Environmental Health Standards Research Articles

Patching sustainability loopholes within the lead-acid battery industry of Bangladesh: An environmental and occupational health risk perspective

Despite global efforts to phase out lead (Pb) products, their widespread use persists, notably in the lead-acid battery (LAB) industry. This trend is also evident in Bangladesh, where sustainability concerns surrounding the largely unexplored, yet highly vibrant informal sector remain unaddressed. It is imperative to unravel a comprehensive picture to implement targeted formalization strategies effectively at a meso level. This study aims to achieve this by using a substance flow analysis (SFA), life cycle assessment (LCA), and human health risk assessment (HHRA) approach, to highlight the environmental impacts and health risks associated with the industry's thriving informal sector. This sector emerges as a towering colossus of Pb pollution in the country, with a striking 86 % of the total Pb loss occurring from informal recycling alone. Informal electric vehicle (EV) LAB manufacturing is identified as a major contributor to land use, global warming, fine particulate matter formation, and terrestrial acidification impacts, with global warming and fine particulate matter contributing about 40 % each to the total human health impacts. Workers in the informal sector, the most overlooked victims of this industry, face alarming risks of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic toxicity-related diseases, with oral exposure route making up 90.8 % of the total non-carcinogenic risks. As developing nations grapple with similar waste management challenges, often exacerbated by their socio-economic and political contexts, these findings underscore the urgent need for a robust national action plan. Collaboration among governmental entities and international stakeholders is imperative to execute targeted cleanup initiatives and uphold compliance with international environmental and public health standards.

Global perspectives and transdisciplinary opportunities for locust and grasshopper pest management and research

Locusts and other migratory grasshoppers are transboundary pests. Monitoring and control, therefore, involve a complex system made up of social, ecological, and technological factors. Researchers and those involved in active management are calling for more integration between these siloed but often interrelated sectors. In this paper, we bring together 38 coauthors from six continents and 34 unique organizations, representing much of the social-ecological-technological system (SETS) related to grasshopper and locust management and research around the globe, to introduce current topics of interest and review recent advancements. Together, the paper explores the relationships, strengths, and weaknesses of the organizations responsible for the management of major locust-affected regions. The authors cover topics spanning humanities, social science, and the history of locust biological research and offer insights and approaches for the future of collaborative sustainable locust management. These perspectives will help support sustainable locust management, which still faces immense challenges such as fluctuations in funding, focus, isolated agendas, trust, communication, transparency, pesticide use, and environmental and human health standards. Arizona State University launched the Global Locust Initiative (GLI) in 2018 as a response to some of these challenges. The GLI welcomes individuals with interests in locusts and grasshoppers, transboundary pests, integrated pest management, landscape-level processes, food security, and/or cross-sectoral initiatives.

A regulatory framework for bottled water quality monitoring: A case of Emfuleni local municipality

BackgroundThe quality of drinking water has recently become of utmost concern to consumers worldwide, especially in areas where Water Service Authorities (WSAs) failed to provide safe water. To combat this challenge, government entities regulate water to ensure that safe water is provided. The Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) has experienced cases of water contamination by human excretion, whereby communities were affected. As a result, there was a sharp increase in bottled water (BW) use, which however gave rise to unregulated and counterfeit versions of popular brands. This situation poses threats to public health. AimThis study sought to determine the regulation of drinking water and to assess whether environmental health practitioners (EHPs) monitor the quality of water sources (BW and tap water) in ELM as outlined by the National Environmental Health Norms and Standards (NEHNS). SettingsThe study was conducted in the Emfuleni Local Municipality in South Africa. MethodsA quantitative cross-sectional study design was employed in this research. Fifteen online questionnaires using a Google Forms survey were distributed amongst all EHPs servicing ELM. Secondary data that included the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Service Delivery Budget Implentation Plan (SDBIP) for the 2017–2020 financial years were also evaluated, specifically for water quality monitoring (tap and bottled water). The dataset was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29. ResultsDue to complexity in the legislation and NEHNS in relation to Municipal Health Services (MHS), bottled water was not sampled at all. A number of EHPs were also not conversant with the regulations governing BW. Moreover, NEHNS consider bottled water as food, which does not fall under the MHS. ConclusionThere should be clarity in the legislation to ensure that bottled water monitoring is intensified to protect public health within the WSAs. ContributionThe findings of this study could assist policy-makers to make informed decisions on water quality monitoring, as well as clarify legislative issues on bottled water.

