As somebody who grew up downwind of the Standard Oil refinery and three major steel mills in Cleveland plus drank and swam in Lake Erie water in the 50s and 60s, I have to say the effect of environmental is highly overrated.
I grew up within a few miles of the main production plant/headquarters for Dow Chemical Company in Midland, Michigan. We swam and ate fish caught in the Tittabawassee River, which flowed within yards of my house. There were many days when you could step out of the back door and smell the fact that "Dow was making money this morning" ...