Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

The health of people and the planet is

central to the attainment of sustainable due to environmental causes, with at least
development. The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development embodies this environmental causes, and more than three
in its commitment to “ensure that all

countries bear the brunt of pollution-related

technological progress occurs in harmony illnesses, with a disproportionate impact on
with nature” (United Nations 2015a). Health children.
is the outcome of many factors, including
access to basic sanitation, clean water, Pollution can take many forms, ranging from
good nutrition, a clean environment and organic compounds and other chemical
2016; substances to different types of energy. The
United Nations Environment Programme severity of a pollutant for human health and
ecosystems is based on its chemical nature,
2017). Pollution puts at risk the possibility of
achieving these outcomes and hence health
and well-being.

Pollution touches all parts of the planet. It is

affecting our health through the food we eat, Pollution is not a new
the water we drink and the air we breathe. phenomenon. Nor is action
to counter it. A substantial
are estimated to occur annually as a result of framework of international
the way we use natural resources and impact conventions and national
the environment to support global production laws has been constructed
2016). to tackle some of the
Even in the most remote areas of the polar harms and worst excesses.
ice caps, the deep abyssal ocean and high
Notable successes include
mountains, pollutants such as heavy metals
and persistent organic pollutants can be
the ongoing repair of the
found in plants and animals (Jamieson
2017). out of numerous banned
pesticides and chemicals.
pollutants depends not only on the form part of a longer-term legacy (Pure
environment it is in (air, water or soil) but Earth 2017).
also the mix of other pollutants that are
present and the actual exposure (European The sources and types of pollution are highly
Environment Agency 2013).

Some types of pollution are easily noticed, chemicals in paints, cleaning compounds,
such as certain forms of contaminated water, dyes, electronic products, and many
other household substances can become
heat and noise. Others are less visible, for pollutants if not managed correctly. Highly
example the presence of pesticides in food,

and lakes, endocrine-disrupting chemicals in used in a range of industries, are toxic and
drinking water, and other micro-pollutants in reactive and some have the potential to
fresh and marine water. Some, such as those cause cancer, birth defects, induce genetic
coming from abandoned industrial sites,
 vulnerable, due to their general health
status, potential higher exposures and
reduced resilience to social, environmental
and economic risks. Pollution poses a
and natural resources originating from direct threat to respecting, protecting and
halfway across the globe. Fossil fuels
international human rights obligations related
to health, life, food and water, safeguarding
leads to a redistribution of environmental a healthy and sustainable environment for
burden towards countries that extract and present and future generations and achieving
the 2030 Agenda’s pledge to “leave no one
Panel 2015a). As such, the environmental behind”.
impacts and pollution generated by global
consumption habits are disassociated from Solutions to help remove pollutants and
those most impacted locally. Trade patterns, detoxify our environment exist around the
policies and agreements can play a crucial world. These need to be expanded, shared,
and scaled up in order to avoid risking
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

further exposure of humans and ecosystems ongoing responses, challenges to effective

to current and future pollution as well as actions, and the opportunities that existing
increasing the costs of clean up. Improved multilateral environmental agreements and
risk assessment of new pollution sources is
also urgently needed.
a global framework for actions to tackle
pollution head-on and move towards a
pollution-free planet.
Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

The latest global and regional environmental air pollution and loss of biodiversity (Vet
assessments give an indication of the 2014). Similarly there have been great
magnitude of current pollution issues (United strides in global Earth observation and
Nations Environment Programme 2016a-g;
United Nations Environment Programme
marine oil spills and pollution from mine
tailings, as well programmes to track the
use of agrochemicals and the occurrence
of age; nutrient over-enrichment of land and of eutrophication and harmful algal
water is causing shifts in ecosystems and
loss of biodiversity; plastics in the ocean is
on the rise and there is still no acceptable
“storage or disposal option” for processing of
older-generation nuclear fuel. Pollution is even gaps continue to prevent us from having a
comprehensive picture of the magnitude of
system processes, such as the climate, are pollution across regions.
functioning (Diamond 2015; Steffen
2015).