Examining the dynamics between economic development, tourism, renewable energy and life expectancy in the Nordic economies

As the world struggles with pressing issues like climate change and sustainable development, affecting health outcomes and environmental quality, the Nordic regionsare at the forefront of major global challenges. This paper investigates the role of human capital, renewable energy use, tourism, natural resources, and economic growth in shaping life in the Nordic region i.e., Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland).Utilizing panel data spanning from 1990 to 2020, the Driscoll and Kraay standard error (DSK) technique is employed to analyze this intricate interplay. The study reveals that in the Nordic context, sustainable economic growth, bolstered by investments in human capital and the widespread acceptance of renewable energy sources, has been positively associated with increased life expectancies. Furthermore, prudent management of natural resources has helped mitigate adverse health effects related to depletion, maintaining environmental and public health standards. The thriving tourism industry has also been shown to influence lifespan in this region positively. On the contrary, the empirical finding contended that an adverse correlation exists between carbon emissions and LEX. This research underscores the importance of a comprehensive and balanced approach that considers economic development, sustainable development, and public health in pursuing longer and healthier lives, providing valuable insights for policymakers and regions seeking to replicate these positive outcomes.The findings of this study are both conceptually reliable and empirically robust, providing important insights for the formulation of environmental and health policy.

Effectiveness of Using Chicken Eggshells as a Biocoagulant in Groundwater Treatment

The groundwater in Kota Bambu Selatan, West Jakarta, has high levels of turbidity and TDS. Therefore, it is necessary to be treated in order to comply with the regulations outlined in the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 2 of 2023 concerning Environmental Health standards. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness chicken eggshells as a biocoagulant for treating this groundwater. The techniques employed encompassed coagulation and flocculation, involving different coagulation G.td values (17,000, 34,000, 48,000, and 96,000) and a range of biocoagulant doses (100-500 mg/L). The outcomes of the treatment revealed that the utilization of chicken eggshells as a biocoagulant led to the removal of 47.14% of TDS and 97.17% of turbidity. The cost associated with implementing chicken eggshells as a biocoagulant amounted to IDR 230.70 per liter. In light of these findings, it can be deduced that chicken eggshells serve as an effective biocoagulant for reducing TDS and turbidity in the groundwater treatment.

Health and safety in hair salons during the Covid-19 situation: A cross-sectional study in a semi-urban district in Thailand

ObjectiveSince the COVID-19 crisis in Thailand, the need for salons to have impeccable hygiene and client-hairdresser monitoring heightened. Due to scarce research on the COVID-19 preventive measures taken by hairdressing salons in semi-urban locations in Thailand during the pandemic, this study aimed to evaluate the standard of hair salons in preventing COVID-19 disease transmission in a semi-urban district in the northeastern region of Thailand. MethodsUsing the purposive sampling method, data were collected from 22 Hair Salons. Data collection tools were a self-completed questionnaire designed into different sections to obtain information on demographics, work conditions and environmental health standard compliance according to guidelines set by the Thai Ministry of Public Health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive analyses were done, such as mean, standard deviation, and frequency. ResultsThe mean age of our respondents was 41.82 (±8.18) years, more than half were females (63.6 %). Most of the criteria assessing beauty salon standards according to Department of Health guidelines were passed, with all of the salons passing the lighting evaluation and mostly passing the heat and electric shock protection system evaluation, but the implementation of guidelines for preventive measures during the COVID-19 epidemic, according to Department of Health guidelines, suggested non-compliance by most hair Salons. ConclusionBeauty salons should implement and strictly adhere to guidelines according to Department of Health standards. Training or education sessions regarding the prevention of infectious disease transmission should be conducted, as hairdressers should be motivated to comply with health and environmental health standards for both salon staff and clients' confidence. Further research should also be done on the behaviours associated with health risks in beauty salons at the national or border-nation level.

Assessment of Cu(II) impact on aerobic sludge biomass and its post-exposure self-recovery potential

