Background This review intends to explore the household hazardous waste (HHW) generation rates, HHW management, and people’s awareness regarding HHW in Asian countries based on the economic levels using the available published articles. Methods This is a systematic review of the scientific literature based on several databases, namely Scopus, ProQuest, PubMed, Sage Journals, and Elsevier’s Science Direct from 2008 to 2018. Results HHW generation rates in various Asian cities do not seem to be influenced by the countries’ financial status, except for e-waste. The variety in HHW generation rates among Asian countries might be due to various reasons, which include differences in (1) sampling frame/locations; (2) sampling size; (3) study duration; (4) seasons; (5) study year; and (6) HHW definition/composition. Governmental intervention programs on HHW management have been implemented in some of the Asian countries, mostly in high and upper-middle income groups although misconducts are still found. There is a tendency for economically developed countries to ship their e-waste to less-developed countries, where the system relies heavily on the informal sectors where unsafe treatments are often discovered. Low level of awareness regarding HHW risks is mostly identified in the lower-middle income group. However, even though high and upper-middle income groups have a better awareness of HHW, many people do not entirely follow the recommended practices. Conclusion The lack of enforced regulation and proper treatment infrastructure may lead to HHW being mixed with general household waste, which is found in many Asian countries, despite their income levels. In addition, a good awareness of HHW does not guarantee proper handling of it.

Asthma is a non-infectious disease which is commonly occurred in children and its prevalence highly varies in the world. It is known that ambient air in environment can worsen asthma. Generally, children prefer to play around their houses means that air quality around the household great influence on children health status, especially concerning in asthma. The method used in this research was cross-sectional. Data were collected from parents by filling out modified ISAAC questionnaire. Chi-square was applied as well to analyse the correlation of variables examined. This study was conducted in Surabaya, Indonesia, with 65 children around 6-7 years old as sample group. The result indicated that there was correlation between asthma symptoms in children and family history of asthma (P=0.024), and correlation between asthma symptoms and children with family history of asthma who lived with family or neighbour that actively doing open burning habit (P=0.036). The conclusion was open burning habit was potentially associated with asthma symptoms in children, without abandoning other external factors such as family history of asthma.

Generally, children spend most of their time at home. In that way, the condition of their home will really affect their health. Children living in beside roadway may be exposed to emission of vehicles passing by the road and enter the house through the ventilation. Whereas, children are vulnerable of getting respiratory disease due to inhaling poluted air continously. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between living in house beside roadway and night cough in children. The sample of study was the students aged 6–7 years from SDN Babatan IV Surabaya and SDN Sumur Welut III Surabaya. Data collecting was done using cross-sectional method by filling out questionnaires interviewed to the parents of study sample. The questionaires used was International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) which had already translated to bahasa Indonesia and modified. Children who experienced night cough without flu was 26.15%. Children living in the roadside was 13.85%. Asthma history was had by 4.61% of children and 12.31% of their parents. Relationships were found between night cough and house in roadside (P = 0.045), asthma history of children (P = 0.016), and asthma history of parents (P = 0.003). This study conclude that distance between house and roadway is a significant modifier for night cough without flu in children. Recommendations that can be given through this study are conducting allergy examination for children and adding facilities to absorb air pollutants in houses located beside roadway such as indoor plants or screen for ventilation.