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Plane spraying Agent Orange in Vietnam
A U.S. Air Force plane spraying a delta area 20 miles from Saigon with Agent Orange during the Vietnam War
Vietnam war-physical environment
In year 1962 to 1971, very dangerous toxic chemical called agent orange was sprayed on Vietnam.
About 72millon liters of the chemical was sprayed on Vietnam's forests, to clear out all the living trees so that Vietnam armies has no place to hide. About 14% of Vietnam's forest were gone and turned those dead forest to a place where plants are not able to grow back. Why? It is because of the chemical which went onto the soil. http://www.lenntech.com/environmental-effects-war.htm
Soil
Sudan (Darfur & Chad) – Attempts of remaining farmers to cultivate new land to grow crops despite the drought led to desertification and soil erosion. Afghanistan war – Pollution from application of explosives entered air, soil and water. Iraq & Kuwait – Movement of heavy machinery such as tanks through the desert damaged the brittle surface, causing soil erosion. Iraq & the United States – Military movements and weapon application result in land degradation. The destruction of military and industrial machinery releases heavy metals and other harmful substances. Russia & Chechnya – Major environmental problems include radioactive waste and radiation, oil leaks into the ground from bombarded plants and refineries, and pollution of soil and surface water. Vietnam war – The application of 72 million litres of chemical spray resulted in the death of many animals, and caused health effects with humans. One chemical that was applied between 1962 and 1971, called Agent Orange, was particularly harmful. Its main constituent is dioxin, which was present in soil, water and vegetation during and after the war. Kosovo war – In 1999 when NATO bombed Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, the resulting environmental damage was enormous. Petrochemical plants in suburbs started leaking all kinds of hazardous chemicals into air, water and soil.
(from: environmental effects of war )
Congo war:
Environmental
National park were affected as refugees hunt endangered wild life as bush meat
Hippopotamus have decrease from 29,000 to 900 in population during this war
Farmer burned down forest for farming
Air
Kosovo war: "dioxin, hydrochloric acid, carbon monoxide and PAHs, and oil burning released sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and PAHs into the air. Heavy clouds of black smoke forming over burning industrial targets caused black rain to fall on the area around Pancevo."(environmental effect of war)
Afghanistan war – Pollution from application of explosives entered air, soil and water. Hiroshima & Nagasaki nuclear explosions – The events of August 6 and August 9 can be translated into environmental effects more literally. The blasts caused air pollution from dust particles and radioactive debris flying around, and from the fires burning everywhere. Iraq & Kuwait – Fleeing Iraqi troops ignited Kuwaiti oil sources, releasing half a ton of air pollutants into the atmosphere. Iraq & the United States – Oil trenches are burning, as was the case in the Gulf War of 1991, resulting in air pollution. In Northern Iraq, a sulphur plant burned for one month, contributing to air pollution. As fires continue burning, groundwater applied as a drinking water source may be polluted. Israel & Lebanon – A sludge layer covers Beaches across Lebanon, and the same problem may occur in Syria as the spill continues to spread. Part of the oil spill burned, causing widespread air pollution. Smog affects the health of people living in the city of Beirut. So far problems limiting the clean-up operation of oil spills have occurred, because of ongoing violence in the region. Kosovo war – Burning of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) resulted in the formation of dioxin, hydrochloric acid, carbon monoxide and PAHs, and oil burning released sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and PAHs into the air. Heavy clouds of black smokeforming over burning industrial targets caused black rain to fall on the area around Pancevo. In 1999 when NATO bombed Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, the resulting environmental damage was enormous. Petrochemical plants in suburbs started leaking all kinds of hazardous chemicals into air, water and soil. Factories producing ammonia and plastics released chlorine, hydrochloric acid, vinyl chloride and other chlorine substances, resulting in local air pollution and health problems. (from:environmental effects of war ) Oil strike 1991: Toxic smoke and fumes killed migratory birds and aggravated human chest conditions(war and the environment)
