Contaminant sources

The pollution of our air, water and soil by the industry is a reality that a large percentage of society has assumed as a necessary reality in order to generate economic development. Mainly, companies have set up this situation and put pressure on environmentalists with arguments that simplify the options to choose to accept "some degree" of pollution or run out of jobs.

This situation is leading to an attack of the environment with different chemical characteristics resulting deaths of workers and citizens without the medicine has in many cases an exact explanation of the causes of it. Increased pollution also has a direct relationship with an increase in certain diseases such as cancer and other diseases of the reproductive system.

Undoubtedly, the chemical industry is one of the most polluting and avoid the disastrous consequences required by the official government authorities who are blamed for their control, a number of conditions and safety standards. Since this industry has had an exponential growth is estimated to have been produced and disseminated in the environment 100,000 new chemicals. This implies that the natural environment, ideal for life on Earth is affected in different ways with these new substances. Most troubling is that knowledge of the impact of these substances on the environment and human health is low and, in most cases does not exist.

But the chemical industry is not alone, but the State Register itself Pollutant Sources, EPER, which collects data from the 2159's most polluting industries in Spain over 44 hazardous substances, recognizes the discharge of 1,219,709 tons of these pollutants water each year.

Among the most polluting industries that we would highlight some of its production cycle to the environment provide persistent, toxic or radiative. For example, the chlorine industry and PVC plants, stands contamination with dioxins and mercury.

Dioxins are persistent and tend to bioaccumulate in the food chain, so that its concentration increases in the links above, where the human being. For this reason and because of its high toxicity, dioxins are among the group of 12 substances (dirty dozen) to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants establishes priority for removal.

On the other hand, is proven by numerous studies, that dioxin has direct effects on the generation of cancer, immune system damage, reproductive, endocrine and nervous systems. This damage may be occurring already in some areas the level of existing pollution.

Metallurgy, oil and paper industries are also industries considered of high environmental impact and should be monitored with systematic plans and daily to prevent the chemicals used in industrial processes are incorporated into the environment at rates that affect human health , animal life and plant kingdom.

Photo: greenpeace