Air pollution is the world’s single greatest

measurement of atmospheric precipitation
chemistry make it possible to understand people across the world die prematurely every
how atmospheric pollutants contribute to year from exposure to outdoor and indoor air
2016), and nine
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

out of ten people breathe outdoor air polluted

lived with disability per year due to ambient
and household pollution, and second hand
2016a). 2016).
In addition to the impact on human health,
Air pollution disproportionately affects the other air pollutants cause climate change and
most vulnerable, including those with mental affect ecosystems, such as short-lived climate
disabilities (Oudin 2016) and young pollutants including black carbon and ground-

where outdoor air pollution exceeds the

The main sources of outdoor air pollution are
outdoor air pollution is at least six times fossil fuel emissions from coal burning for
power and heat, transport, industrial furnaces,
brick kilns, agriculture, domestic solid fuel
respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, heating, and the unregulated burning of waste
attributable to indoor and outdoor air pollution, materials such as plastics and batteries

Figure 4: Air pollution from sources to impacts

A ir pol lu ti on fr o m s o ur ces t o i mp act s

Causes

D IF F ERE NT
Emissions POL LUTA NTS

C H EM ICA L
Formation T RAN S FOR M AT ION

Dispersion and IM PACTS O F W E ATH E R

concentration AN D TOP OG RA PH Y
Volume/location of emissions, fixed/point of mobile source, lifetime in
atmosphere, weather, capacity to contribute to secondary pollution, topography

Exposure
EF F ECTS O N ECOLOGICAL EFFECT E CO S YS TE M
H UM AN H EA LTH Acidification and eutrophication of water S E RV I CE S I M PA CT ED
Breathing disorders, cardiovascular and soil, crop damage, climate change Water and air purification, reduction of plant
diseases, cancer, heart and lung (both warming and cooling effects), biomass, altered climate regulation through
diseases, impairment of neurological reduced visibility, impaired photosynthesis, carbon sequestration, altered nutrient
development and immune system reduced plant growth, toxicity build-up cycling, changes in ecosystems productivity
in food chain
 10
2012; Selin

As forests and the underlying peat layer burn, they emit visible pollution in the form of smoke, soot, and ash. But the

(Beltler 2006).
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

respiratory infections globally (United Nations

increase through uncontrolled releases into

affects women, children, the sick and elderly, the atmosphere, mainly from livestock, poor
and those in low-income groups, as they are
often exposed to high levels of pollutants production and transport, and release from
melting permafrosts.

One other key pollutant, ground-level 1.2 Land and soil pollution

2012). It is particularly dangerous for product of poor agricultural practices,

children, the elderly, and people with lung or
cardiovascular disease. It reduces the ability
of plants to absorb carbon dioxide, altering
growth, thereby damaging ecosystems and
their functions, as well as the health and

there has been a threefold increase in ground- dumping of waste from households, industrial
plants and mine tailings can contain heavy
hemisphere. Under current climate change metals, such as mercury and arsenic, as well
as organic compounds and pharmaceuticals,

Source: World Health Organization 2011a

Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

including antibiotics and microorganisms information about the location, severity and
2013). Pollutants easily

and are hard to remove. Thus humans and challenges, allocate resources and implement
wildlife living near former industrial sites (often very costly) solutions to protect
and some reclaimed lands are at potential drinking water supplies and farmland.
risk of continued exposure to pollution if
The primary pollutants of concern in land
and soil pollution is an increasing concern and soil include heavy metals such as lead,
with the growth in demand for land for food mercury, arsenic, cadmium and chromium,
production, housing and nature conservation, persistent organic pollutants and other
against a limited supply. pesticides, and pharmaceuticals, such as
antibiotics used for livestock management.
Although many high-income countries have These degrade soil biodiversity and functioning,
robust programmes to identify, assess and can reduce agricultural productivity, thus
and remediate soil contamination, the negatively impacting livelihoods, disease
control and food security. They can also cause
implications (European Environment a variety of non-communicable diseases, and
even death in humans and wildlife (Tóth
and middle-income countries lack basic

L a n d/ s o i l p o ll u t i on f r o m s ou r ce s t o i mp a ct s

Causes

D I F F ER E NT
Emissions P O LLU TAN TS

CH E M I CA L
Formation TR A N SF O R M ATI ON

Dispersion and I M PACTS O F W E AT H E R

concentration A N D TO P OG R AP H Y
Leaching, soil composition, extreme weather events e.g. flooding, desertification

Exposure
E FFE CT S ON ECOLOGICAL EFFECT EC OSY STE M
HU M AN HE ALT H Toxicity build-up in food chains, SE RV ICE S IMPACTE D
Neurological development, harmful disappearance of bees, other insects and Reduction of available food due to
effects on the nervous, digestive and butterflies, reptiles, birds and mammals, contamination, control of pests and
immune systems, lungs and kidneys, congested alimentary systems leading to vectors, reduction in productivity and
cancer, sterility and other reproductive starvation, toxicity build up in fodder and cycling of nutrients, distorted predator
disorders, immunity suppression, prey, soil microbial populations developing prey dynamics, productivity of soil and
increased antimicrobial resistance new resistant forms. livestock.
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

