The specificity of the infrastructure of the city of Edison lies in the fact that it is a city that provides large-scale transportation of goods. As a transit point, Edison is a city where the highways running through the city are particularly important. Walking in the city center and observing the urban structure, it is impossible not to attach importance to the large number of large-scale flyovers that penetrate the fabric of the city. New Jersey’s relative proximity to New York means there is an excess of cars passing through the city on a regular basis. Edison can be referred to as a kind of transportation hut, that is, a point through which a large stream of cars and trucks inevitably passes.
The active movement of machines that maintains their constant influx can be perceived as a sufficient chemical threat to the environment. Although the flyovers are elevated relative to the main urban structure, the air around the highway seems to be more prone to harmful engine fumes. This combination of natural resources and industrial buildings risks causing permanent harm to the health of residents. People living near motorways, in particular, must experience shortness of breath due to air pollution. Moreover, this condition for the existence of a city leads to noise pollution, which exerts psychological pressure on residents and, accordingly, affects the everyday well-being of citizens. Thus, the chemical threat in the city is represented by air pollution due to the continuous flow of cars passing through the city. Noise pollution is a physical threat due to the same reason for the excessive number of highways.
The health risks posed by chemical air pollution include the health damage associated with poor air quality. First of all, these negative consequences concern children, who, in this case, are the most physically vulnerable group of the population. Due to its young age, the child’s body is constantly developing and forming. Environmental pollution of the air puts at risk the correct and full development of the lungs of the child. The constant perception of polluted air for a developing organism can lead to lung diseases such as asthma and emphysema. In the context of the current Covid pandemic, such deviations in physical development can lead to a more severe course of the disease and even be fatal. Thus, air pollution from the Edison freeways is indeed putting the development of children’s physical health at risk.
Talking about the physical threat posed by noise pollution from the constant flow of cars, it is necessary to worry about the psychological health of children. The developing psyche of the child may not attach direct importance to noise pollution, which does not mean that the noise will not put pressure on the child’s mental state. The threat of constant noise pollution can be increased neuroticism of the child, high mental fatigue, as well as a permanent feeling of stress (Forouhid, 2017). Consequently, it appears that noise pollution, although it may not be noticed by children, still makes them the most vulnerable social group in this context.
In order to overcome the problem of noise pollution at the level of the whole city, the Edison administration should probably attend to the renewal of road surfaces and highway structures. Many materials, such as metal or wood, are highly sound reflective, which is why noise pollution occurs. This problem could be minimized by making the highway pavement more sound-absorbing material or by building tunnels around the highway to isolate sound. Moreover, the special concentration of the administration should be on protecting those recreational areas where noise can be heard. In particular, in parks and green areas of the city, it would be possible to make a noise restriction working due to a ban on constant traffic. Thus, the use of noise-absorbing material in the construction of roads and buildings, as well as the maintenance of pedestrian areas, could help overcome the dangerous problem of noise pollution.
Due to the inability to completely eliminate the problem of air pollution due to the importance of having a highway for the economy and infrastructure of the city, it is necessary to find an opportunity to reduce pollution to a minimum. Air pollution can be reduced, at least at the level of regular initiatives of city residents – the environmental agenda, if properly presented, can force many people to reconsider their views on driving. Raising awareness of alternative, eco-centric modes of travel could reduce overall air pollution. As for the highways and the vulnerable communities around them, there is a need to take care of greening the roadside on each interstate highway. This is the only way to isolate the spread of harmful substances directly into the urban atmosphere.
Thus, despite the impossibility of completely eliminating the causes of threats to the health of Edison’s young population, it is possible to reduce the risks of harm to a minimum. Because of the unpredictable impacts on health and mental development, children are the most at risk of harm in the social group in the city. By improving the city’s green spaces and increasing residents’ responsibility for pollution, the Edison administration can significantly reduce the threat to the health of this social group.
Reference
Forouhid, A. E. (2017). Noise emissions from highways with the use of measuring and modeling. Vibroengineering PROCEDIA, 15, 94-99.