How Does The Oil Industry Impact Human Health?
By Space Coast Daily // May 16, 2022
Do you want to know how the oil industry impacts human health? If yes, then we have accumulated the necessary information to make you aware of the health dangers caused by the oil industry.
Residents of oil and gas field communities have long complained about health problems that began or worsened after oil and gas activity began in their neighborhood. Respiratory issues such as asthma and coughing, irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, nausea, dizziness, sleeping problems, and weariness are the most common symptoms.
In response, business and its supporters have frequently claimed that these reports of health effects are only a few isolated “anecdotes.” But towns and individuals who live near oil and gas production know this isn’t true, and clear evidence has backed this up in recent years.
What is the Oil Industry
The oil and gas industry is one of the world’s most valuable industries, with annual revenue of $3.3 trillion. The United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada, and China are the world’s major oil producers. There are many employment opportunities in the oil and gas industry. If you want to know more, you can research it.
The industry is frequently broken down into three categories:
Oil and gas exploration and production are classified as upstream; transportation and storage are classified as midstream; refining and marketing are classified as downstream.
Workers in the oil and gas industry are at risk of fire and explosion if combustible vapors or gases are ignited. Hazardous and even fatal occurrences can result from the combination of powerful equipment, combustible chemicals, and high-pressure procedures.
As the world’s primary fuel sources, oil and natural gas are major industries in the energy industry and have a significant impact on the global economy. Oil and gas production and distribution processes and systems are very complex, capital-intensive, and require cutting-edge technology. Because of the production process or the upstream side of the company, natural gas has historically been tied to oil. Natural gas has been regarded as a nuisance for much of the industry’s history, and it is still flared in huge quantities in several parts of the world, notably the United States.
How Does the Oil Industry Impact Human Health
People living in the northern Ecuadorian Amazon have been victims of several spills and the businesses extracting oil in the region’s negligent waste management procedures over the past 50 years. 714 million barrels (or 30 billion gallons) of oil and toxic waste were dumped into the environment between 1972 and 1993, either intentionally or accidentally.
While none of the individual disasters compare to the infamous accidents listed above, when combined together, they totaled more than 140 times the BP Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
From operational wells to processing plants, the United States is dotted with 1.2 million oil and gas production facilities. Over 12 million people live within 1/2 mile of these sites and are constantly exposed to pollution. Furthermore, when fossil fuels are used in autos, power plants, and industrial sites, additional pollutants are released.
Air Pollution
The “invisible murderer” is air pollution caused by fossil fuels. It can cause respiratory, cardiovascular, and other problems, and it is responsible for more than 13% of fatalities among Americans aged 14 and up. Fossil fuel production can potentially release hazardous compounds into the soil and drinking water, resulting in cancer, birth deformities, and liver damage.
Climate Change
Climate change is already taking place. The year 2020 will go down in history as one of the warmest on record, with a longer wildfire season in the West and more destructive hurricanes. The release of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere by fossil fuels is directly linked to these catastrophic weather events.
While we are all affected, Black, Brown, Indigenous, and working-class people are particularly more affected. These groups frequently live in treeless, concrete neighborhoods, which are more vulnerable to harsh weather occurrences as a result of discriminatory housing rules and practices. These populations also have a more difficult time getting access to natural areas that can help reduce climate change.
Ruins Wildlands
Infrastructure for oil and gas extraction can have bad consequences for wildlands. Heavy equipment is used to build roads, infrastructure, and drilling sites, which can damage large areas of virgin wilderness. The harm is frequently irreparable.
Over 12 million acres of public property, the equivalent of six Yellowstone National Parks, are being utilized to extract fossil fuels. Large areas of rangeland and vegetation used by wildlife and people are frequently destroyed in these developments. Even if oil and gas corporations eventually depart these sites, it could take millennia for them to recover completely.
Disturbs Natural Water
It’s not simply the impact oil has on wildlife; it may also make water unfit for agriculture and cause water treatment plants to malfunction.
Oil spills can contaminate drinking water supplies and are exceedingly costly to clean up.
If oil is spilled near a structure, oil vapors may infiltrate the structure, rendering it unfit for human occupancy. This could imply that the structure is rendered unusable until costly repair work is finished, or that the structure must be dismantled in extreme instances. This might be terrible if it is your home or workplace.
Conclusion
Now you know how the oil industry impacts human health and before pursuing a career in this field, you should know everything about it. Air pollution is extremely dangerous for humans because they need a safe space to breathe in. Even though working in the oil industry is great, there are some things that you need to be careful about.