Water
Pearl Habor (WWII): "The USS Arizona, being the most heavily damaged ship during the attack, continues to leak oil from the hulk into the harbor" (environmental effect of war) Oil strike 1991: Crude oil released into the sea killed tens of thousands of marine birds and mammals. Oil from extinguished wells formed huge petrochemical lakes, destroying the land surface (war and the environment)
Afghanistan war – Pollution from application of explosives entered air, soil and water. Hiroshima & Nagasaki nuclear explosions – Radioactive sand clogged wells used for drinking water winning, thereby causing a drinking water problem that could not easily be solved. Surface water sources were polluted, particularly by radioactive waste. Agricultural production was damaged; dead stalks of rice could be found up to seven miles from ground zero. Iraq & Kuwait – Additionally, pollutants seeped from bombed chemical plants into the rivers. Drinking water extracted from the river was polluted, resulting in widespread disease. For example, cases of typhoid fever have increased tenfold since 1991. Iraq & the United States – Damage to sanitation structures by frequent bombing, and damage to sewage treatment systems by power blackouts cause pollution of the River Tigris. Two hundred blue plastic containers containing uranium were stolen from a nuclear power plant located south of Baghdad. The radioactive content of the barrels was dumped in rivers and the barrels were rinsed out. Poor people applied the containers as storage facility for water, oil and tomatoes, or sold them to others. Milk was transported to other regions in the barrels, making it almost impossible to relocate them. Russia & Chechnya – Major environmental problems include radioactive waste and radiation, oil leaks into the ground from bombarded plants and refineries, and pollution of soil and surface water. Vietnam war – The application of 72 million litres of chemical spray resulted in the death of many animals, and caused health effects with humans. One chemical that was applied between 1962 and 1971, called Agent Orange, was particularly harmful. Its main constituent is dioxin, which was present in soil, water and vegetation during and after the war. Kosovo war – In 1999 when NATO bombed Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, the resulting environmental damage was enormous. Petrochemical plants in suburbs started leaking all kinds of hazardous chemicals into air, water and soil. Factories producing ammonia and plastics released chlorine, hydrochloric acid, vinyl chloride and other chlorine substances, resulting in local air pollution and health problems. Water sources were polluted by oil leaking from refineries. The Danube River was polluted by oil more severely, but this time hydrochloric acid and mercury compounds also ended up there. These remained in the water for a considering period of time and consequently ended up in neighbouring countries Rumania and Bulgaria.
(from: environmental effects of war ) Oil strike, 1991
A scientist from a Desert Laboratory toured Kuwait’s burnt-out oilfields. ‘I’ve never seen such devastation. Kuwait’s desert before the Gulf War was very healthy, despite centuries of nomadic grazing and decades of oil development. It supported substantial greenery and wildlife. But now it’s coated in oil residues that affect water permeability, seed germination and microbial life. Plants are dying because they can’t breathe through blackened leaves under dark skies.’
Capping the burning oil wells took ten months. Crude oil released into the sea killed tens of thousands of marine birds and mammals. Oil from extinguished wells formed huge petrochemical lakes, destroying the land surface. Toxic smoke and fumes killed migratory birds and aggravated human chest conditions. A veterinarian at the liberation of Kuwait said: ‘I saw birds just dropping out of the sky. Later I found a herd of dead camels covered with dead flies: whatever killed the camels killed the flies at the same time.’
web: http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/infodocs/st_environment.html DEATH BY WATER Soldiers besieging Sarajevo cut off the electricity supply, and with it the water pumps; people lining up at wells and stand pipes were easily and routinely picked off by snipers or attacked with mortar fire. It’s been common practice in war zones for belligerents to fill wells with rocks, steal pipes and pumping systems, dynamite dams, and pollute what’s left. A revolt in Iraq was crushed by draining the marshes on which the rebels lived and depended. Millions have died in war zones and refugee camps from water-borne diseases.
