Mitigating the Risk of Environmental Hazards in Mexico

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 U.S. must strengthen its risk mitigation strategy for environmental hazards before sending personnel to assist Mexico. The types of environmental hazards in Mexico and the 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.