Heavy metals are released from various sources, including metal plating, potentially at a small-scale industrial level, and from automobile service and repair workshops, paint works, etc., spread across the city. Being part and parcel of the city, the wastewater from these metallic sources finds its way into the sewage system and can potentially disrupt biological sewage treatment plants. Therefore, conducting health and quality assessments of the sludge biomass becomes crucial to ensure the effective operation of these treatment plants and to maintain environmental and public health standards. In this study, impacts of Cu(II) (10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/L) exposure on sludge biomass have been investigated, and the potential of self-recovery of sludge biomass was explored when Cu(II) exposure is stopped. Reactors have been operated for 0–25 d with Cu(II) (termed as stressed phase) and then another 29 d without Cu(II) (termed as recovery phase) in the feed. During stressed phase operation, Cu(II) stressed reactors have shown 39–75 % chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, compared to 91 % for control. Biomass activity and ECatalase activity have been inhibited under Cu(II) stress with changes in microbial community structure. During the recovery phase, Cu(II) stressed reactors have shown 41–82 % COD removal, whereas the control reactor has shown 91 % COD removal. A low sludge volume index (SVI) and high biomass interface settling velocity (ISV) with increased biomass activity have been obtained for biomass exposed to 10 and 20 mg/L of Cu(II). Lower Cu(II) doses have led to partial recovery of enzyme activity and microbial community structure, but higher doses have shown incomplete recovery. The study shows the impact caused by Cu(II) metal in a biological wastewater treatment reactor. Through comprehensive analysis of basic and advanced physico-chemical and biological parameters, the study recommends preliminary and confirmatory tests to know metallic ingress through wastewater influent in a treatment system. Advanced knowledge about metallic ingress will be useful for operators to take necessary steps for the sustainable operation of wastewater treatment systems.

Wireless CO2 and Ozone Monitoring with IoT Technology for Indoor Air Quality

This article presents the development of a wireless sensing and control system for indoor air quality by measuring gases such as carbon dioxide, as well as the use of ozone as a biocide agent for environmental control in real time, respecting concentrations allowed by national and international environmental health standards. The developed system uses cutting edge technology such as the Internet of Things and Cloud Computing that allows remote access to air quality measurements through mobile devices with the installation of the developed App, which has the capacity for registration and controlled access to users, auto-configuration of devices and data visualization in real time and historical record. The use of ozone as a biocide agent for environmental control was effective against the use of chemicals or other substances since it does not leave hazardous residues, inhibiting the generation of new colonies and keeping the areas under a disinfection control.

Improving Environmental Health in Schools

School environmental conditions have immediate and long-term effects on student health and learning. Relying on disconnected, inconsistent, voluntary, or unenforced environmental standards has not resulted in sufficient protection of students from toxic insults. Furthermore, the United States public school system was not prepared to navigate a potentially deadly infectious disease like COVID-19. Although Department of Education agencies have policies to establish clean and safe learning spaces, deficiencies are evident. This article highlights common environmental challenges in schools and opportunities for improvement. Voluntary adoption of rigorous environmental policies by grassroots efforts alone is unlikely to occur in all school systems. In the absence of a legally enforced requirement, the dedication of sufficient resources to update infrastructure and build the environmental health workforce capacity is equally unlikely to occur. Environmental health standards in schools should not be voluntary. Science-based standards should be comprehensive, and part of an actionable, integrated strategy that includes preventive measures and addresses environmental health issues sustainably. Establishing an Integrated Environmental Management approach for schools will require a coordinated capacity-building effort, community-based implementation efforts, and enforcement of minimal standards. Schools will need ongoing technical support and training for staff, faculty, and teachers sufficient to enable them to assume greater oversight and responsibility for environmental management of their schools. Ideally, a holistic approach will include all environmental health components, including IAQ, IPM, green cleaning, pesticide and chemical safety, food safety, fire prevention, building legacy pollutant management, and drinking water quality. Thus, creating a comprehensive management system with continuous monitoring and maintenance. Clinicians who care for children can serve as advocates for children's health beyond their clinic walls by advising parents and guardians to be aware of school conditions and management practices. Medical professionals have always been valued and influential members of communities and school boards. In these roles they can greatly assist in identifying and providing solutions to reduce environmental hazards in schools.

Penentuan Rute Pengangkut Limbah Medis Optimal Menggunakan Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Window pada Kasus Multi Depot

The current COVID-19 pandemic has created new environmental problems. The increase of medical waste due to increased activity in public health facilities is a new threat to environmental health. Unfortunately, not all health facilities have the capacity to manage their own waste. This causes the medical waste need to be taken to a waste treatment center for proper treatment that meets environmental health standards. Reverse logistics is one of the activities that can help the process of transporting medical waste. This study uses a vehicle routing problem with a time window (VRPTW) for multi depot cases. The limitations used in this study are the operational time of each Puskesmas, vehicle capacity and operational working hours of waste transport officers. In this case, the optimization of the cost calculation for the transportation of waste from 42 health centers in the DKI Jakarta area is carried out to be taken to three central locations for waste treatment. The purpose of the model used is to minimize transportation costs, namely fixed costs and variable costs of the vehicle used. The routes generated from this research are six transportation routes with a total distance of 412,31 km, with a total cost of Rp 5.928.498,75.

