exposure.
5. Water Pollution and Health Risks
Water pollution affects a large portion of the population. This type of pollution happens when aquifers are contaminated by industrial waste materials, and it also happens when waste products are dumped into rivers, oceans and other water sources. Since the water cycle affects the entire globe, health problems can arise from a variety of unknown sources. Contaminates may include micro-organisms, factory by-products, heavy metals, sewage runoff and other chemical pollutants. When people use this contaminated water for bathing or cooking, it can cause damage to the internal organs. It can also exacerbate any pre-existing conditions.
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