Air pollution 
  • Irritation of eyes, nose, mouth and throat
  • Asthma attacks
  • Respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing
  • Increased respiratory disease such as bronchitis
  • Reduced energy levels
  • Reduced lung functioning
  • Headaches and dizziness
  • Disruption of endocrine, reproductive and immune systems
  • Neurobehavioral disorders
  • Cardiovascular problems
  • Cancer
  • Premature death 

Water pollution 

Waterborne diseases caused by polluted drinking water:
  • Typhoid
  • Amoebiasis
  • Giardiasis
  • Ascariasis
  • Hookworm
Waterborne diseases caused by polluted beach water:
  • Rashes, ear ache, pink eye
  • Respiratory infections
  • Hepatitis, encephalitis, gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, vomiting, and stomach aches
Conditions related to water polluted by chemicals (such as pesticides, hydrocarbons, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals etc):
  • Cancer, incl. prostate cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
  • Hormonal problems that can disrupt reproductive and developmental processes
  • Damage to the nervous system
  • Liver and kidney damage
  • Damage to the DNA
  • Exposure to mercury (heavy metal):




    • In the womb: may cause neurological problems including slower reflexes, learning deficits, delayed or incomplete mental development, autism and brain damage
    • In adults: Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and even death

    Other notes:

  • Water pollution may also result from interactions between water and contaminated soil, as well as from deposition of air contaminants (such as acid rain)
  • Damage to people may be caused by fish foods coming from polluted water (a well known example is high mercury levels in fish)
  • Damage to people may be caused by vegetable crops grown / washed with polluted water (author’s own conclusion)
Soil contamination 
  • Causes cancers including leukaemia
  • Lead in soil is especially hazardous for young children causing developmental damage to the brain
  • Mercury can increase the risk of kidney damage; cyclodienes can lead to liver toxicity
  • Causes neuromuscular blockage as well as depression of the central nervous system
  • Also causes headaches, nausea, fatigue, eye irritation and skin rash
Other notes:
  • Contact with contaminated soil may be direct (from using parks, schools etc) or indirect (by inhaling soil contaminants which have vaporized)
  • Soil contamination may also result from secondary contamination of water supplies and from deposition of air contaminants (for example, via acid rain)
  • Contamination of crops grown in polluted soil brings up problems with food security
  • Since it is closely linked to water pollution, many effects of soil contamination appear to be similar to the ones caused by water contamination

P/S: Prevention is better than cure

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