Heavy Metals

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History of Lead Poisoning - 
This article discusses the fact that instead of adults in industrial settings having lead poisoning there are more cases of children asymptomatic children with lesser exposures. Lead poisoning can lead to behavioral problems and decreased cognitive function. I thought this article gave great examples of American history and lead exposure among children. I think this gave us very valuable lesson than manufactures should use before introducing any new chemical. First chemicals must be tested and proved safe before they can be used. We should not be finding out down the line that a chemical is unsafe. By then the damage is already done and people or the environment will be damaged. People should not lose their life or health because of companies negligence. 

 Lead Poisoning in Nigeria -  
This article discusses the deaths of over 400 children in Nigeria. The reason for their death was because of lead poisoning from gold processing near by. The UN and MSF organization along with others worked hard to clear the area and treat the lead poisoning. To me this article was very sad not only because of all the deaths but also because around 2,400 children needed be treated for lead poisoning. This is a huge crime and I hope the company responsible paid the price. 

Comments

  1. Jordan DemosOctober 25, 2018 at 3:08 PM

    Hi Caitlin,

    I wish there was some information provided on the punishment given to the people responsible for the lead poisoning. It would not surprise me to find out that nothing happened, or that the punishment given didn't match the seriousness of the crime.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownOctober 28, 2018 at 1:06 PM

    Hi Caitlin,

    That is a great point you bring up about lead usage as an example of why chemicals need to be vetted prior to being released onto the market. The amount of damage and costs that it has caused it far greater than would have been if it had been prevented from going into the market in the first place. Now, thousands of homes and people still have the potential risk of being exposed and negatively affected, despite it now being banned.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousNovember 6, 2018 at 9:52 AM

    Hi Caitlin,

    The Nigeria story was very disturbing. That many children died because proper measures weren't utilize to ensure water safety. Like you asked, I wonder if these companies were held accountable? But how can one ever repay or compensate the death of 400 children? I really hope all around the world, we are not exposing our children and adults to these chemicals just for monetary gain..

    ReplyDelete

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