Clarke, Kayan. (2021, April 13). “A Narrative Review of Occupational Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Farmworkers.” Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. Retrieved February 6, 2022, from https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/8/4097

 

Oftentimes, those working in the farms and agricultural areas are those of an ethnic minority with little access to sufficient health care. This is vital for them, as they work in areas with poor air quality and high air pollution from agricultural dust exposure. This has been directly linked to many respiratory illnesses that cause issues for a large majority of farmworkers. After doing several studies, they measured a number of air pollutants, from pollutants from dust to volatile organic compounds, and even bacteria and inhalable microorganisms were all found within the air of many agricultural areas where these individuals work. 

I believe that these farmland workers who are exposed to such pollutants should be granted free health care for their hard labor. If not this, I believe that we should not be growing these certain crops that are releasing such large amounts of pollution into our atmosphere. Many of these farmland workers have direct contact with these crops and are surrounded by this poor air at all hours while they work. This goes back to our biosequestration letters and how we must value our agricultural damages just as much as every other factor of climate change. It is not a  surprise that these workers are experiencing major illnesses and health problems surrounding their respiratory system.