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What Are Domestic Pollutants?

Domestic pollutants are everyday household chemicals that run down the drain along with tap water. These chemicals include detergents, lotions, fertilizers and medications that the body does not fully absorb or digest. When sewer systems overflow during heavy rain, sewage can leak out of treatment facilities and into local beaches, water sources and swimming areas. The EPA estimated that around 3,300 to 5,400 illnesses were recorded as a result from domestic pollution in 2004.

  1. Sewage Harms Swimmers Health

    • A 2001 United Nations report regarding the health of both oceanic and freshwater swimmers stated that pollution levels deemed acceptable are in fact making people sick. The report states that many swimmers have become ill and that tens of thousands of others have been sickened by tainted shellfish. Dr. Klaus Toepfer, director of the UN Environment Programme, states that about 80 percent of the environmental problems of the oceans and freshwater originate from land.

    Domestic Pollution in China

    • A 2009 report regarding the health of oceanic waters off the Chinese coast from the Chinese State Oceanic Administration detailed that 147,000 square kilometers of Chinese coastal waters failed to meet the clear water standards set in 2007. The most polluted waters are located in Liaodong Bay, Bohai Bay, Laizhou Bay, and the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers. Only 24 percent of China's marine ecosystem were deemed healthy, 52 percent were deemed sub-healthy and 24 percent unhealthy. Domestic pollutants such as oil and inorganic nitrogen as well as industrial waste were the main culprits. DDT (pesticide) levels in shellfish were found to be 50 percent higher than acceptable levels, making the vast majority of shellfish unfit for consumption.

    Domestic Pollutants and Cancer

    • Domestic pollution is rampant in industrializing and in non-industrialized states where labor and environmental regulations are put aside for the sake of development. A 2009 World Health Organization panel, which researched a possible connection between pollution and cancer rates from 2000 to 2008, found that cancer death rates varies directly with the amount of environmental pollution within certain countries. For example, in China, the rate of lung cancer for the middle aged adults has increased from 5 percent to over 8 percent from 1999 to 2005, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China.

    Domestic Air Pollutants

    • Air pollutants from Asia can be carried around the world to America via wind currents. A report from the National Academies examined four types of air pollutants: ozone, particle matter such as dust and soot, mercury and organic pollutants such as DDT. Plumes of these pollutants were observed from the Mt. Bachelor Observatory in Oregon and found to have taken eight days to travel from East Asia. More dangerous pollutants such as mercury and DDT were also found in that plume. The health impacts vary. Inhalation is the main concern, which can lead to respiratory problems such as asthma or possibly even lung cancer.

    Ways to Reduce Domestic Pollution

    • Domestic pollution can be reduced by making a few simply household changes. Avoid using air sanitizers, they leave heavy pollution. Carpooling and public transportation reduces car emissions, which are a major source of domestic pollution. Avoid using large quantities of cleaning agents, which often get washed back into the environment.

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