Using COVID-19 to Address Environmental Threats to Health and Leverage for Prison Reform in South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe

Abstract Health rights of prisoners has long been a neglected political issue in Africa, where over one million people are detained, and almost half of whom are in pre-trial detention. African prisons constitute high-risk environments for communicable disease transmission. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health literature on African prison responses focused on preparedness as it related to testing capacity, quarantine practices and personal protective measures to mitigate disease spread. This article combines the right to health as narrowly defined by a prisoner’s right to access non-discriminatory equivalent health care, with a broader focus on assessing normative standards of detention. A comparative legal realist assessment of prison operations in South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe during COVID-19 state disaster measures is presented, focusing on the environmental determinants of health (ventilation, minimum floor space, water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition) in prisons. It reveals the inherent tensions in ensuring a balance between respecting the fundamental rights of people living and working in prisons, ensuring adequate environmental health standards and mitigating disease during public health emergencies. Despite insufficient government resourcing and inadequate coverage of COVID-19 responses, few severe outbreaks were reported. This could be due to lack of testing, reporting or other factors (asymptomatic infection, acquired immunity). Prison congestion and unrest however affected prisoners and staff fearful of hazardous living and occupational health conditions. COVID-19 as public health emergency amplifies the need to address systemic deficits in infrastructure, resourcing and efficiency of criminal justice systems. Policy level and pragmatic recommendations for enhanced human rights practice are outlined.

Implementation of Occupational Health and Safety Standards for Office Buildings in Universitas Airlangga Rectorate Building

Introduction: Universitas Airlangga office building rectorate includes a high-rise building that must have occupational health and safety (OHS) facilities and also its application must be in accordance with office building standards which applies to prevent accidents and occupational diseases. This study aims to determine OHS office buildings rectorate facilities, and to analyze OHS standards application for office buildings rectorate with applicable OHS office building standards. Methods: This research is an observational study. Data analysis using descriptive method with a cross sectional study design. The variables studied were OHS office building facilities in Universitas Airlangga Rectorate, and OHS standard application for in Universitas Airlangga office buildings rectorate. Data collection techniques are derived from primary data in OHS observations form facilities in office buildings and secondary data in agency documents form. Results: Work safety facilities include fire extinguishers, hydrants, evacuation routes, evacuation plans, gathering points, first aid kits. emergency stairs, safety sign. Occupational health facilities include health promotion media, workforce health checks, and lactation rooms. Office work environment health facilities include toilets and hand washing facilities. Then office ergonomics facilities include cushions for employee work chairs. Conclusion: The facilities are in accordance with Republic of Indonesia Health Minister Regulation Number 48 of 2016 concerning Office OHS Standards which include occupational safety application, occupational health, and office environmental health standards and office ergonomics. The implementation of OHS standards for office buildings at in Universitas Airlangga Rectorate, such as occupational safety, occupational health, office work environment health, and office ergonomics standards have been implemented and carried out.

Peran Pemerintah Daerah dalam Pengembangan Desa Wisata Paksebali di Kabupaten Klungkung

This research aims to study the role of local government in the development of Paksebali Tourism Village, from the perspective of local community, tourism village team, and the Klungkung District Government. Data were collected by observation, survey, interviews, documentation and analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis techniques. The results showed that local people and tourism village team strongly agreed with the government's Paksebali Tourism Village development programe. As a facilitator the government facilitated tourism programs, projects and activities, provided innovations, involved the community to participate, socialization and financial assistance. As evaluators, the government assessed the programs, monitored tourism development and made satisfaction surveys, as implementers, the government leaded and coordinated programs, projects and activities for the development of tourist villages, established good relationships with relevant agencies and regulated tourism development such as making environmental sustainability, health and safety standards. Of the four roles, the role of the government as facilitator obtained the highest score of 4.35, and as the evaluator obtained the lowest score of 4.21. To maximize the role of the government, this study recommended the government conduct monitoring and evaluation on the development of Paksebali Tourism Village at least once a month by involving the community and leaders.

An inventory of the types of rodent spread in Houses with a study of external parasites of the most dominant species at Esna area, Luxor Governorate, Egypt

An inventory of the types of rodent spread in Houses with a study of external parasites of the most dominant species at Esna area, Luxor Governorate, Egypt

An Improved PageRank Algorithm Based on Text Similarity Approach for Critical Standards Identification in Complex Standard Citation Networks

A standard system, which is a powerful tool in maintaining the normal operations and development of a specific industry, is intrinsically a complex network composed of numerous standards which coordinate and interact with each other. In a networked standard system, the identification of critical standards is of great significance when drafting and revising standards. However, a majority of the existing literature has focused on the citation relationships between standards while ignoring the intrinsic interdependent relationships between the contents of standards. To overcome this limitation, we utilize the text similarity approach (TSA) to quantify the relationship intensity between each pair of standards, in order to generate a directed weighted network. The critical contribution of this study is that the similarity computed by the TSA is incorporated into the traditional PageRank algorithm for the identification of critical standards. The improved algorithm comprehensively considers the quantity and importance of neighboring standards and the citation intensity, as quantified by TSA. The algorithm is finally validated using the Chinese environmental health standards through comparison with the traditional PageRank algorithm and different classic measurements.

