Environmental Pollution and Community Health in Resource-Extraction Regions: Evidence, Gaps, and Intervention Frameworks

Helen Ekwi Osinem¹, Florence Eribenne², Stephen Vure Gbaraba³, Sylviastella Favour Peteranaba⁴

¹ Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Nursing Services Department, Jos, Nigeria.

² Bay Cove Human Services, Boston, MA, USA.

³ Independent Researcher, Greater Manchester, UK.  

⁴ University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA. 

Abstract

This review examines how pollution generated by resource extraction affects community health, with particular attention to exposure pathways, vulnerable populations, evidence gaps, and intervention options. Drawing on multidisciplinary literature from environmental science, epidemiology, occupational health, toxicology, public health, and governance, the study synthesizes evidence from mining, petroleum, gas, quarrying, and related processing contexts across Africa and other regions. The review identifies air, water, soil, sediments, food systems, tailings, and toxic residues as interconnected pathways through which metals, hydrocarbons, particulate matter, silica, and other contaminants reach workers and neighbouring populations. Major health burdens include respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, maternal, child, reproductive, occupational, and psychosocial effects, with risks intensified by poverty, livelihood dependence, age, pre-existing disease, weak healthcare access, and inadequate regulatory protection. The evidence also reveals persistent methodological weaknesses, including fragmented surveillance, inconsistent exposure metrics, limited biomonitoring, short study durations, and difficulties in causal attribution. The review finds that effective protection requires a shift from reactive remediation toward preventive, integrated governance. Priority interventions include stronger pollution controls, enforceable environmental regulation, community-based monitoring, health surveillance, transparent data systems, fair compensation, rehabilitation, and long-term clinical follow-up. Emerging digital tools and cleaner-energy systems may support these measures where they are embedded within accountable institutions and adapted to local conditions. The review concludes that safeguarding extraction-affected communities requires environmental justice, health-centred regulation, and sustained community participation. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, cumulative-exposure assessment, locally validated indicators, comparative governance analysis, and implementation-focused evaluation of interventions. Greater emphasis is also required on children, women, Indigenous peoples, informal workers, and remote settlements that remain systematically underrepresented in evidence.      

Keywords: Environmental pollution, Resource extraction, Community health, Exposure pathways, Environmental justice, Health surveillance

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