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Extreme exposure to pollution and toxic substances in areas the UN is calling "sacrifice zone"' causes the communities that live in them as many nine million premature deaths each year. The term describes areas around the world where people's health is being sacrificed "in the name of profit and economic growth, where people are exposed to elevated levels of air and water pollution, and toxic substances such as mercury, lead, and 'forever' chemicals that don't break down in nature". David Boyd, the UN's Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment, says exposure to these substances causes increased risk of cancer, respiratory disease, heart disease, and birth defects, and that life expectancy 10-15 years shorter in these areas. He sees this is a violation of human rights, as defined by the UN last year, which stated that everyone has the right to live in a "clean, healthy and sustainable environment" last year. He reckons that since the pandemic began, deaths from exposure to toxic substances have caused twice as many deaths as Covid, by the current estimates, and that governments should bring in tougher regulation and end the use of the substances such as lead that bring so many health defect. Photo: Workers at a mine in Jharia, India Credit: Getty Images
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