Impact of Animal Testing on the Environment

As I mentioned in my previous blog post, thousands of animals are used and killed as subjects of cosmetic testing each year. At the end of an experiment, these animals are discarded, which adds up to a large part of the environmental waste.

In laboratories that engage in animal testing, not only do they dispose of the animals, but also any potentially dangerous chemicals, as well as food and other housing materials they kept the animals in. Feeding and maintaining the animal’s cages during the research experiment process requires a lot of work. And because these experiments can take place over an extended period of time, the cost of feeding thousands of animals is over hundreds of thousands of dollars (Shroff, 2016).

Many animals do not survive the testing process and are disposed in large numbers. The process of transporting, disposing the waste, and the actual animal decomposition itself, all negatively affect the environment. These factors combined impact the environment, the water, and the air quality. This poses a significant threat on our fragile environment. The environment is exposed to toxic chemicals, radioactive materials, diseases, and buildup of waste (Shroff, 2016).

“According to the National Institutes of Health, waste from their animal testing facilities totaled 1.5 million pounds from 2011 to 2013.”

A large number of companies do not take part in animal testing, but rather choose to use less harmful testing methods. Organizations have been developed to combat the negative environmental consequences of animal testing.

Source:

Shroff J. (2016, November 11). The significant impact of animal testing on the environment. Retrieved from https://jaishroff.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/the-significant-impact-of-animal-testing-on-the-environment/