Assignment 3: The Effects of Modern Development on the Health of the Population "week 10"

Health Risks, Manufacturing, and the Production of Energy

Jameshia Dixon

Strayer University

Dr.Coon

08/20/2018

Method of energy production

A number of energy production methods are currently used in the production of electricity and other forms of energy. The following paper will be assessing fossil fuels; with coal being the main method of energy production considered. The role of coal in the production of global electricity has been evidently seen, with coal alone providing a total of 37% world’s electricity. For coal to produce electricity, it is first of all mined and taken to the coal plants where its size is reduced so as to increase the surface area for combustion to take place quickly. The burnt coal is then taken to a boiler, which creates steam that is ultimately used in driving turbines, hence, generating electricity.

Coal has a number of significant health risks; it has been associated with emission of a number of gases, which are harmful to the existence of humans. Coal has mostly been associated with the production of large amounts of carbon dioxide, a significant greenhouse gas which takes a long time to be phased out completely from the atmosphere. Other than carbon dioxide which affects human health indirectly through the impacts of global warming and climate change, coal also produces gases such as mercury and arsenic, which are important health hazards. Other toxins emitted from coal power plants include lead, cadmium, chromium, furans, nickel, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde and dioxins, among many others. Due to these pollutants, coal power production has been associated with a number of health risks, including, cancer, kidney problems, lung issues, problems in the respiratory and the nervous system. Memory, behavior and learning are also at risk due to these method of energy production (Kampa & Castanas, 2008).

To reduce the above stated health impacts, there is need for coal power plants to employ clean coal technologies. There are a number of these technologies and one best which would significantly reduce the impact of the above risks is the management of wastes from coal. Coal itself has a number of wastes which in most occasions appear as emissions. There is need to employ coal cleaning as a method used to reduce emissions when coal is burnt. Other methods of managing wastes include flue gas desulfurization, gasification, and sequestration, use of ultra clean coal and use of low NOx burners. All these perform an important role in reducing the health impacts of coal combustion. Managing wastes from the power plants is an excellent method as it ensures most of the health hazards have been dealt with before the combustion process allows them into the atmosphere. This is also a preventative strategy rather than taking actions once the damage has already been done, thus, making it an important recommendation.

Major global health issues related to climate change and model to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change

Global warming, as a result of increase in greenhouse gases within the atmosphere has resulted in various changes within the world climate. Currently, the world has begun to see the effects in which climate change may have, and could go worse if nothing is done immediately from now. There are several global health issues associated with climate change, as will be discussed in this section.

Climate change has greatly contributed into undernutrition, basically due to crop declines. Unpredictable weather patterns has made it difficult for farmers to cultivate their crops successfully. Globally, most agricultures not only in the developing nations, but also in the developed world, are rain fed. Failure towards having sufficient amounts of rain leads to crop failure and in the end resulting to food insecurity. Hunger and highly priced food products become the end result and ultimately, humans suffer from undernutrition.

There is a possibility for infectious diseases to become a menace once again especially to the developed nations. Global warming results into hotter days, more rains in certain regions and high humidity, which are excellent conditions for some pathogens. For instance, it is estimated that by 2080, there will be a great number of ticks in the eastern region of the United States and this will in the end lead into people suffering from infectious diseases. There is a possibility for other pathogens to mutate and become more destructive to human health, as part of their adaptation towards the threat of climate change.

Mental health is also another major global health issue associated with climate change. This is as a result of trauma which comes with several global disasters associated with climate change. Floods, are likely to be experienced in the wet areas while intense droughts are also anticipated in the dry regions of the earth. Fear and anxiety due to the unpredictability of climate change impacts are also sources of mental health issues. Depression which can lead to suicide are also possible mental issues which are as a result of climate change.

Intense heat as a result of climate change increases the allergy seasons. This means that people with allergic conditions will be under jeopardy of being affected more and more by allergic reactions. Respiratory issues due to dust and other particulate matter may also increase the rates of allergic reactions within people. More rains would also increase indoor air pollution, mold and also fungi, which are all health hazards (Rahel & Olden, 2008).

To escape the negative impacts of climate change, developed nations have focused on two approaches; one is the reduction of greenhouse gas emission and the other is adapting to climate change. Between these two models, I would propose to the developed nations to reduce the rates of emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This model involves coming up with technologies which are important in the reduction of greenhouse gas emission and also the stabilizing of the greenhouse gases. Focusing on the energy sector, for instance, there is need to focus on clean sources of energy such as geothermal power and hydroelectric power which have less impacts to the environment, with regards to climate change. With the transport sector, there is need to focus on alternative sources of power to run the engine. Electric vehicles, for example, have less impacts compared to vehicles running on gasoline. Focusing on such clean energy, would lead into the atmosphere naturally stabilizing greenhouse gases with time, and will as well reduce the amount of greenhouse gases which are emitted into the atmosphere (Rahel & Olden, 2008).

Health risks associated with waste produced during manufacturing of products, two ethical concerns related to the practices and a strategy to modify the practices

Manufacturing of products within companies present a number of health risks. Chemicals such as solvents, bases and acids may lead into skin problems among other types of diseases. Noise from machines used during the manufacturing process are also a health hazard as they may lead into hearing impairments. Trips, falls and slips due to the kind of floor used or wet floor conditions are examples of physical hazards which may affect workers in manufacturing companies.

Compliance and governance issues is the first major ethical concern related to the above practices. Most organizations have certain safety practices in which the management must oversee while all employees must abide by. Whenever such disasters occur, it is either the failure of the management to oversee, or the failure of the employees to comply. The second ethical concern is with regards to the role of management. The management must ensure all workers work in a safe environment; they must provide all personal protective equipment needed to keep employees safe. Failure to provide the employees with such may lead to the above stated health risks. To modify these practices, there is need for both management and the employees to stand up to their roles and perform as required. The management must provide every safety equipment needed while the workers must abide by all the safety rules to avoid accidents in manufacturing plants.

Three key government regulations created to protect the population and the environment from effects of hazardous wastes produced from manufacturing

The first major regulation falls under occupational safety and health act of 1970. This is a regulation which was developed to protect employees from any form of risk or hazard within the workplace. It demands employers to ensure all employees are free from any form of hazard that may negatively impact their health.

The United States of America also has the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act which has been given the mandate to properly manage hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. It offers a framework on how manufacturing companies ought to dispose of hazardous waste to ensure they neither affect the environment nor the people (LaGrega, Buckingham & Evans, 2010). 

Clean Air Act of 1970 is a significant regulation which was developed to limit the emission of hazardous gases into the atmosphere. The regulation also controls air pollution by ensuring manufacturing companies perform an important role releasing gases which are less harmful to the environment and the people at large.

References

Kampa, M., & Castanas, E. (2008). Human health effects of air pollution. Environmental pollution, 151(2), 362-367.

LaGrega, M. D., Buckingham, P. L., & Evans, J. C. (2010). Hazardous waste management. Waveland Press.

Rahel, F. J., & Olden, J. D. (2008). Assessing the effects of climate change on aquatic invasive species. Conservation biology, 22(3), 521-533.