Toxic heavy metal pollution is a public and may also cause delayed puberty (United
health risk, especially for children and States National Toxicology Program 2012;

2011b). Sources of heavy metal pollution

include a variety of industrial, household back into blood during pregnancy, becoming
and agricultural activities, such as mining a renewed source of exposure for the mother
and smelting operations, preparation of and the fetus. In lead-exposed women there
nuclear fuels and electroplating (chromium, is secretion of small amounts of lead into
cadmium), coal and other fuel burning, breast milk, further exposing infants (Ettinger
pigment and dye production, chemical 2007; Ettinger 2014). The Institute
production, leather tanning, informal recycling
of lead-acid batteries and electronic waste, has estimated that in 2013 lead exposure
poor incineration of hospital waste, and
mismanagement of household and industrial term effects on health, with the highest burden
waste. Heavy metals can become highly in low- and middle-income countries. The
concentrated through ion exchange or Institute also estimated that lead exposure
precipitation into soils and lie dormant. As
they do not decay, they pose a different kind burden of idiopathic intellectual disability,
of challenge for remediation. Some plants
and microorganisms can be used to help
remove heavy metals such as mercury, for
example in the treatment of mining tailings; and Evaluation 2016).
the vegetation is then incinerated with gas
treatment to recover the heavy metals. The world’s best-known heavy metal
poisoning incident occurred with mercury in
Some heavy metals are necessary for
humans in minute amounts, while others
are carcinogenic or toxic, affecting the to mercury is linked to liver and brain damage
central nervous system (mercury, lead, at high doses, and is a particular threat to
arsenic), the kidneys and liver (mercury, the brain development of fetuses and young
lead, cadmium, copper), skin, bones and
teeth (nickel, cadmium, copper, chromium). water, air and soil, but childhood exposure is
generally the result of industrial releases, such
pollutant and exposure pathway, these often as in artisanal and small-scale gold mining
cause developmental impairment and non-
communicable diseases. Once released
into the environment, these metals do not

human health for generations. to mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold

especially to young children, because it can

build up in the body over time and cause
severe, long-term effects. Exposures once thus a source of dietary exposure to humans.
thought acceptable are now known to be Other heavy metals of note in terms of human
harmful; no safe exposure level has been exposure include beryllium and arsenic.
Beryllium is used in the nuclear weapons
industry and chronic beryllium disease has
been diagnosed in workers, despite exposure
levels being below recommended guidelines
behavioural disorders and hearing problems,
Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

issue with beryllium is that secondary users children. Prolonged low-level exposure to
and recyclers do not generally have the pesticides may induce chronic effects in
expertise, resources or knowledge to prevent children, including birth defects, asthma,
the disease in neighbouring communities and cancer and neurological alterations (Bouchard

number of women working as pesticide

applicators varies, but in some countries,
every year by excessive exposure and women make up 85 per cent or more of the
inappropriate use of pesticides, with health pesticide applicators on commercial farms
effects on all (United Nations Environment and plantations, often working while pregnant
Programme 2013a, Jeyaratnam 1990,
Thundiyil 2008). The main driver for the
use of synthetic chemical pesticides is the when they do not directly apply them. In
reduction of the negative impacts of pests, Pakistan, where cotton is picked by women, a
such as insects, diseases and weeds, on crop
yields, estimated in the 1990s to account for
had been sprayed suffered acute pesticide
2011). Since then, the intensive use of poisoning symptoms (Tahir and Anwar 2012).
pesticides, alongside improved management
practices, has helped increase crop yields

