Document Type

Article

Disciplines

International Law

Abstract

Most of us are blissfully ignorant about the contents of the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink and with which we wash ourselves. Few of us, if any, know the chemical composition of the cushioning on which we sit, the walls, ceilings and floorings of the rooms in which we live, or of the clothes which we wear. Yet, all of these aspects of our environment vitally (and the word is here used in its literal sense) affect our health and well-being. The impact of the introduction into the environment of any substance, however non-toxic it initially may appear to be, ultimately affects our lives. Indeed, many of the most beneficial substances or processes eventually have proved to have harmful environmental effects often far outweighing their benefits. Lead in petrol is but one example. Chemicals, such as D.D.T.,' used as pesticides or weedkillers are successful initially in protecting our food-crops; but, once absorbed into the watertable from the soil, their devastating effect on the natural life-cycle and food chain has left future generations a toxic legacy. Artificial fertilizers, particularly nitrates, destroy life in our waterways: the algae flourish on the nitrates and remove much of the oxygen from the water which then cannot support other forms of life. Electricity generation from coal not only destroys the forests of Europe with acid rain but damages and destroys much of our river and marine life by the discharge of heated water from cooling towers. The acid petroleum by-products of the internal combustion engine corrode the physical fabric of our buildings. Oil spillages at sea destroy marine life and pollute our coastline. Energy-conserving and fire-protecting asbestos destroys lungs and lives. Nuclear generation of electricity irradiates water, air, soil, plants, animals and humans, with fatal and long-term effects. The chemicals we depend on for so many of the basic day to day necessities of life, such as containers, clothes and furnishings, create hazardous wastes of enormous toxicity. The list is endless, but the examples suffice to indicate the impact of environmental pollution on our lives and those of future generations. It is perhaps unfortunate that it takes major hazardous discharges such as Seveso,2 Chernobyl3 or Sellafield, 4 to heighten our awareness of the dangers of all forms of pollution to ourselves, future generations and all the other species of flora and fauna with which we share this finite planet. We constantly need to be alert to the risks of all forms of pollution, not merely shocked into awareness occasionally by disasters. Information about pollution is the key to the heightened awareness of the dangers which is the sine qua non of effective and continuous monitoring, regulation, reduction and prevention of pollution.

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