And water looks increasingly likely to be a cause of war, because there is simply not enough of it to go round. In the mere 40 years up to 1990, global water-use tripled. Its use is inequitable and profligate where it’s relatively easy to get. A western family can use 2000 litres a day; in Africa a few litres of untreated water each have to be carried, often for long distances or in war conditions. The world population is still growing, while water tables fall, underground aquifers empty, lakes shrink and wetlands dry up.
There are fears for war over the Euphrates, the object of a vast damming operation in Turkey which will cut Syria’s water supply by a third – and Turkey threatened to cut Syria off altogether for supporting Turkish dissidents. There are fears for war over the river Jordan: Israel, bent on self-sufficiency, claims all the water it can; but Syria, Jordan and the Palestinians need supplies too. There are fears for war over the Nile: Egypt is diverting river water to irrigate the desert, to grow crops instead of importing them; eight more countries, including drought-devastated Sudan, are in the queue. President Sadat has said: ‘The only matter that could take Egypt to war again is water’
web: http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/infodocs/st_environment.html
Land
Can Gio:
Mangroves one of the essential plant to provide the perfect habitat, food and reproductive ground for many marine and terrestrial animals were destroyed during this defoliant. Mangroves did not only provide food for animals but it also provided food for us human. And that's not all it also provided the local people charcoal, timber and fuel wood. With the chemical sprayed the soil is chemically changed giving it a different pH so plant would not be able to grow in these conditions. Mangroves also provide protection against tides, waves and water current so with out this plant coastal area becomes flooded and cause riverbank erosions.
There were a slight raise in number of animals such as fish and molluscs because of the dead leaves that the mangrove provided. But as the mangrove disappeared as the result of the chemical spray, the number of animals also start to decrease. Indirectly it also affect the life style of the people who lived in those areas as they were dependant on these natural resource as a living.
Organisms (examples of effects on specific organisms as parts of food chains and webs - biomagnification and bioaccumulation)
Soil contaminated with dioxin becomes river sediment, which is then passed to fish, a staple of the Vietnamese diet. Its keep passing the dioxin through the animals in the food chains.
Please think before editing the page. Try to think about how the information is organised so that other people can find it. Feel free to make new headings or subheadings.
A U.S. Air Force plane spraying a delta area 20 miles from Saigon with Agent Orange during the Vietnam War
Picture from...
The effects of war on ecosystems (large or small)
Vietnam war-physical environment
In year 1962 to 1971, very dangerous toxic chemical called agent orange was sprayed on Vietnam.
About 72millon liters of the chemical was sprayed on Vietnam's forests, to clear out all the living trees so that Vietnam armies has no place to hide. About 14% of Vietnam's forest were gone and turned those dead forest to a place where plants are not able to grow back. Why? It is because of the chemical which went onto the soil.
http://www.lenntech.com/environmental-effects-war.htm
Soil
Sudan (Darfur & Chad) – Attempts of remaining farmers to cultivate new land to grow crops despite the drought led to desertification and soil erosion.
Afghanistan war – Pollution from application of explosives entered air, soil and water.
Iraq & Kuwait – Movement of heavy machinery such as tanks through the desert damaged the brittle surface, causing soil erosion.
Iraq & the United States – Military movements and weapon application result in land degradation. The destruction of military and industrial machinery releases heavy metals and other harmful substances.
Russia & Chechnya – Major environmental problems include radioactive waste and radiation, oil leaks into the ground from bombarded plants and refineries, and pollution of soil and surface water.
Vietnam war – The application of 72 million litres of chemical spray resulted in the death of many animals, and caused health effects with humans. One chemical that was applied between 1962 and 1971, called Agent Orange, was particularly harmful. Its main constituent is dioxin, which was present in soil, water and vegetation during and after the war.
Kosovo war – In 1999 when NATO bombed Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, the resulting environmental damage was enormous. Petrochemical plants in suburbs started leaking all kinds of hazardous chemicals into air, water and soil.
