Background
There is no doubt that the shrinking of the Aral Sea has resulted in health problems for the local community. However, there is debate as to what extent of these problems can be sourced to this environmental situation. The full effects could take a generation to fully materialize and patterns of health problems to show up. Some of the main reasons why the Aral sea area suffered greatly were from "over irrigation and water mismanagement." Environmental impacts resulting from the changes in the Aral Sea region that could affect human health are "the salinization of the water table, pesticides in the environment and food chain, dust storms and air quality."
In the Uzbek region years of mono culture agriculture of cotton fields left soils depleted of naturally occurring minerals and nutrients. This eventually led to an increased use of pesticides and fertilizers to try and counter these new soil deficiencies. However, these increased chemicals found their way into the soils, water, and finally the Aral sea. These types of agricultural activities have also "resulted in widespread soil erosion, chemical pollution, and poor water quality and quantity."
Read more about this topic: Public Health Problems In The Aral Sea Region
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