According to the article, United Nations Panel Calls
Hormone Disruptors a “Global Threat” by Brian Bienkowski and Environmental
Health News, hormone linking chemicals are the main threat to the health of humans
and animals. These chemicals are the organic pollutant chemicals such as, DDT
and polychlorinated biphenyls, and ubiquitous chemicals such as biphenol A and
phthalates. This had been growing increasing over the last decade. These
chemicals are referred to as a global threat, for that it had been spread
across the continent. Many people look upon this chemical as a living threat to
humans and that it had to be eliminated, however, others thought it isn’t a bad
thing.
Chemicals
like DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls are a major threat to humans and
animals, “[They] are now banned in the U.S---traveled the globe, persisted in
the environment and caused severe population declines in some wildlife species”
(Bienkowski 1). These chemicals are very quick at spreading and contaminating
the environment which resulted in the decrease of wildlife. Humans are not
killed from this chemical, instead, their health is directly affected.
Such diseases include male reproductive problems,
pregnancy complications…obesity and brain development. Many factors can cause such
diseases, but the report concludes that given how fast some of these are
rising, environmental chemicals are likely playing a role (Bienkowski 1).
Even though these
diseases can’t be comparable to cancer and other untreatable sickness, but they
can be quit complicated. For example, pregnancy complications can directly lead
to the development and growth of their offspring. It may also lead to stillborn
and other severe problems. Obesity and brain development can lead to a person’s
ability to remember, and to learn. Reproductive problems can interfere with a
person’s ability to reproduce.
DDT and polychlorinated
biphenyls are still a threat to us, but other chemicals such as the bisphenol A
and phthalates are found in everyday products (Bienkowski 1). These chemicals
can come in direct contact with us and cause health problems. These chemicals
are known as pseudo persistent because they don’t stay in the environment for
long, but we expose to them all the time so it’s would have the same effect as
if it was persistent.
There had been more
than enough evidence to prove that these chemicals are harmful and that it
should be banned. But on the other hand, the government agencies and industry
groups are not so convinced of this. In responding to the threat of DDT and
polychlorinated biphenyls to wildlife, they say that, “…particularly killer whales and harbour seals. Both have high levels of
PCBs and flame retardants that accumulate in ocean ecosystems” (Bienkowski 2). This
means that this chemical only kill whales and seals and not all the animals. In
responding to human threat, they made a point that, “…very low levels of human
exposure to BPA through the diet are unsafe” (Bienkowski 2). There isn’t
enough people who are being expose to these chemicals that are having health
issues and they stated that the chemicals in the food does not have a major
effect on humans. “Unless we know where the chemicals are used, and they’re
tested, it’s tough to make informed decisions on how to protect people” Woodruff
said. Many of these chemicals had not been tested, so scientists cannot decide
whether or not it is absolutely harmful to us.
Overall,
I think that even though these chemicals had not been directly proved to be
harmful, they should still be banned due to the health complications that it
might cause. I think that if these chemicals are ban then there wouldn’t have
been so many arguments on if it’s good or bad.
Work Cited
Brian Bienkowski and Environmental Health News. "United Nations
Panel Calls Hormone Disruptors a "Global Threat": Scientific
American." United Nations Panel
Calls Hormone Disruptors a "Global Threat": Scientific American. Scientific
American, a Division of Nature America, Inc., 2013. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
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