Mitigating the Risk of Environmental Hazards in Mexico
Abstract
The government of Mexico is grappling with vicious cartels, global economic recession, a substantial decline in the country's known oil reserves, and significant environmental issues. If the situation continues to deteriorate, the United States may be asked to assist in a variety of roles. Personnel assigned to work in Mexico will be exposed to a complex and wide array of environmental hazards that will require robust counter measures. Based on the experience of the U.S. military, history shows that unintended exposures to environmental hazards continue to occur despite best efforts. Although great progress has been made to improve deployment health activities, there are opportunities for improvement. The United States must strengthen its risk mitigation strategy for environmental hazards before sending personnel to assist Mexico. The types of environmental hazards that exist in Mexico and their potential health impact are discussed. Examples from past U.S. military exposures and insights on emerging issues are provided to illustrate why an effective risk mitigation strategy for Mexico's environmental hazards is essential. A technique for strengthening the risk mitigation process is proposed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 28, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA555537
Entities
People
- Terry E. Taylor
Organizations
- Naval War College