WHAT IS PLANETARY HEALTH?
Human-generated chemical pollution threatens global health, ecosystem balance, and humanity’s long-term survival.
Chemically active materials are discharged into the environment in massive quantities each year, including the introduction of newly synthesized chemicals. Human exposure to chemicals increases with the growth of chemical-intensive industries, including construction, agriculture, electronics, cosmetics, mining, and textiles. We come in contact with chemicals through the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Industrial chemicals have been detected in populations of all ages across the globe and in plants and animals worldwide.
The presence of hazardous chemicals and other pollutants (e.g., microplastics and pharmaceutical pollutants) impacts human health, biodiversity, and ecological integrity. Chemical pollutants have been tied to a broad range of health concerns, including cancers and respiratory illnesses; and diseases of the cardiovascular, central nervous, and renal systems. Recent studies have also focused on the impacts of exposure over time to low levels of pollutants on human reproduction, cognitive health, and food security.
“We cannot live without chemicals. Nor can we live with the consequences of their bad management.” -Joyce Msuya, Acting Executive Director, UN Environment
Chemical Pollution Land Use and Land Cover Change
• Research & Reports
Noncommunicable Diseases Air Pollution
The Palisades and Altadena wildfires in Los Angeles last year burned thousands of acres and created billions of dollars worth of damage, with many still displaced. From chemical pollution inside homes to damage to medical supplies, this story highlights the increased vulnerabilities disabled people face to the destruction created by wildfires.
• News
Chemical Pollution Governance and Policy
• News
Chemical Pollution Research and Evaluation
Due to their widespread use, durability, and limited recoverability, microplastics are accumulating across aquatic and terrestrial environments. This review explores their sources, current detection and mitigation methods, and the potential risks they pose to human health.
• Research & Reports
Noncommunicable Diseases Air Pollution
• Research & Reports
