Environmental Health Sourcebook

Basic Consumer Health Information about the Environment and Its Effects on Human Health, Including Facts about Air, Water, and Soil Contamination, Hazardous Chemicals, Foodborne Hazards and Illnesses, Household Hazards Such as Radon, Mold, and Carbon Monoxide, Consumer Hazards from Toxic Products and Imported Goods, and Disorders Linked to Environmental Causes, Including Chemical Sensitivity, Cancer, Allergies, and Asthma; Along with Information about the Impact of Environmental Hazards on Specific Populations, a Glossary of Related Terms, and Resources for Additional Help and Information.

The environment has always contained hazards to health, but modern and man-made factors compound the risks. Humans are now exposed to pollution in the air, water, and the soil. Contaminants are increasingly found throughout the food chain, in homes and schools, and in manufactured goods. Furthermore, in today's global economy, health hazards can even come from far away through tainted fish, imported toys, and technologically altered foods. Although some environmental hazards lead to immediate illness, often the risks are not identified until medical researchers link long-term exposures to chronic disease.

Environmental Health Sourcebook, Third Edition, offers updated information about the effects of the environment on human health. It discusses specific populations-including pregnant women and their fetuses, children, the elderly, and minorities-in which the effects of environmental exposures are especially harmful and, in some cases, can have a lasting impact that extends to future generations. Airborne, waterborne, foodborne, and chemical hazards are discussed, and facts about cancer, respiratory problems, infertility, autism, and other diseases with suspected environmental triggers are presented. A section on consumer products and medical hazards examines health risks associated with some common household items. The book concludes with a glossary and a directory of resources for additional information.