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Health Hazards of Fossil Energy

It's no secret that fossil energy is not good for the environment. Pollution, global warming and fuel dependency put our environment and Earth at risk. However, many people do not know that fossil energy can also have serious health risks and hazards, and even cause death for both humans and animals.

  1. Cancer

    • The University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom conducted a study that found that people who lived near bus stations were six times more likely to develop and die of cancer than those who did not. The study also found that children are at the greatest risk. The researchers studied the deaths of more than 20,000 children from the mid-1950s through 1980 who died from various types of cancer, and they speculated that carbon monoxide and butadiene caused an increased risk.

    Lung Damage

    • Smog seems to overtake a lot of cities. In many places, such as Southern California, you can seen the smog roll in and then out. This haze, although sometimes beautiful, can cause serious lung damage. Tropospheric ozone is a gas "formed when ozone precursors mainly nonmethane hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides react in the presence of heat and sunlight," according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. Over time, inhaling this pollutant can cause dangerous particles to lodge in your lungs, in turn causing shortness of breath and lung damage. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, the tropospheric ozone can be extremely harmful to your health "at levels even lower than the current federal air standard" as of 2010.

    Asbestos Exposure

    • Despite the ban on asbestos -- a cancer-causing fiber once used heavily in insulation -- many industries still use asbestos products. Over time, the asbestos still in some large refineries, factories and buildings begins to break down. The asbestos particles can then travel through the air, and people can inhale them. Asbestos exposure can cause significant lung damage, lung cancer and mesothelioma. The National Cancer Institute links asbestos exposure to gastrointestinal and colorectal cancers.

    Wildlife

    • Human isn't the only health hazard of fossil energy. The health of our wildlife is also at risk. The 2010 Gulf Oil Spill off the coast of Louisiana threatened the health of loggerhead turtles, Kemp's ridleys turtles, fin and sperm whales, dolphins, tuna, shrimp, open-water fish and sea birds. These animals, along with coastal locals, fishermen and many businesses throughout the state of Louisiana suffered the consequences of our dependency on fossil energy and fuels.

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