cent in the United States. However, their use 1998). Other routes of exposure not
has also created an almost universal human generally taken into account in exposure
and environmental exposure to agricultural assessments include weeding and thinning
chemicals and side effects, with well-reported sprayed crops, picking tea leaves, washing out
effects among those experiencing acute pesticide containers, or washing pesticide-
2016; Jeyaratnam contaminated clothing (United Nations
1990; Thundiyil 2008; Sharov 2016;
Task Force on Systemic Pesticides 2014).
Pesticide exposure can cause lifelong harm
Unsustainable lifestyles and consumption and increase the risk of preterm births, birth
patterns, agricultural subsidies, and the defects, childhood mortality, reduced sperm
expansion of monocultures are helping to function and a range of adult diseases.
drive the use of agricultural chemicals and Adverse effects can also be carried in
pesticides. This poses risks to ecosystem
services such as litter breakdown and nutrient percentages of body fat, which means that
cycling, food production, genetic diversity, they carry more lipophilic pesticides and for
biological pest control, and pollination. A longer periods, resulting in greater internal
recent example of this is the use of a group of
insecticides, known as neonicotinoids, which 2014; Arrebola 2015). This is
have been linked to losses of bee colonies in especially true for indigenous populations in
various countries. That research prompted
the European Union to restrict the use of three Programme 2015).
forms of neonicotinoids in 2013 (European

residual agrochemicals on food products can between pesticides and breast cancer rates
also directly expose people through their diet. 2014).

The effects of chronic pesticide exposure breast cancer is not widely accepted among
vary considerably among women, men and public health experts, a number of studies

20
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

suggest that some classes of pesticides microbial resistance worldwide (Hardell

(such as organochlorines) may be more
carcinogenic to breast tissue than others the United Nations 2016a, United Nations
(Høyer 1998). It is also known that Environment Programme 2017c).
women’s higher levels of hormonally sensitive
tissue make them more vulnerable to the 1.3 Freshwater pollution
effects of endocrine-disrupting substances,
with pregnant and breastfeeding women at Freshwater bodies are heavily affected by
particular risk, as well as children exposed pollution, particularly by a range of nutrients,
at a time when they are developmentally agrochemicals and pathogens from untreated
wastewater, and heavy metals from mining
2016) and industrial
The rise of antimicrobial resistance as
a result of overuse and improper use of more likely to host disease vectors, such as
antimicrobials, including antibiotics used in cholera-causing Vibrio and parasitic worm-
transmitted schistosomiasis, also known

cause rapid changes to the microbial to habitats and ecosystems, especially

composition of soil, freshwater and biota,
and drive the development of multistrain changes in species composition, ecosystem

F res hw ate r pollut ion f rom sou rc es t o im pact s

Causes

D I FFERENT
Emissions P OLLUTA NTS

C HEM IC A L
Formation TRA NS FO RMATI ON

Dispersion and IMPACTS OF BIOTA, GEOLOGY,

concentration C LIM ATE, W EATH ER A ND
TO PO GRA PHY Topography and run-off, climate and weather, biotic,
and physicochemical composition of water, geology

Exposure
E FFE CTS O N ECOLOGICAL EFFECT EC O SY ST E M
HU M AN H E ALT H Eutrophication, harmful algal bloom SE RV ICE S IM PACT E D
Impairment of neurological functions due such as blue-green algae changing Provisioning services (e.g. productivity of food,
to harmful algal bloom and development habitats, toxicity, reduction in coral reefs, flucial stocks and species and fish
(e.g. blue baby syndrome), heart and population size of species such stocks), habitat or supporting services (e.g.
kidney diseases, cancer, sterility and as frogs, feminization of fish changes to species distributions and functions,
other reproductive disorders, increased widespread population impacts affecting
antimicrobial resistance habitats and maintenance of genetic diversity)
Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

functioning and service provision, including

Improved sanitation is helping to counteract
2015); the spread of waterborne diseases;
changes in the productivity of food chains; sewage continues to be discharged into
and contamination and blockage of drainage
by plastics and other improperly managed management is therefore of basic importance
solid waste. The increasing presence of to environmental sustainability, and to
pharmaceuticals, antimicrobials and new ensuring access to clean water for all (United
micro-pollutants in water are also emerging
concerns (Hardell 2003).

Nutrient pollution (nitrates and phosphates)

released to the environment without treatment caused by the over-application of

threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services

continue rising beyond 2020, with growth

2016;
United Nations Environment programme America, and sub-Saharan Africa. High-
income countries, for instance in Europe,
lost or lived with disability due to poor water, also suffer from freshwater pollution such as
sanitation, hygiene and agricultural practices high nitrate levels in drinking water. Between
2016).
monitoring stations in the European Union
have registered nitrate levels that exceed
pathogenic pollution was found in one third
of all rivers, putting at risk people’s health Agency 2015). Although a natural process,
and endangering the use of river water for eutrophication can be accelerated by
irrigation, industry and other purposes. Severe excessive nutrient loading from point and
organic pollution, found in one seventh of all non-point sources, leading to increasing
rivers, and severe and moderate salinity, found algal growth in receiving environments
in one tenth, further threaten food security, and the development of oxygen-depleted

