Sci/275 Risk Assessment

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Risk Assessment
Brittney Scarborough
SCI/ 275
January 16, 2015
University of Phoenix
Risk Assessment
Environmental hormones alter many of the hormone systems found in the human body. Hormones are chemicals produced by the body that flow in the blood stream, regulating body functions and maintaining homeostasis. Certain pollutants, mainly phthalates and dioxins can change the body’s hormones. This creates abnormal hormonal balance; which can cause cancer and other health issues.
Dioxins are a group of chemicals that can be found in some herbicides and paper products. Phthalates is a chemical that is used to soften plastics like IV bags, beach balls, pop bottles, etc. These two chemicals can have a big impact on human health.
If a risk is acceptable, the benefits need to outweigh the risks. In this case, the risk is not acceptable for either chemical. The chemical, dioxin, creates the possibility of cancer. 95 percent of dioxins are consumed in meat, dairy, fish and breast milk. (Suzanne White, 2015). There have been reproductive, immunologic, skin and cancer issues related to dioxin. Herbicides can help agriculture, but organic vegetation would be a better way to consume food for human health.
The risks of the chemical, phthalates is also not acceptable. This chemical causes many health issues and is responsible for early onset of sexual maturity. Phthalates causes early development of breasts in young girls and abnormalities in reproductive organs in newborn boys. Newborns with mothers that have a moderate level of phthalates in their blood have an increased chance of being born with smaller penises and undescended testes. (Jones & Bartlett, 2015, p. 395). This chemical is causing many issues to the adolescent population. These health issues can cause the adolescent population to have a decrease rate of reproduction in their adulthood. Therefore we need to find ways to produce IV bags and eliminate the need for plastic softeners.
Risk assessment adds an important