Like littering? you are at risk for this disease

The habit of littering can not only endanger environmental health, such as the danger of flooding. In fact, human physical health can also be problematic due to garbage scattered everywhere. What are the dangers of littering for health?

Danger of littering

Garbage or waste, such as food scraps, plastics, cigarettes, and paper, should be disposed of in the trash. Because, if not, garbage will pile up so that it is rotten and spreads an unpleasant odor. A pile of rotting garbage can also invite flies which will have a bad impact on health.

Garbage contains disease-causing bacteria

Garbage that has accumulated and scattered everywhere, especially food scraps, will usually rot and become an ideal breeding ground for germs. If flies, cockroaches, or mice touch rubbish and accidentally touching human hands too, this is one way of transmitting germs from garbage to other people. Imagine if a fly or a cockroach that had just perched on a pile of trash then landed on top of your food. Obviously your food is contaminated with germs. Eating it will make you stricken with various diseases

Here are some diseases that occur due to littering:

• Hepatitis A

The Hepatitis A virus can spread through garbage. This virus causes acute liver dysfunction. The spread of the hepatitis A virus occurs due to contamination of food and water, which are then consumed by healthy people.

• Dysentery

Dysentery is inflammation of the intestine that causes diarrhea with blood or mucus. Diarrhea itself is characterized by frequent soft or liquid bowel movements. This condition is caused by amoeba and bacteria which are found in scattered garbage.

The bacteria that cause dysentery can also be transferred to humans after direct contact with bacteria in feces (for example, because they do not wash their hands thoroughly after defecating). These bacteria can also be spread through contaminated food and drink, or swimming in contaminated water. This disease is very contagious. If not treated promptly, dysentery can lead to serious, life-threatening dehydration.

• Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is a disease caused by Salmonella bacterial infection in the stomach and intestines. Most patients with mild infections recover within 4-7 days without treatment. Transmission can occur when people eat food contaminated with bacteria (such as eating at the same restaurant). Some people with acute diarrhea are hospitalized for intravenous lines and antibiotics.

Most Salmonellosis patients live in poor, polluting environmental conditions, and most are in close proximity to environments that are full of garbage everywhere. Therefore, the quality of food hygiene can increase the risk of food poisoning and other infections. In addition, you are also at high risk of getting Salmonellosis if you come into contact with an infected person.

• Bubonic plague

This disease is caused by bacteria Yersina pestisia which are transmitted by rodents and other rodents. Generally, bubonic plague is spread in areas with densely populated environments and certainly has a poor level of hygiene, aka garbage is scattered everywhere. Disease complications from these mice can lead to meningitis and even death.

Please note, that this disease is not only spread through mice. Animals such as rabbits, dogs, fleas and cats that have been infected with bubonic plague can be a source of disease transmission. Transmission occurs when you come into direct contact with or are bitten by the animal.

• Dengue fever

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a contagious disease caused by the dengue virus which is carried by mosquitoes Aedes aegypti. Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever used to be called "break-bone" disease because it sometimes causes joint and muscle pain, causing bones to feel cracked.

Dengue mosquitoes often breed in puddles of littered garbage. Therefore, it is better if the garbage is not thrown away, but buried to prevent the formation of mosquito nests.

Garbage can also poison river water which is used as a source of clean water for daily use

The habit of littering can result in garbage piling up in rivers or streams. As a result, the ecosystem in it will be damaged. The animals that live there and the quality of the water can be contaminated if garbage piles up. Not to mention the clogged river flow due to garbage causing another disaster.

There are several health problems that arise when a person consumes polluted river water. Some of the diseases include:

• Cholera. This disease is caused by bacteria Vibrio cholerae when you consume water or food that is contaminated with the feces of a person with the disease. You can also catch cholera if you wash food items with contaminated water. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and headaches.
• Amoebiasis, or tourist diarrhea, is caused by amoebae living in polluted water. This amoeba causes infection of the large intestine and liver. Symptoms include bloody and mucus diarrhea, which can be mild or very severe.

Avoid littering with the following tips

So, now you know the dangers of littering for the environment and health. From now on, immediately stop this bad habit and switch to a safer way of managing waste.

Here are some simple tips that can help reduce the amount of trash without having to litter:

1. Avoid waste. The more household products you buy, the more waste will be generated. Therefore, buy food ingredients or household products in moderation and choose products with the simplest packaging.
2. Reuse. To reduce the amount of waste, you may be able to reuse items that are no longer used. For example, turning used cans into plant pots or piggy banks, or turning used clothes into rags or mats.
3. Recycle. Use used items that can still be used and recycled into new things that are economical and useful. For example, making baskets or bags from a collection of coffee wrappers, newspaper waste into recycled paper, and so on.
4. Make compost. Instead of burning trash and causing air pollution, turn food scraps and leaves into compost for your plants.
5. Dispose of trash properly. Instead of burning them in a hurry, throw the trash in a landfill. In fact, now there are many places that facilitate the recycling of household plastics into more useful household products.