Figure 9: Proportion of population using improved sanitation facilities in 2015

Source: World Health Organization/ United Nations Children’s Fund 2015

22
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

Figure 10: Trends in organic pollution (measured as biological oxygen demand concentrations) in rivers between
1990-1992 and 2008-2010

Source: UNEP2016j

Arsenic in drinking water can come from

geological processes and mining. The
scale, interfering with many human water best-documented case of wide-scale
geogenic arsenic poisoning comes from
ecosystems. Bangladesh, where bore holes for drinking

Heavy metals and pollutants from oil and gas

exploration and oil sands can accumulate
in groundwater, lakes and reservoirs, contaminated with arsenic at levels above

explosive methane levels, and pollute streams

receiving water discharges and downstream
communities following dam removal. The Other contaminants that can be found
in streams and freshwater systems
has resulted in a trillion litres of waste stored include plastics, ingredients of personal
in tailing ponds (Environmental Defence care products, pharmaceuticals, insect
2017); this is likely to continue to grow each
year. Evidence of contamination of water surfactants, non-ionic detergent metabolites,
from fracking for shale gas production is
under consideration in various parts of the (Osborn 2011). Particular concerns for
world (Olmstead 2013). In Europe the health of both people and freshwater
following different positions being taken, organisms include potential bioaccumulation,
a number of conditions and provisions on
the protection of human health and the and molluscs, and carcinogenic effects arising
avoidance of environmental risks have been

Environment 2013). Environment Programme 2013).

23
Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

1.4 Marine and coastal pollution cancers (Davis 2009, O’Neil 2012).

Oceans and coastal waters receive a in coastal areas around the world (Shepherd
large percentage of their waste and 2017). These are having an impact

land-based sources (Jambeck 2015;

rich waters, the risk of disease transmission

2016). The rest comes from the shipping from captive to wild stock, and, in some cases,

sources.
The number of large oil spills (greater than
Nutrient loads into coastal areas rose by 700 tonnes) from tankers annually, has
between 10 per cent and 80 per cent between been decreasing, with the average number
1970 and 2000, increasing eutrophication and
hypoxia, hindering tourism, and negatively 2010 (International Tanker Owners Pollution
impacting economic livelihoods. The
associated harmful algal blooms can cause spills nearshore can have locally devastating
acute poisoning as well as liver and colorectal impacts on the environment, with the clean-up

Ma r in e and c oas t a l po ll ut i on fr o m s our c es t o im pa ct s

Causes

D IF F E RE NT
Emissions PO LLUTANTS

CH EM I CAL
Formation T RAN S FO RM ATI ON

Dispersion and I M PACTS OF COAS TAL

concentration ENGINEERING, MARINE BIOTA,
W EATH E R, C LI M AT E A N D Storm surges, climate change ref.ocean and coastal circulation, geology
and coastal erosion, marine biota e.g. macrophytes and coral reefs
TO PO GR AP HY

Exposure
EF F ECTS O N ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS E CO S YS TE M
H UM A N H EA LTH Eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, S ER V I CE S I M PA CTED
Impairment of neurological toxicity, impact on seabird populations Provisioning services (e.g. productivity of food, benthic
development,noxious fumes, skin and other species, disappearance of fauna shellfish, fish stocks and coral reefs), habitat or
disorders, heart, kidney disease, algae, corals, invertebrates and fish supporting services (e.g. impairment of physical
cancer, sterility and other reproductive species, feminization of fish, thyroid structures, widespread population impacts, affecting
disorders, hormonal disruption disorders in whales and other mammals, habitats and maintenance of genetic diversity), control
disruption to local food chains of pests and vectors, changed predator prey dynamics
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

introducing further chemicals into the ocean. the year 2050; one study has demonstrated a
clear correlation with the build-up of mercury
also an important source of pollution, as
Straub 2009).

