Several events from the past have had a bad impact on the environment. And who is that to blame? Humans, of course.
Over the past century there have been multiple catastrophes which damaged the environment up to the point where the harm can’t be undone.
There has been a tremendous number of human errors which resulted in tragic consequences and of ecological hazards caused by big companies trying to make some profit by dumping their waste in poor or underdeveloped areas.
We’re taking a look back at these XX ecological disasters to remind yourselves about the big mistakes corporations have made over the years, putting the health of millions of people at risk and destroying this planet we call home in the process.
1. The Oil Pollution in Niger Delta (2004-2007)
Between 9 and 13 millions barrels of oil were dumped by Shell in the Niger Delta, making it one of the most polluted places on Earth.
Soil and water quality is beyond poor and the their fishing industry also deal with some significant damage. Shell agreed earlier this year to pay around $80 millions for the damage.
2. The Chernobyl Disaster (1986)
An error made by humans led to one of the biggest nuclear accidents which caused the death of several of people and damages estimated at billions of dollars.
More than 30 years later and it’s still not safe for people to live in this town. The complete nuclear cleanup is scheduled in 2065.
3. The Cyanide Spill in Romania (2000)
The gold mine from Baia Mare, Romania, spilled at least 4 million gallons of cyanide into major rivers such as Lupes, Somes, Tisza, and Danube causing major contamination.
4. The Deepwater Horizon Incident (2010)
The explosion of the oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico spilled five million barrels in the water, killing everyone on the oil rig and causing the largest oil spill in the history at the time.
The estimated damage was around $17 billion. Hundreds of marine species were killed or irreversibly affected.
5. The Wildfires In Amazon (2019)
Fires in the area are usually set for agricultural purposes however these can often get out of hand.
In 2019 and 2020 these wildfires destroyed at least three million hectares resulting in concerns about the deforestation of the Amazon and sparking many political controversies.
The environment is degrading and it’s happening fast. The results of pollution can be seen on a daily basis in every corner of the world: floods, fires, ice bergs melting, animals and fish are dying because of their habitats being poisoned.
In these days it’s important to remember that those responsible for this are the companies who put profit first and don’t care about the consequences others have to deal with.