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Environmental Irony: Summoning Death in Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Peter Atkins

    (Department of Geography, University of Durham, Durham DH1 3LE, England)

  • Manzurul Hassan

    (Department of Geography and Environment, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh)

  • Christine Dunn

    (Department of Geography, University of Durham, Durham DH1 3LE, England)

Abstract

The arsenic crisis that affects at least thirty million water consumers in Bangladesh has been called the world's greatest ever environmental health disaster. Although the problem and the potential solutions have been presented confidently in the media, the argument of this paper is that, ironically, very little of the science or the technology is certain. From the spatial and depth variabilities of contamination, through safety thresholds, to the accuracy of field testing kits, we find indeterminacy. We argue that rather than shying away from such uncertainty, however, mitigation policies must acknowledge and embrace it if any real progress is to be made.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Atkins & Manzurul Hassan & Christine Dunn, 2007. "Environmental Irony: Summoning Death in Bangladesh," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(11), pages 2699-2714, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:39:y:2007:i:11:p:2699-2714
    DOI: 10.1068/a38123
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chen, Y. & Ahsan, H., 2004. "Cancer Burden from Arsenic in Drinking Water in Bangladesh," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(5), pages 741-744.
    2. Paul, Bimal Kanti, 2004. "Arsenic contamination awareness among the rural residents in Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(8), pages 1741-1755, October.
    3. Ross Nickson & John McArthur & William Burgess & Kazi Matin Ahmed & Peter Ravenscroft & Mizanur Rahmanñ, 1998. "Arsenic poisoning of Bangladesh groundwater," Nature, Nature, vol. 395(6700), pages 338-338, September.
    4. Hassan, M. Manzurul & Atkins, Peter J. & Dunn, Christine E., 2005. "Social implications of arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(10), pages 2201-2211, November.
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