in light of the events in Fukushima (United Booster biocides, introduced as a substitute

for tributyltin, are broad-spectrum anti-

are no legal instruments to control leakage of

radioactive materials into the oceans. marine habitats such as coral reefs and
seagrass beds, and disturb organisms at
Although the concentration of some the base of the food chain. Just as with
chemicals that have been banned for over many other pesticides, they are persistent

seen in the most recently regulated chemicals,

such as mercury. This is a concern, as it found in beached plastic pellets in relation
means that high levels of mercury persist in to modelling of the distribution of plastic
the environment, and that humans and wildlife
this form of pollution reaches all large marine
of protein continue to be exposed (Island ecosystems; such research raises concerns
2013). for ecosystem health, as well as the health of
Some studies show that, if current pollution
and deposition rates continue, mercury levels on the ocean as their main source of food
in the global environment could double by

Figure 12: Marine and coastal pollution risks in large marine ecosystems

a) Nutrient risk: The nutrient risk indicator takes into

account both the amount of nutrients discharged from
land, by rivers to each large marine ecosystem, and
the extent to which these added nutrients will lead to
harmful algal growth. b) Persistent organic pollutants
risk:

the global oceans, including to remote areas. c) Floating

plastic debris risk based on the amount of plastic debris
per unit area of each large marine ecosystem estimated
from models. This map is for plastic pieces of about
5 mm diameter and bigger. Estimated distribution of
smaller plastic particles is similar.

Programme 2016.
Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

United Nations 2016b; Béné 2015).

Persistent organic pollutants have long been report on plastics indicates that replacing
known to accumulate in the tissues of marine plastic with metal or paper alternatives would
mammals, birds and other species, causing
problems for the human populations that impacts; a more effective approach to
depend on them as their main food source. reducing the presence and impacts of plastic
This is especially true for indigenous peoples, in the environment is to improve plastics
such as those living in the circumpolar region recovery, strengthen the environmental
of the Arctic, where marine organisms are the performance of the plastics supply chain,
traditional source of food.
(Trucost 2016).

harm to marine life through entanglement,

a carrier for persistent bio-accumulative and

habitats for microbial communities; act as and seas, even in remote areas such as
a potential vector for disease; and transport deep trenches and uninhabited islands in

composed of plastic (United Nations on the physical and toxicological effects of

Environment Programme and International microplastics provides evidence of trophic
transfer in planktonic food chains as well
as the direct uptake of microplastics by

waste enter the ocean every year due to 2013). Ingestion of

2015). cause physiological stress, liver cancer, and

endocrine dysfunction, affecting female
fertility and the growth of reproductive tissue
tonnes of the plastic waste that enters the
ocean every year is carried by rivers, with three be caused by the plastic itself (physical
components and chemical ingredients)
as well as from chemical pollutants that
into the seas, mostly located in Asia, account absorb into the plastic from the surrounding
seawater. Under laboratory conditions, nano-
2017).
cell membranes, resulting in tissue damage

Diversity 2016).
binding measures to prevent and reduce

effective in the region. Between 2003 and visible on marine species with calcareous
2013, pollutant loads showed a consistent skeletons, such as corals and plankton;
reduction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons these form the base of many marine food

2017). These changes are threatening

 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

impacts of every chemical has yet to be fully

on tourism and the protein source of more assessed, long-term exposure to certain
categories of substances such as endocrine
disruptors,developmental neurotoxicants
Béné 2015). pesticides are known to be deleterious to

One potential source of pollution is deep 2016; United Nations Environment

sea mining. Such activities are still in the programme 2016a; European Environment
exploration phase. An area of roughly
2
is currently nder contract and materials continuously being designed
with the International Seabed Authority, with and released on the market, it is important
mining expected to begin in about two years.

the plumes that mining in the deep sea would production, formulation and use, through
create. These plumes consist of sediment
re-suspensions containing, among other their behaviour when they are released into
things, heavy metal particles. They could the environment, for example, when they are
travel for hundreds of kilometers, smothering transported by water or air; how they bio-
accumulate in the environment; or how they
knowledge is still limited on the impacts of ultimately affect biodiversity and ecosystems
deep sea mining on deep sea ecosystems, (European Environment Agency 2013).
but scientists are increasingly calling for a
precautionary approach (Boetius 2017). One of the challenges in dealing with
chemicals is the gap in publically accessible
1.5 Cross-cutting sources of pollution data and consumer information on chemical
performance and safety throughout different
supply chains. This type of information is
also lacking on the chemical composition
Following industrial disasters such as of products, articles waste streams and
the gas leak in Bhopal, India; mercury residues. This is especially true in some
developing and transition economies,
poisoning in Itai-Itai, Japan, public concern due to the absence of national legislation,
over pollution has resulted in numerous a lack of access to information on the
environmental and health effects of handling
as of serious concerns to public health. toxic chemicals,lack of funding, and poor
technological and human resources. All of
these effects combined mean that such
impacts. The impacts of chemicals on countries are potentially more vulnerable
people and other living organisms vary from to, and disproportionally affected by,
cell mutagenesis to neurological damage,
damage to reproduction and development, agreements and key global and regional
metabolic effects, immunotoxicity, processes such as the Strategic Approach

