biggest man made environmental disasters

Vermiculite mines in Libby, Montana gave the local residents jobs and helped the local economy. However, due to the mines high use of Asbestos the residents suffered related disorders such as mesothelioma. Because of mine activities that started back in 1919, residents continue to suffer until today.

The deep water horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil Spill) in the Gulf of Mexico is considered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The oil spill was a direct result of the explosion and sinking of the deepwater horizon oil rig which claimed 11 lives. Total oil wasted is estimated at 4.9 million barrels.

A huge crude carrier bearing the flag of Liberia split into three parts and sank, releasing 1,604,500 barrels (219,797 tons) of light crude oil and 4,000 tons of fuel oil making it the largest oil spill of its kind at that time and resulted

During the Vietnam War, destruction of the farmland and rice paddies that fed the enemy was promulgated by the American military strategists. Other than these areas which were the source of food and livelihood of the Vietnamese folk, the jungle along with its flora and fauna was also devastated.

AlMishraq is a state run sulfur plant near Mosul, Iraq which in June 2003 was the site of the largest humanmade release of sulfur dioxide ever recorded. A fire thought to have been deliberately started burned for almost a month spewing 21,000 tonnes of sulfur dioxide a day into the atmosphere.

In the 1940?s 21,000 tons of toxic industrial waste, containing highly toxic dioxin, was buried by Hooker Chemical (now Occidental Petroleum Corporation) which led to an adverse affect on nearby residents of Love Canal. The Love Canal neighborhood started gaining international attention as the health impact of such pollution became evident with miscarriages, cancers, and birth defects and has been described as a national symbol of a failure to exercise a sense of concern for future generations

The most infamous hypoxic zone in the United States,the gulf of mexicos

Considered one of the four major pollution diseases in the history of Japan, Minamata is caused by severe mercury poisoning that attacks the nervous system. In 1956, Chisso Corporations industrial wastewater containing methylmercury was released into Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea; 2,265 fatalities are recognized as a direct consequence to this polluting even.

In July of 1976, an explosion at a chemical manufacturing plant north of Milan, Italy released Tetrachlorodibenzopdioxin (TCDD) into the atmosphere adversely affecting the nearby town of Seveso. Shortly thereafter 3,300 animals died and many more were put down in order to prevent the spread of contamination into the food chain. Children were hospitalized with skin inflammation and nearly 500 people were found to have skin lesions.

Guiyu, China is the location of what may be the largest electronic waste (ewaste) site on earth. As a result 88% of the children in the area suffer from lead poisoning and there is more than the average rate of miscarriages. Consequently, the province is sadly referred to as the electronic graveyard