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Negative Effects Of NAFTA On The Environment

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The Free trade agreement has broadened our scope on international trade and has benefited our economy but has our treatment of the environment been forgotten and left behind? The Free trade agreement between Mexico, the United States and Canada also known as NAFTA has created negative impacts on the environment, due to the increase agricultural land needed to supply demand from other countries. These negative environmental effects can be observed mostly in Mexico. It has been recorded that since NAFTA has been signed, there has been a higher need for chemicals such as nitrogen found in fertilizers (Audley, J. J., Papademetriou, D. G., Polaski, S., & Vaughan, S. 2004). This chemical is used in agriculture to produce more abundant crop on soil that has lost its quality through overuse. …show more content…

(Audley, J. J., Papademetriou, D. G., Polaski, S., & Vaughan, S. 2004). This runoff of nitrogen causes algae blooms which speeds up the aging process of lakes and waterways. This has negative effects since it can lead to oxygen deficiency in estuaries and waterways (Mitsch, W. J., Day, J. W., Gilliam, J. W., Groffman, P. M., Hey, D. L., Randall, G. W., & Wang, N. 2001). The effect of nitrogen runoff has been seen in larger concentrations in Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico due to its warm weather which accelerates algae bloom (Audley, J. J., Papademetriou, D. G., Polaski, S., & Vaughan, S. 2004). This also affects the coast where there is a large concentration of marine biodiversity. The demand for fresh fruits and vegetables has increased. Mexico being a larger producer has increased the amount it produces, which leads to other environmental effects including the runoff of nitrogen into the waterways and also the lack of water (Audley, J. J., Papademetriou, D. G., Polaski, S., & Vaughan, S.

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