This article is a list of environmental disasters. In this context it is an annotated list of specific events caused by human activity that results in a negative effect on the environment.
Environmental disasters by category
Agricultural
Africanized bees, known colloquially as "killer bees" Mismanagement and shrinking of the Aral Sea Drying up of the Colorado River Delta due to extensive diversion of the Colorado River, mainly for agriculture "Dirty dairying" in New Zealand Dust Bowl in central United States (1930s) Great sparrow campaign; sparrows were eliminated from Chinese farms, which caused locusts to swarm the farms and contributed to a famine which killed 38 million people. Gulf of Mexico dead zone Salinity in Australia Salinization of the Fertile Crescent Salton Sea California, U.S.
Biodiversity 2006 Zakouma elephant slaughter Chestnut blight Indian vulture crisis due to Diclofenac Deforestation of Easter Island Destruction of the old growth forests Devil facial tumour disease Dutch Elm Disease Emerald Ash Borer Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef Extinction of Australian megafauna Four Pests Campaign of China, 1958 Ghost nets Grounding of SS Makambo on Lord Howe Island Gulf of Mexico dead zone Invasive species in New Zealand Introduction of the Nile perch into Lake Victoria in Africa, devastating indigenous fish species Introduction of nutria to Louisiana Kudzu in the United States Loss of Louisiana Wetlands Mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows Rabbits in Australia Red imported fire ants Reduction in the number of the American bison
Shark finning The Saemangeum Seawall The loss of biodiversity of New Zealand
Human health Agent Orange use by the United States during the Vietnam War, resulting in lasting serious health effects on the Vietnamese population, such as cancer, nervous system disorders, and countless related fatalities Cancer Alley Goiânia accident, human deaths resulting from dismantling a scrapped medical machine containing a source of radioactivity Health effects arising from the September 11 attacks Introduction of infectious diseases by Europeans causing the death of indigenous people during European colonization of the Americas Introduction of the bubonic plague (the Plague of Justinian) in Europe from Africa in the 7th century resulting in the death of up to 60% (100 million) of the population. Introduction of the bubonic plague (the Black Death) in Europe from Central Asia in the 14th century resulting in the death of up to 60% (200 million) of the population and recurring until the 18th century. Mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows Guadalajara explosions in Mexico, April 1992
Industrial
1912 Itai-itai disease, due to cadmium poisoning in Japan 1948 Donora smog 1952 The Great Smog in London 1962 to 1970 Mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows 1970 Ontario Minamata disease in Canada 1976 Seveso disaster, chemical plant explosion, caused highest known exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in residential populations 1983 Times Beach, Missouri the town was completely evacuated due to a dioxin contamination 1984 Bhopal disaster (December 3, 1984, India), leak of methyl isocyanate resulted in more than 22,000 deaths. 1986 Sandoz chemical spill into the Rhine river 1989 Phillips Disasters 1990, Release of cyanide, heavy metals and acid into the Alamosa River, Colorado, from the Summitville mine, causing the death of all aquatic life 17 miles downstream. 1991, California's largest hazardous chemical spill: A 19,000-gallon (72,000 L) tank railroad car containing the pesticide/herbicide metam sodium derails from a northbound Southern Pacific freight train, tumbling off the bridge over the Sacramento River at the Cantara Loop near Dunsmuir, California, and rupturing on the rocks below, spilling the car's entire load into the river. Virtually every aquatic organism on a 40-mile (64 km) stretch of river was killed. 2000 Baia Mare cyanide spill of a gold mine in Romania, January 2000 2001 Bellevue hazardous waste fire, Australia, contaminated the Helena River and groundwater used for freshwater by substantial parts of the Perth metropolitan region. 2001 AZF Toulouse chemical factory explosion 2003 Release of sulfur dioxide at the Al-Mishraq plant in Iraq 2005 Jilin chemical plant explosions 2007 Release of lead dust into Esperance Harbour 2008 Guangxi chemical plant explosions China 2008 Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill 2011 Bohai Bay oil spill China 2012 Guangxi cadmium spill China, when toxic cadmium contaminated the Guangxi Longjiang river (龙江河) and water supply. 2015 Shenzhen landslide China, a landslide of construction waste at Shenzhen. 2018 West Footscray warehouse fire, Australia 2018 Fujian Quangang Carbon Nine leakage event China 2019 Campbellfield factory fire, Australia Baogang Tailings Dam China Cancer Alley Environmental issues with the Three Gorges Dam Health issues on the Aamjiwnaang First Nation due to chemical factories Love Canal toxic waste site Minamata disease (1950s and 1960s) mercury poisoning in Japan Kodaikanal mercury poisoning in India Release of CFCs resulting in ozone depletion Spring Valley, which was used as a chemical weapons testing ground during World War I. Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens sites in the city of Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, known as the largest toxic waste site in North America. United States Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites in the United States
Mining
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
