What do chemicals do to the environment

They can be organic or inorganic organic compounds always contain carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds, whereas most inorganic compounds do not contain carbon. Chemical pollutants mostly result from various human activities like the manufacturing, handling, storing, and disposing of chemicals.

The chemical industry is another example in this sense, mainly because it is usually linked to polluted waste streams. In fact, the waste streams from chemical industry are now strictly controlled and treated before being released into the environment. But this was not always the case in the past and many rivers and surface water bodies were contaminated by the numerous waste streams coming from various chemical plants, as well as other industrial sources. Even though measures were taken to reduce this type of pollution, its effects are still visible.

Household chemicals involve a variety of chemical products and mixtures that can easily become chemical pollutants when released into the environment.

Even the everyday detergents are chemical compounds that may pollute our environment! Read the labels of detergent products to confirm that they contain a variety of potentially hazardous chemicals. Chemical pollution can be caused by a variety of chemicals from a variety of sources and can involve a variety of health effects from simple digestive problems to chemical intoxication and sudden death by poisoning. Contact Us. Chemicals Used on Land. Related Links.

Some chemicals pose little risk to human health or environmental condition, while others, such as known carcinogens, 1 pose serious risks when sufficient exposure occurs. The effects of chemicals on human health and other ecological receptors through environmental exposure can be acute and very toxic, subtle and cumulative over time chronic , or nonexistent.

Chemicals can be of concern because of their pervasiveness, potential to accumulate, possibilities of interaction, and often long-term unknown effects on people and the environment e. Humans and wildlife may be affected by certain chemicals through direct exposure, including accidental ingestion or inhalation, accumulation and uptake through the food chain, or dermal contact.

Similarly, ecosystems and environmental processes may be compromised or contaminated through the migration and accumulation of chemicals e.

For example, excessive nutrient loading from over-fertilization can result in runoff that causes adverse effects in aquatic ecosystems. The risks associated with chemicals depend on many factors, including exposure and toxicity—which can be acute or chronic, and can occur at multiple stages of the chemical life cycle. Different stages in the life cycle of chemicals, such as manufacturing, transport, application or use, runoff, or accumulation, pose different hazards to humans and the environment.

Vermont has passed laws intended to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals and to inform the public about chemicals in consumer products. The Health Department is a great resource for information about chemicals and health. Toxicology staff research the effects of chemical exposure and stay current on exposure and risk assessment. Here you will find information on natural and human-made chemicals and pollutants found in the air, water, soil and consumer products. The Health Department develops general screening values which can be used to evaluate potential exposure to some chemicals in:.

Toxicological Sciences Program Phone: or toll-free in Vermont Fax: Arsenic is a natural element found in rocks and soil and is often found in well water.

It can also come from human activities and is used in some consumer products. Over time, arsenic causes cancer along with other health effects. Dry cleaners use chemicals to clean clothes and other fabrics. When these chemicals are breathed in, they can be harmful to your health. They can remain in the environment for decades. Benzene is the name of an aromatic hydrocarbon, C 6 H 6. In liquid form, benzene is clear, colorless, and flammable.