ASPECTS REGARDING THE IMPACT OF POLLUTION ON THE HEALTH OF THE INHABITANTS OF WESTERN REGION, ROMANIA

The present work aims to present aspects related to the main sources of environmental pollution that exist in the Western Region, as well as the impact of pollution on the health of the inhabitants, in order to ensure a healthy living environment for all the inhabitants of the region. Industrial activities located in this delimited area, sometimes very close or even in human settlements, lead to the appearance of intense sources of environmental pollution with effects on the health of the inhabitants. The short- and medium-term effects of air pollution are detrimental to human health and harm ecosystems and the economy. Long-term pollution affects the environment through: the effect of greenhouse gases, the destruction of the ozone layer, the presence of heavy metals, dust and suspended particles. The greenhouse gases specified in one of the annexes to the Kyoto Protocol are: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide. Heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead) are now well ahead of well-known pollutants such as carbon dioxide and sulfur and are predicted to be considered more dangerous than nuclear and solid waste. Heavy metal contamination is associated with their widespread use in industrial production, coupled with poor cleaning systems, as a result of which heavy metals enter the environment. Among all pollutants, suspended particles, nitrogen oxides, especially nitrogen dioxide, and ozone pose the highest risk to human health. Air pollution is potentially the most serious short- and medium-term health problem. Polluted air is the most difficult to avoid, and its effects penetrate everywhere and harm the health of the population. The Western Region has numerous sources of pollution such as the steel industry, the electricity and thermal energy production industry, the construction materials industry and the extractive industry.