Environmental health centers for asbestos and their health impact surveys and activities

Abstract

In 2009, Korea banned the import, transport, and use of asbestos, and the Asbestos Injury Relief Act (AIRA) was promulgated in 2011. Two environmental health centers for asbestos (EHCA), including Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital (PNUYH) and SoonChunHyang University Cheonan Hospital (SCHUCH), were adapted to find environmental asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) and to support the purposes of AIRA. EHCA conducted a health impact survey (HIS) on persons who resided or reside near asbestos factories or mines. A total of 13,433 persons have taken screening examinations in PNUYH EHCA, and 623 persons (4.6%) have had secondary examinations. Of the 21,014 persons who had screening examinations in SCHUCH EHCA, 2490 persons (11.8%) had secondary examinations. Some of those who tested positive for ARDs through HISs filed applications for the asbestos victims’ medical pocketbook (AVMP). Approximately 116 and 612 persons received AVMPs as a result of PNUYH and SCHUCH examinees, respectively. EHCAs have conducted HISs, public relations, and education for asbestos victims, ordinary citizens, and physicians. As HISs are based on voluntary participation, they does not monitor high-risk groups. Active surveillance focusing on high-risk groups has been blocked by the personal information protection act. Although important work has been performed in finding environmental asbestos victims and increasing public awareness on asbestos, it is necessary to improve the current system and registration.

Monitoring and Simulating Environmental Asbestos Dispersion from a Textile Factory

“…As the major contributors to ‘pollution export’ and ‘double standards’, Japan and Korea have the responsibility to collaborate with other Asian countries. The fact that the first recognized occupational cancer in Korea was MM in a former worker of Korean J [ 8 ] and that the first recognized ARD was asbestosis in an Indonesian J worker (personal communication) is not surprising.…”

“…Although the simultaneous measurement of asbestos concentration inside and outside asbestos factories is important for estimating environmental emissions from asbestos exposure sources, it is hard to find asbestos concentration data for both the exposure source (inside the factory) and the surrounding environment. After social concerns related to environmental asbestos health problems, the Korean government promoted the asbestos injury relief act, which compensated environmental asbestos victims without requiring knowledge of environmental exposure level [ 8 ].…”

The Asbestos Ban in Korea from a Grassroots Perspective: Why Did It Occur?

“…First, while some basic compensation programs, even though somewhat dysfunctional due to the inherent deficiencies of the Pneumoconiosis Act, as mentioned above, were available for workers with asbestos-related diseases, no such measures were present for environmental victims. To reveal the extent of environmental problems, activists and professionals emphasized that compensation should be provided to the environmental victims identified in studies near old mines or old asbestos product manufacturing facilities [ 26 ]. The Asbestos Injury Relief Act was enacted in 2011 following a Japanese model.…”

Occupational Burden of Asbestos-Related Diseases in Korea, 1998–2013: Asbestosis, Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Laryngeal Cancer, and Ovarian Cancer

“… 1 In particular, the number of reported cases of environmental ARDs has rapidly increased since 2011, after the release of Asbestos Injury Relief Act (AIRA) in Korea. 11 12 …”