Hygienic assessment of air protection activities at heat-and-power engineering enterprises

Abstract

Introduction. Quality of the environment produces direct effects on public health in large industrial centers. Implementation of air protection activities at heat-and-power engineering enterprises and autonomous heat supply sources (AHSS), including those stipulated within the “Clean Air” Federal project will allow improving ambient air quality on priority territories. Our research goal was to develop and test methodical approaches to hygienic assessment of air protection activities implemented at heat-and-power engineering enterprises and AHSS with their effectiveness estimated as per health risks. Materials and methods. We estimated effectiveness of air protection activities implemented at heat-and-power engineering enterprises and AHSS included in the Complex plans. It was done by analyzing changes in spatially differentiated rates of inhalation health risks together with residual risk assessment and estimating a number of people who were removed from zones with elevated exposure levels. Results. In Krasnoyarsk, we established a list that included 55 priority chemicals out of 251 substances emitted by heat-and-power engineering enterprises and AHSS. At present, these priority chemicals create unacceptable carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks regarding the respiratory system, eyesight, the immune system and some others (CR is up to 3.31•10-4, HIac is up to 202.31, and HIcr is up to 33.5). Activities to be implemented by 2024 at heat-and-power engineering enterprises and AHSS on the analyzed territory will make it possible to reduce non-carcinogenic risks by 2.57-13.5 times; carcinogenic risks are expected to decrease only slightly. In addition, more than 50 thousand people exposed to high acute non-carcinogenic risks and more than 30 thousand people exposed to high chronic non-carcinogenic risks will be moved to a zone with minimal (target) non-carcinogenic health risks. Limitations of the study were incomplete data on pollution sources and components of industrial emissions; some uncertainties associated with establishing reference exposure level, critical organs/systems and adverse effects; calculated data on concentrations used for certain chemicals. Conclusions. Implementation of air protection activities within the existing Complex plan will allow reducing locally occurring public health risks created by heat-and-power engineering enterprises and AHSS. Additional activities are required to mitigate public health risks down to their acceptable levels in the whole city.