Environmental Pollution And Its Effects on Health and Nature

WHO | About second hand smoke : "The original Surgeon General's report, followed by this first "hazard" warning on cigarette packages, the subsequent "danger" warning on cigarette packages, the removal of cigarette advertising from television and the inclusion of the "danger" warning in cigarette advertising, were all "blows" of sorts for the tobacco industry. They were, however, blows that the cigarette industry could successfully weather because they were all directed against the smoker himself. The anti-smoking forces' latest tack, however - on the passive smoking issue - is quite a different matter.... Nearly six out of ten believe that smoking is hazardous to the nonsmokers' health, up sharply over the last four years. More than two-thirds of nonsmokers believe it; nearly half of all smokers believe it.

Indoor Air Pollution - Asbestos : "Asbestos is a mineral rock mined in much the same way as other minerals, such as iron, lead or copper. It exhibits substantial resistance to heat and deterioration and thus has historically been used for a variety of commercial and industrial purposes. Instead of forming dust particles when crushed, asbestos divides into millions of fine fibers in the manufacturing process. Asbestos fibers can have serious effects on your health if inhaled. There is no known safe exposure, so the greater the exposure, the greater the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease. The amount of time between exposure and the first signs of disease can be as much as 30 years. Asbestos can cause asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs that leads to breathing problems and heart failure. Workers who manufacture or use asbestos products and have high exposures to asbestos are often affected with asbestosis. Inhalation of asbestos can also cause lung cancer and mesotheli...