of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Over

this situation.
asbestos, and lead in paint is known to affect
Of the tens of thousands of chemicals on the
market, relatively few have been thoroughly
mercury and lead also develop problems evaluated to determine whether they might
in their nervous and digestive systems cause adverse effects on human health
Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

and the environment (Strempel 2012)

substances have been preregistered. A reset
the health risk of chemical substances of the United States chemical inventory
focuses primarily on the effects of individual is expected to give an estimate of the
substances for determining the doses of number of chemicals in commerce as
toxicological concern, and have a limited being between 14,000 and 15,000. In June
ability to evaluate the combined impact
of chemical mixtures (United Nations
Environment Programme 2013a; United
Nations Environment Programme 2013b).

identify and manage the risks linked to the exposure to pollutants are through food and
substances they manufacture. However, water intake (for example pesticide residues),
this legislation focuses only on individual through exposure to toxic chemicals in the
substances, disregarding the effects of
combined exposure to mixtures of chemical products found in some detergents, textiles,
and physical agents (Sarigiannis and Hansen cosmetics, construction materials and
2012). To date, under the pre-registration furniture (United Nations Environment

Figure 13: Testing of chemicals and data gaps

T e st ing of c he mi ca ls a n d d a t a ga ps

95,000

Source: Strempel 2012

28
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

the environment, where food is produced, and industrial environmental emergencies

and then further down the chain in food
processing, washing, and preparation. The
and insecurity on the management of waste

committee on food additives carries out food soil and water remains largely undocumented
safety risk assessments on food additives,
contaminants and residues of veterinary guidelines and conduct could help reduce
drugs residues. the most severe incidents, while remote
monitoring could provide early warnings of
Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

demolition waste but excluding agricultural, out of recycled materials with toxic chemicals
still present (International Persistent Organic
Pollutants Elimination Network 2015).
(United Nations Environment Programme and
Dumpsites around the world are sources of
complex pollution mixtures, with emissions
accidents contributed between 1 million and of gases such as methane, electronic waste,
30 million tons of disaster waste per incident
(United Nations Environment Programme and
2016). They are home to an estimated

is shifting from the developed to emerging scavenge for food and recyclables (Binion
economies, which are often poorly prepared
to safely manage these waste streams.
municipal solid waste to recycling at little to
people worldwide lack access to solid waste no cost to business or government; however,
collection (United Nations Environment the waste pickers are highly exposured to

Association 2015).
biggest active dumpsites affect the lives of
The best approach to deal with waste is not to
create it, not least because of the premature loss of lives and property when landslides and
deaths caused by the way we produce and collapses occur (United Nations Environment

2016). It is also important to review and Association 2015). Poor people are especially
introduce modern, environmentally sound vulnerable as the dumpsites are often
technologies for the chemical destruction
of waste, waste-based energy systems, and
In developing countries, the priority is to
avoid recycling of waste containing persistent phase out open dumping, waste burning
and uncontrolled waste disposal, but there
chemicals to avoid their appearance in is also a need to focus on the reduction
new products. So far, there is evidence of of waste at source; this can serve as the
persistent organic pollutants and brominated foundation from which countries can drive
prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery.
including products for children, manufactured

Table 1: Human impacts of recent events at dumpsites

Event Year Human impact

2015 at least 69 people were killed
collapse of a construction waste disposal site

Poor waste management at dumpsites First seven months of 2016 750 deaths

2017 at least 115 people were killed

Ababa, Ethiopia

2017 145 houses buried and 32 people

killed

30
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

through city cleaning, waste segregation, and

the collection and safe disposal of waste to mercury emissions to the global atmosphere.
Besides the use of mercury, this sector is
also closely linked to deforestation, land
at source also has the potential to promote degradation and increased social, economy
resource and materials management as part and health problems. Because operations
of the transformation towards a sustainable are often located on riverbanks, it is
economy. estimated that 50 per cent of the mercury
released by artisanal gold mining into
terrestrial systems is discharged directly
states. These countries, very often tourist 2017). As
destinations and ports of call for international such mines are often outside national waste
shipping, must address the increased
volumes is limited.
addition to the often already complex waste
management issues they face (United Nations It is estimated that global generation of
Environment Program and International Solid

vulnerability, limited land space and often-

limited institutional capacity for pollution
management, a weather-related event can
number of countries have national electronic
then becomes a health and ecosystem

coastal areas and tourist destinations overall

also leads directly to inputs of trash and
plastic into the ocean. take-back systems and other collection
mechanisms (Baldé 2015).