(from: environmental effects of war )
Congo war:
Air
Kosovo war: "dioxin, hydrochloric acid, carbon monoxide and PAHs, and oil burning released sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and PAHs into the air. Heavy clouds of black smoke forming over burning industrial targets caused black rain to fall on the area around Pancevo."(environmental effect of war)Afghanistan war – Pollution from application of explosives entered air, soil and water.
Hiroshima & Nagasaki nuclear explosions – The events of August 6 and August 9 can be translated into environmental effects more literally. The blasts caused air pollution from dust particles and radioactive debris flying around, and from the fires burning everywhere.
Iraq & Kuwait – Fleeing Iraqi troops ignited Kuwaiti oil sources, releasing half a ton of air pollutants into the atmosphere.
Iraq & the United States – Oil trenches are burning, as was the case in the Gulf War of 1991, resulting in air pollution. In Northern Iraq, a sulphur plant burned for one month, contributing to air pollution. As fires continue burning, groundwater applied as a drinking water source may be polluted.
Israel & Lebanon – A sludge layer covers Beaches across Lebanon, and the same problem may occur in Syria as the spill continues to spread. Part of the oil spill burned, causing widespread air pollution. Smog affects the health of people living in the city of Beirut. So far problems limiting the clean-up operation of oil spills have occurred, because of ongoing violence in the region.
Kosovo war – Burning of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) resulted in the formation of dioxin, hydrochloric acid, carbon monoxide and PAHs, and oil burning released sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead and PAHs into the air. Heavy clouds of black smokeforming over burning industrial targets caused black rain to fall on the area around Pancevo. In 1999 when NATO bombed Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, the resulting environmental damage was enormous. Petrochemical plants in suburbs started leaking all kinds of hazardous chemicals into air, water and soil. Factories producing ammonia and plastics released chlorine, hydrochloric acid, vinyl chloride and other chlorine substances, resulting in local air pollution and health problems.
(from: environmental effects of war )
Oil strike 1991: Toxic smoke and fumes killed migratory birds and aggravated human chest conditions(war and the environment)
Water
Pearl Habor (WWII): "The USS Arizona, being the most heavily damaged ship during the attack, continues to leak oil from the hulk into the harbor" (environmental effect of war)Oil strike 1991: Crude oil released into the sea killed tens of thousands of marine birds and mammals. Oil from extinguished wells formed huge petrochemical lakes, destroying the land surface (war and the environment)
Afghanistan war – Pollution from application of explosives entered air, soil and water.
Hiroshima & Nagasaki nuclear explosions – Radioactive sand clogged wells used for drinking water winning, thereby causing a drinking water problem that could not easily be solved. Surface water sources were polluted, particularly by radioactive waste. Agricultural production was damaged; dead stalks of rice could be found up to seven miles from ground zero.
Iraq & Kuwait – Additionally, pollutants seeped from bombed chemical plants into the rivers. Drinking water extracted from the river was polluted, resulting in widespread disease. For example, cases of typhoid fever have increased tenfold since 1991.
Iraq & the United States – Damage to sanitation structures by frequent bombing, and damage to sewage treatment systems by power blackouts cause pollution of the River Tigris. Two hundred blue plastic containers containing uranium were stolen from a nuclear power plant located south of Baghdad. The radioactive content of the barrels was dumped in rivers and the barrels were rinsed out. Poor people applied the containers as storage facility for water, oil and tomatoes, or sold them to others. Milk was transported to other regions in the barrels, making it almost impossible to relocate them.
Russia & Chechnya – Major environmental problems include radioactive waste and radiation, oil leaks into the ground from bombarded plants and refineries, and pollution of soil and surface water.
Vietnam war – The application of 72 million litres of chemical spray resulted in the death of many animals, and caused health effects with humans. One chemical that was applied between 1962 and 1971, called Agent Orange, was particularly harmful. Its main constituent is dioxin, which was present in soil, water and vegetation during and after the war.
