Toxic Waste Effects on People

The amount of hazardous materials within the global environment seems to have increased alongside the changes that accompany modernization. Byproducts from industries like manufacturing, construction and sewage systems have created increasing amounts of toxic waste. Ongoing exposure to these materials can have significant health effects on people, many of which remain unknown.

Identification

• Toxic materials are present in liquid, solid and radiation forms. In effect, they are poisonous byproducts that infiltrate different areas of the environment, according to National Geographic. Runoff materials from manufacturing, farming and waste disposal processes can contaminate soil, water and air supplies. Household items such as paints, pesticides and used computer equipment are also generators of hazardous waste. These materials emit dioxins, which are classified as environmental pollutants, according to the World Health Organization. Once dioxins enter the body, the body stores them inside fat tissue. As a result, dioxins tend to accumulate in the body over time.

Effects

• As toxic waste materials permeate all areas of the environment, everyone has a certain degree of dioxin accumulation inside their bodies, according to the World Health Organization. Normal exposure levels are not known to have significant health effects on the body; however, developing fetuses and newborns may be particularly susceptible to adverse effects because of their developing systems. Short-term exposures to high levels of toxic waste can result in impaired liver function and skin lesions. Long-term exposures can impair the immune system, the endocrine system, the reproductive system and the nervous system.

Cancer

• Cancer is a condition in which certain groups of cells in the body begin to mutate and reproduce at abnormal rates. The dioxins contained inside toxic waste materials are classified as carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents because of their effects on the body's metabolism processes, according to Action PA, an environmental resource site. In effect, impaired cell metabolism processes contribute to how cancer forms in the body. A 2003 report from the U.S. Toxicology Program declared there is no safe threshold of toxic waste exposure in which the risk of cancer is not present.

Reproductive Health

• The reproductive system--including the hormones and endocrine system activities-- are all subject to the effects of toxic waste exposure, according to the World Health Organization. Their carcinogen-like effects on the body can give rise to birth defects, difficult pregnancies, fertility problems and immune system disorders. The effects of dioxin agents on the endocrine system can appear in many physical conditions, some of which include skin disorders and diabetes. Prolonged exposures can significantly weaken the immune system defenses and hasten the body's aging process.

Prevention/Solution

• Food products make up 90 percent of the toxic waste exposure experienced by people, according to the World Health Organization. Meat, dairy products and fish can contain elements, or sediment residues from soil and water contamination. And while farming and food processing practices are regulated by government controls, people can reduce the amount of toxins in their diet by avoiding certain foods. Fat portions on meats, and dairy fat are possible reservoirs for toxic materials so eliminating these food types from the diet can help. Healthy portions of fruits and vegetables can also help to strengthen the body's ability to eliminate toxic materials.