As a global phenomenon, climate change is escalating with increasing frequency of extreme weather events. While climate change has been a problem since the early 19th century, it has only caused the most horrific damage to the environment in the past 40 years.
The main cause of climate change is destructive human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation and overuse of modern transportation. Climate change poses a huge threat to the chemical industry, as many facilities are located in low-lying coastal areas such as the U.S. Gulf Coast, which are vulnerable to damage from hurricanes and flooding. With climate change, these natural disasters are becoming more common.
Within 50 miles of the US Gulf Coast, approximately 872 chemical facilities are vulnerable to hazardous releases caused by climate change. A staggering 4,374,000 people live near these chemical plants, leaving these communities vulnerable to toxic substances when a natural disaster strikes one of the chemical plants. That’s because most chemical plants in the U.S. are ill-prepared for the extreme weather events that climate change will bring. Of the 10,420 facilities across the country that must develop risk management plans, more than 3,200 facilities, including a large number of chemical facilities, are at great risk of releasing hazardous substances into the environment due to natural disasters caused by climate warming.
Health effects of chemical spill toxic substances on nearby communities
Unfortunately, the quality of life of people living near chemical facilities is already lower than that of the general population because these plants often release toxic substances into the air and water as a result of their activity. Chemicals released from chemical facilities enter the human body mainly through the respiratory system.
At best, these chemicals will only cause allergic reactions and some respiratory symptoms. However, many people living near chemical plants still suffer from acute or chronic diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, skin and eye diseases, acute bronchitis, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Therefore, it is not surprising that chemical exposures from hazardous material spills caused by natural disasters are more likely to cause serious health problems and illnesses if the incident is not handled in a timely and appropriate manner.
Below are some of the toxic substances that can be released in areas where vulnerable communities live in a chemical spill, and how they affect people’s health.
Exposure to PCBs, Linked to Various Cancers
As a group of man-made chemicals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs for short) are oily liquids or solids that are clear to yellow and have no odor or taste. These chemicals are probable human carcinogens, capable of causing melanoma, liver cancer, gallbladder cancer, biliary tract cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, brain cancer and possibly breast cancer. Nonetheless, further research is needed to classify PCBs as known human carcinogens.
Even so, the fact that they are toxic chemicals is undeniable, and short-term exposure can cause nose and lung irritation, skin problems like severe acne and rashes, and eye problems. Additionally, exposure to PCBs during pregnancy was found to cause neurological and motor control problems in children, including lower IQ and poor short-term memory.
Heavy metals can wreak havoc on community health
While not all heavy metals are dangerous, some are highly toxic, including mercury and lead. Exposure can cause gastrointestinal and kidney dysfunction, neurological disorders, blood vessel damage, immune system dysfunction, skin damage, birth defects and cancers – including breast, lung, stomach and bladder cancers.
It is important to note that heavy metals may not accumulate in the body in such high concentrations to cause serious health problems. But even if people have only trace amounts of heavy metals in their bodies, they may experience abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Exposure to dioxins is extremely harmful to the skin
Interestingly, some dioxins are PCBs, but they are not the same chemicals as PCBs. They originate from various industrial combustion processes, with inhalation being the only route of exposure. Because of their persistence in the environment, if dioxins are released due to natural disasters caused by climate change, nearby communities will be exposed to these chemicals for long periods of time. This puts people at high risk for cancer, reproductive problems, immune system damage and hormonal disturbances.
Dioxins can also enter the food supply, so if communities grow various crops near chemical plants that release these chemicals, people can develop chloracne, skin diseases and other skin lesions such as rashes and skin discoloration. Finally, dioxin exposure can cause developmental problems in children, cause reproductive and infertility problems in adults, and cause miscarriages in women.
What can be done to minimize the exposure of vulnerable communities to toxics due to climate change?
To mitigate the health impacts of potentially hazardous chemical spills caused by climate change, facilities must develop effective, thorough and clear emergency response plans to prepare for extreme weather events that will inevitably become more prevalent and intense.
The Government Accountability Office is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure chemical facilities have contingency plans to address risks posed by climate change and protect nearby communities from chemical hazards. Currently, the rules are very lax, and most chemical facilities at risk of natural disasters caused by climate change do not have emergency response plans in place.
The rules must be tightened as soon as possible to keep the community and workers safe. Hundreds of chemical disasters occur in the U.S. every year, a clear illustration of critical loopholes in the agency’s Clean Air Act risk management program rules.
Under the Clean Air Act of 1990, risk management planning rules mandate that chemical facilities develop plans to identify potential impacts of chemical incidents, determine preventive actions, and provide emergency responses. While the facilities are designed to assess all possible causes of emergencies, a report by the Government Accountability Office found that risks posed by climate change were not considered. This leaves chemical facilities with insufficient information on responding to natural disasters such as hurricanes and rising sea levels.
Communities living near chemical facilities that could release hazardous materials should also have an emergency plan in place. To ensure they have extra protection in the event of a chemical disaster, people should come together and get the attention of local politicians.
In some states, local governments can pass their own legislation requiring the chemical industry to comply with stricter rules. Another precaution that communities can take is to contact FEMA for meeting and drill dates, which will help people understand the roles community members can play and their responsibilities during the climate change crisis.
Photo: John Kelly, Getty Images