waste streams, often containing high Food waste globally has been estimated to
concentrations of compounds that have be as high as one third of all food produced
serious effects on ecosystems and humans.
The annual global production of mine waste
United Nations 2011). Of this, countries in the
developed world waste as much food as is
rock and the rest tailings (data updated from produced in all of sub-Saharan Africa, roughly

health and ecosystems from food waste

anthropogenic source of mercury, accounting lies in the spoilage, the ecosystem impacts

developing countries, where recycling and treatment infrastructure is limited and the legal and institutional capacity is less
stringent. Illegal and illicit transboundary movements of e-waste and trade in second-hand products have complicated the
e-waste issue in destination countries. In particular, unsound management and burning of e-waste, often exposes people
to harmful substances (including dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals) (Swedish Environmental

defects, reduced childhood growth, negative mental health outcomes, impaired cognitive development, cytotoxicity and
gene toxicity (Baldé
illegally dumped e-waste into surface and groundwater.
Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

caused by insect pests and rodents feeding environment for millennia, posing a long-

pesticides, energy) used to produce and such as those with the nuclear power plants

fungal metabolites, increasingly occurring in

staple crops, are contaminating food supplies and geography.
throughout the world. If eaten, they can
have toxic effects on humans and livestock. 1.6 Costs of pollution

long period has been implicated in primary

as a result from impacts on human health,
cirrhosis and impaired nutrient conversion. productivity losses, health-care costs
and ecosystem damages. A review of the
conditions, such as kwashiorkor, an outcome literature illustrates the enormous scale of

removed through moisture control of grain

stores; however in many developing countries, are unacknowledged, unaccounted, non
climate controlled storage facilities are often monetised and remain outside the domain of
not available. evaluation of public policies.

There is still no acceptable “storage or In 2013, the global welfare costs associated
disposal option” for the radioactive with air pollution were estimated at about
waste generated from the processing
of older-generation nuclear fuel (United
The welfare costs of mortality related to
outdoor air pollution were estimated at

European Academies’ Science Advisory

cobalt 60 used in radioactive imaging

(X-rays and so on) all end up in the same stringent measures (Organisation for
waste stream as spent fuel rods. Poorly
managed nuclear waste could remain in the 2016a).

Table 2: Summary of some of the costs of pollution based on the literature

Pollution Costs
Product
Indoor and outdoor air pollution 5 322 7.2

480 0.4

216 0.3

127 12.3

Not available 6.6

United Nations Environment Programme (2017)

32
 Towards a Pollution-Free Planet

range of economic impacts, including economic costs of pollution can inform

those related to human health, ecosystem evidence-based decision-making and support
more effective policies, the human costs
of pollution are even more critical. The
human health, the welfare cost of mortality United Nations has appointed two Special
from unsafe water is remarkable in many
developing countries. In Africa, mortality on the implications for human rights of the
costs from unsafe water (calculated using environmentally sound management and
the value of statistical life) is estimated at
$252 billion (costs are expressed in 2015
human rights and the environment.
domestic product (Organisation for Economic

human rights and chemicals is to provide

sanitation services in developing countries up-to-date information on the adverse impact
of the improper management and disposal

product of some poor countries.

the human rights implications of waste
recycling programmes and the transfer of
Health estimates that the costs of low polluting industries, industrial activities and
productivity from pollution-related diseases technologies from one country to another.

of gross domestic product in low-income e-waste and the dismantling of ships, and
provides support to victims of human rights
cent in low-middle income countries; and violations relating to the environmentally
around $53 billion in 2015 in high and upper sound management and disposal of

Pollution and Health 2017).

These are conservative estimates, given that

not all pollutants and waste are included. prevent much of the human suffering caused
Even given the limitations of the research by pollution, which disproportionately affects
people and communities that are already
to pollution can lead to substantial economic vulnerable.
costs. The evidence of the physical and
economic cost of pollution presented here,

impacts, provides a clear-cut case for

immediate action.

33