From Pipes to Poop: How Pollution Makes Us Sick

For the full version of this article, written by our Founder and Board Chair Paul Padyk, MD, check out our free Substack post or subscribe to our Patreon.

As a physician, I’ve learned that you can’t separate environmental health from human health. What’s in our water, our air, and our soil finds its way into our bodies—especially for those without access to protection.

How infrastructure can poison us: the Flint River in Flint, MI

You may remember the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. In 2014, the city switched to a cheaper water source: the Flint River, which had long been contaminated by industry. The water’s corrosive quality caused lead to leach from old pipes and into drinking water. The result? Thousands of children with elevated lead levels—lead that affects the brain, kidneys, and heart, and hits developing children the hardest.

What else pollutes our environment and affects my health?

But lead pipes aren’t the only pathway for toxins. One of the most common environmental contaminants is human feces.

Fecal contamination of soil and water spreads a whole host of diseases: norovirus, salmonella, E. coli, hepatitis A. Even in countries with modern sewage systems, millions fall sick every year from illnesses that start in the gut.

When people are forced to poop outside—because there’s no toilet nearby—those pathogens enter our shared environment: the park soil, the stormwater drain, the river. No one is immune.

At Toilet Equity, we focus on this often-overlooked public health threat by providing clean, composting toilets for people without adequate toilet access. We’re preventing open defecation, keeping poop out of the environment, and helping protect everyone’s health.

Personal Access is Public Health: Read More

Whether it’s a heavy metal in your tap or bacteria in the dirt under your feet, the environment reflects back what we put into it. Clean infrastructure is healthcare. And a clean toilet? That’s prevention at its most basic.

Want to dive into the nitty gritty of pollutants and learn how environmental health impacts our own? Check out the full blog post for free on our Susbtack or subscribe to our Patreon for early access each month!

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This article originally appeared in our August 2025 email newsletter. You can subscribe to receive future updates here.