Developing a qualitative environmental health risk matrix and assessment tool for Malaysia

Abstract

ABSTRACT This is a project under the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) to develop a qualitative environmental health risk assessment (EHRA) tool to be adopted at the sub-district,district, and state levels, in establishing an Environmental Health Risk Inventory (EHRI) for Malaysia. We developed the EHRA framework and tool based on the global best practices. In the framework, we included an exposure rating based on population density and vulnerability in addition to hazard rating, to generate the risk rating of an area. For validation, we applied the tool using the hazard source inventory collected by the MOH team in the pilot study states of Perak, Melaka, and Sabah in Malaysia. The hazard sources included legal and illegal solid waste disposal sites, industries generating toxic wastes, sewage treatment plants, and sources (agricultural activities, mining, etc.). Based on the risk ratings collected from the pilot states using the tool, we assigned the risk rating categories and colours. The risk rating categories could be used to map the distribution of hazardous sources in Malaysia, and inform policy and decision-making at the state and national level in protecting environmental health. This qualitative EHRA tool has been successfully applied in developing EHRI in Malaysia and miscellaneous sources (agricultural activities, mining, etc.).