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Concept
Environmental disaster
Summary
An environmental disaster or ecological disaster is defined as a catastrophic event regarding the natural environment that is due to human activity. This point distinguishes environmental disasters from other disturbances such as natural disasters and intentional acts of war such as nuclear bombings.
Environmental disasters show how the impact of humans' alteration of the land has led to widespread and/or long-lasting consequences. These disasters have included deaths of wildlife, humans and plants, or severe disruption of human life or health, possibly requiring migration.
Environmental disasters historically have affected agriculture, biodiversity including wildlife, the economy and human health. The most common causes include pollution that seeps into groundwater or a body of water, emissions into the atmosphere and depletion of natural resources, industrial activity or agricultural practices.
The following is a list of major environmental disasters:
Seveso disaster, 1976 – Release of dioxin.
Love Canal, 1978 - Neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York that was contaminated by 21,000 tons of toxic chemicals, including at least twelve that are known carcinogens (halogenated organics, chlorobenzenes, and dioxin among them), from a former chemical waste dump site. President Carter declared a state of emergency in 1978, and it eventually led to the destruction of homes and relocation of more than 800 families. The effects of the disaster led to the 1980 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, better known as Superfund. The Love Canal Disaster is also credited as the start of the environmental activism movement in the United States.
Amoco Cadiz oil spill, 1978 – the vessel broke in two, releasing its entire cargo of of oil.
Ok Tedi environmental disaster, 1984. , mine operators have discharged about two billion tons of tailings, overburden and mine-induced erosion into the Ok Tedi river system. About of forest has died or is under stress.
Bhopal disaster, 1984 – Release of methyl isocyanate gas and other chemicals.
Official source
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