Kosovo war – In 1999 when NATO bombed Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, the resulting environmental damage was enormous. Petrochemical plants in suburbs started leaking all kinds of hazardous chemicals into air, water and soil. Factories producing ammonia and plastics released chlorine, hydrochloric acid, vinyl chloride and other chlorine substances, resulting in local air pollution and health problems. Water sources were polluted by oil leaking from refineries. The Danube River was polluted by oil more severely, but this time hydrochloric acid and mercury compounds also ended up there. These remained in the water for a considering period of time and consequently ended up in neighbouring countries Rumania and Bulgaria.
(from: environmental effects of war )
Oil strike, 1991
A scientist from a Desert Laboratory toured Kuwait’s burnt-out oilfields. ‘I’ve never seen such devastation. Kuwait’s desert before the Gulf War was very healthy, despite centuries of nomadic grazing and decades of oil development. It supported substantial greenery and wildlife. But now it’s coated in oil residues that affect water permeability, seed germination and microbial life. Plants are dying because they can’t breathe through blackened leaves under dark skies.’
Capping the burning oil wells took ten months. Crude oil released into the sea killed tens of thousands of marine birds and mammals. Oil from extinguished wells formed huge petrochemical lakes, destroying the land surface. Toxic smoke and fumes killed migratory birds and aggravated human chest conditions. A veterinarian at the liberation of Kuwait said: ‘I saw birds just dropping out of the sky. Later I found a herd of dead camels covered with dead flies: whatever killed the camels killed the flies at the same time.’
web: http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/infodocs/st_environment.html
DEATH BY WATER
Soldiers besieging Sarajevo cut off the electricity supply, and with it the water pumps; people lining up at wells and stand pipes were easily and routinely picked off by snipers or attacked with mortar fire. It’s been common practice in war zones for belligerents to fill wells with rocks, steal pipes and pumping systems, dynamite dams, and pollute what’s left. A revolt in Iraq was crushed by draining the marshes on which the rebels lived and depended. Millions have died in war zones and refugee camps from water-borne diseases.
And water looks increasingly likely to be a cause of war, because there is simply not enough of it to go round. In the mere 40 years up to 1990, global water-use tripled. Its use is inequitable and profligate where it’s relatively easy to get. A western family can use 2000 litres a day; in Africa a few litres of untreated water each have to be carried, often for long distances or in war conditions. The world population is still growing, while water tables fall, underground aquifers empty, lakes shrink and wetlands dry up.
There are fears for war over the Euphrates, the object of a vast damming operation in Turkey which will cut Syria’s water supply by a third – and Turkey threatened to cut Syria off altogether for supporting Turkish dissidents. There are fears for war over the river Jordan: Israel, bent on self-sufficiency, claims all the water it can; but Syria, Jordan and the Palestinians need supplies too. There are fears for war over the Nile: Egypt is diverting river water to irrigate the desert, to grow crops instead of importing them; eight more countries, including drought-devastated Sudan, are in the queue. President Sadat has said: ‘The only matter that could take Egypt to war again is water’
web: http://www.ppu.org.uk/learn/infodocs/st_environment.html
Land
Can Gio:Mangroves one of the essential plant to provide the perfect habitat, food and reproductive ground for many marine and terrestrial animals were destroyed during this defoliant. Mangroves did not only provide food for animals but it also provided food for us human. And that's not all it also provided the local people charcoal, timber and fuel wood. With the chemical sprayed the soil is chemically changed giving it a different pH so plant would not be able to grow in these conditions. Mangroves also provide protection against tides, waves and water current so with out this plant coastal area becomes flooded and cause riverbank erosions.
There were a slight raise in number of animals such as fish and molluscs because of the dead leaves that the mangrove provided. But as the mangrove disappeared as the result of the chemical spray, the number of animals also start to decrease. Indirectly it also affect the life style of the people who lived in those areas as they were dependant on these natural resource as a living.
Organisms (examples of effects on specific organisms as parts of food chains and webs - biomagnification and bioaccumulation)