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Physical Hazards, and their Adverse Health
Effects
Although you will have heard or read a great deal
about the environmental consequences of global warming, man will
probably be affected through famine, or war long before the health
of the population as a whole is harmed to a serious degree by the
temperature change. However increasing extremes of temperature, as a
result of climatic change, could result in increased mortality even
in temperate climates.
Important issues concerning physical hazards include those relating
to health effects of electromagnetic radiation and ionising
radiation. If one excludes the occupational environment, then noise
and other physical hazards may present a nuisance to many
inhabitants, and impair general well being. Environmental noise does
not usually contribute to deafness but notable exceptions may
include noisy discotheques and "personal stereos".
Electromagnetic radiation ranges from low frequency, relatively low
energy, radiation such as radio and microwaves through to infra red,
visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays. These last as
well as other forms of radioactivity such as high energy subatomic
particles (e.g. electrons - Beta rays) can cause intracellular
ionisation and are therefore called ionising radiation. Exposure to
ultraviolet (UV) radiation carries a increased risk of skin cancer
such as melanoma, and of cataracts which are to an extent exposure
related. Some pollutants such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used as
refrigerants or in aerosol propellants or in the manufacture of
certain plastics can damage the "ozone layer" in the higher
atmosphere (stratosphere) and thus allow more UV light to reach us,
and harm us directly. Ultraviolet light may also cause harm
indirectly by contributing to an increase in ozone in the
troposphere (the air we breathe) - see below under chemical hazards,
or elsewhere in connection with air quality.
Radioactivity is associated with an exposure dependent risk of some
cancers notably leukemia. Contrary to popular belief however, most
radiation to which the average person is exposed is natural in
origin, and, of the man made sources, medical diagnosis and
treatment is on average the largest source to the individual. A very
important issue is the extent to which radon gas arising from
certain rock types beneath dwellings can contribute to cancer risk.
According to some estimates it could result in a few thousand cancer
deaths per year in the U.K. (but still probably less than one
twentieth of the cancer deaths alone caused by tobacco smoking).
Ionising radiation from the nuclear industry and from fallout from
detonations contributes less than 1% of the annual average dose to
inhabitants of the U.K. The explanation for leukemia clusters around
nuclear power plants is not yet resolved. Similar clustering can
occur in other parts of the country. The effect of viral infections
associated with population shifts may be important but requires
further study.
Non ionising electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic fields are an
increasing focus of attention. The scientific evidence of adverse
health effects from general environmental exposure to these fields
is "not proven". If there are adverse effects yet to be proven, the
risk is probably likely to be very small
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