Current situation, problems and suggestions of environmental health standardization

In this paper, the history and current situation of environmental health standardization in China are reviewed, and the experience and shortcomings in the process of environmental health standardization in China are analyzed, suggestions for the next step of environmental health standards are also put forward.

Hydrogeological Modeling of the Spread of Pollution from the Historical Landfill Towards the Lakhta Spill, St. Petersburg, Russia

Nowadays, the areas subjected to severe anthropogenic disturbance, such as waste landfills, do not meet both the environmental and human health standards and are associated with concepts of "environmental degradation", "pollution" and "environmental risk". In turn, the geochemical influence is associated with almost all types of technogenesis, has a widespread occurrence, occurs during the entire period of use of the territory and affects all components of the natural complex. Taking into account both geological and hydrogeological features of the study areas, predictions of contaminants migration from the historical waste landfills of St. Petersburg to the catchment area of the Gulf of Finland have been compiled. The results demonstrated the usefulness of a step-by-step method, involving increasingly detailed geochemical "portraits" of anthropogenically modified objects, as well as the creation of training geochemical set to predict the changes of functional zones contour.

Moving noise action planning towards more environmental health equity. Five propositions

ABSTRACT European noise policy is originally committed to the precautionary principle of environmental planning, aiming at high environmental health standards. Recent assessments of the European Noise Directive report an increase of traffic and an under-estimation of health effects, however. In addition to traffic-related noise exposure, the European Union faces another serious public health problem: health inequity, with social epidemiological research providing tentative evidence on social and socio-spatial inequalities in noise exposures and health effects. In view of these two challenges, we set out to describe five propositions offering entry points to achieve more environmental health equity through noise action planning.

Meeting EAT-Lancet Food Consumption, Nutritional, and Environmental Health Standards: A U.S. Case Study across Racial and Ethnic Subgroups.

In 2019, The EAT-Lancet Commission developed criteria to assist policymakers and health care systems worldwide in sustaining natural resources to feed a forecasted 10 billion people through the year 2050. Although American dietary habits and underlying food production practices have a disproportionately negative impact on land, greenhouse gas (GHG), and water resources, there is limited information on how this population can meet the EAT-Lancet criteria. To address this, we measured adherence to an adapted version of the EAT-Lancet diet score criteria in United States (U.S.) populations overall and across racial/ethnic subgroups (i.e., black, Latinx, and white). In addition, we assessed the benefits of adherence in terms of saved environmental resources (i.e., land, GHG, and water). By performing these objectives, we provide vital information for the development of effective intervention strategies in the U.S. with enough refinement to address the human health and environmental implications of marginalized populations. Our results demonstrate that, on average, Americans do not meet EAT-Lancet criteria overall or across racial/ethnic subgroups. Shifting dietary intakes to meet the criteria could reduce environmental degradation between 28% and 38%. Furthermore, these methods can be adapted to other nations for the development of meaningful strategies that address the food, energy, and water challenges of our time.

Investigation of Pathogenic Bacterial Transport by Waterbirds: A Case Study of Flooded and Non-Flooded Rice Systems in Mississippi

Waterbirds may facilitate pathogen transport in rice fields from autumn to winter. This study investigated pathogen dynamics in two types of rice fields, those considered conventionally managed and a low-external-input-sustainable-agriculture (LEISA) rice system in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, winter 2017–2018. In each system, fields were (1) left unflooded or (2) flooded from November to March. Fecal indicator and pathogenic bacteria (enterococci, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp.) were quantified in soil before and after winter flooding, and bird fecal matter estimated on both farm types. Water samples were tested for enterococci, C. perfringens and E. coli before fields were drained. The LEISA flooded fields had greater detections of C. perfringens in the soil than conventional non-flooded fields. There was an observed decreasing trend of C. perfringens detection associated with lower bird abundances among treatment groups. All observed pathogen levels in both systems were below EPA standards. Results suggest that long-term waterbird stopovers can influence pathogen indicators in soil, but not at levels to threaten human and environmental health standards. Future studies should focus on long-term monitoring of pathogen introduction in rice fields that harbor wintering waterfowl or other waterbirds.