Exploring the Aluminum Industry
Aluminum, once an element only owned by the rich, has now become a common everyday materials that can be found in satellites, jewelry, eyeglass frames, optical instruments, tableware, foil, and is a major component of basic house building. So with such an important element there always comes an industry that adheres the classical law of supply and demand. According to a journal by the the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI), aluminum production comes from the mining of raw ore before the actual Aluminum metal itself is extracted through various industrial process such as refining and smelting. The journal then goes into more detail about all three process and the associated health risks that come with them as well as the overall impact that aluminum extraction has on the climate. Some of the possible health hazards mentioned in the article were: heat stress, hearing loss, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory problems, lung disease, cancer, ETC. The impacts that aluminum extraction has on the environment were said to be industrial emission of airborne chemicals that can contaminate nearby waters and soil while putting the nearby community at risk of developing acute cancer.
Something that I found interesting about the article is when they mentioned the possibility of developing technology that could lead to a new aluminum extraction process called carborthermic production of aluminum which could lead to energy savings which could lead to the Aluminum industry saving 21% of energy on a yearly while also extracting purer versions of Aluminum. Despite all the problems that come with extracting Aluminum both internally and externally I still believe that this industry must be allowed to continue to develop considering how important Aluminum is in housewares. Besides we can all rest easy knowing that there are in fact plenty of prevention methods put in place over the years, such the personal protective equipment act (PPE) or the powered air purifying act (PPAP) that severely reduces the risk of health hazards mentioned in this journal. Now a question that I would have for my readers would be: What do you think should be done to improve workroom safety in the aluminum industry?
Sources;
Wesdock, James C., and Ian M. F. Arnold. “Occupational and Environmental Health in the Aluminum Industry.” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, vol. 56, 8 May 2014, doi:10.1097/jom.0000000000000071.
I found it surprising that aluminium production had many impacts on human health. I agree with your opinion that aluminium production must be continued since many objects in our everyday lives are made from it. I also think that more should be done to lessen the harm on the environment and the health of employees and surrounding communities. Though, I was wondering if any technology has been developed that helps to lessen the impact?
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ReplyDeleteSeeing all the health risks associated with the production of aluminium like: hearing loss, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory problems, lung disease, and cancer really came as a shock to me. I totally agree with your opinion that aluminium production must be continued since many objects in our everyday lives are made from it like the pans and pots we cook with. I also think that more should be done to reduce the potential harm on the workers in the industry. Could potentially wearing special body suits or even gas masks help reduce potential safety issues?
It came to my shock the amount of possible health hazards such as: heat stress, hearing loss, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory problems, lung disease, cancer with the production of aluminum. I personally agree with your opinion that aluminium production must be continued since many objects in our everyday lives are made from it.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your blogpost, it has come to my attention that there should be more done to lessen the harm on the environment and the health of employees and surrounding communities. I was wondering whether the use of safe tools and equipment are used and properly maintained would reduce the safety issues that are currently portrayed.