What Does
Environmental Consequences Mean?
Environmental consequences related to corrosion refer to the destructive effects of corrosion's reaction with the environment. The severe consequences of the process of corrosion are a worldwide problem that requires a high degree of attention.
Environmental consequences of corrosion include:
- Shutdowns
- Wastage of valuable resources
- Contamination or loss
- Decreased efficiency
- Higher expense
- Compromised safety
- Compromised technology
Corrosionpedia Explains Environmental Consequences
Corrosion has countless consequences on the environment and has serious economic effects. Various countries have tried to identify the overall corrosion cost in their country, and in the US it is estimated that more than $70 billion dollars is wasted due to metallic corrosion.
Moreover, corrosion can seriously affect the health of the people. Over the years, a great number of metal devices have been used inside the body to sustain life, such as:
- Implants
- Pacemakers
- Plates
- Pins
Better techniques and new alloys are being discovered, but there are still problems due to corrosion. For example, faulty connections in devices like pacemakers could lead to failure. Other devices could also cause inflammation due to corrosion products present around the implanted devices.
Corroding structures can compromise safety as degradation can cause damage and mechanical problems with:
- Aircraft
- Bridges
- Gas pipelines
- Vehicles
- Structures
- Other metal devices
Corrosion can hinder the development of new ideas and technology. Most materials used by industries today need to withstand higher pressures, temperatures and more corrosive atmospheres.
With consequences such as these, the development of corrosion prevention techniques should be of utmost importance in order to protect the world from the destructive effects of corrosion.