Goh Choo Ta

Model for the implementation of the globally harmonized system of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS): lessons learned from Japan.

Received May 7, 2009; Accepted Aug 25, 2009 Published online in J-STAGE Oct 16, 2009 Correspondence to: G.C. Ta, Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), 43600 UKM BANGI, Selangor, Malaysia (e-mail: gohchoota@ukm.my) Model for the Implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS): Lessons Learned from Japan

Watershed Pollutants: Risk Assessment and Management of Chemicals and Hazardous Substances

Watersheds provide ecological services that benefit flora and fauna, and people are also benefited from the ecological services, particularly for living and development purposes. Hence, watersheds must be managed in holistic and integrated manners to ensure their sustainability. Nonetheless, rapid development has polluted watersheds, and some of the watershed pollutants are chemicals and hazardous substances. This chapter explains the concept of chemical risk and introduces a framework for chemical risk assessment and management that takes into account the importance of human and environmental health. The chapter also discusses chemicals that cause air pollution (such as ground-level ozone and asbestos) and water pollution (such as different types of heavy metals). In the conclusion, this chapter highlights that we cannot avoid dealing with chemicals in our daily life but we can reduce the risks associated with them.

Environmental Scan and Framework of Watershed Risk Assessment in Malaysia

Water is not only a resource, it is a life source; therefore, the water should be healthy, secure, and sustainable for people. Watersheds are nature’s boundaries for surface water supplies, and thus, the quality of the drinking water at a consumer’s tap depends on the quality of watershed. The risk assessment which is a process used to define the probability and magnitude of adverse effects of an environment from stressors can be used to estimate the costs and benefits of changes in a watershed in terms of risk. This chapter describes the source of pollution and the framework for assessing risk in Malaysian watershed.

Institutional Arrangement and Legal Framework for the Management of Watersheds in Malaysia

Due to inadequate planning, rapid development and urbanization have polluted watersheds. Hence, watersheds must be managed properly to ensure their sustainability, by taking into account the importance of landscape and ecology and different socio-economic conditions, culture and religion. Among others, one of the ways to enhance watershed management is via adequate institutional arrangement and legal framework. This chapter has selected Malaysia as a case study, and by focusing on the discharge of pollutants, this chapter demonstrates how both federal and state governments complement each other to strengthen the regulatory framework in preventing pollution in watersheds. While the federal government regulates the discharge from manufacturing processes, the state government regulates activities that are not covered by the federal government, such as aquaculture and farming.

Health Risk of Polonium 210 Ingestion via Drinking Water: An Experience of Malaysia

The presence of toxic polonium-210 (Po-210) in the environment is due to the decay of primordial uranium-238. Meanwhile, several studies have reported elevated Po-210 radioactivity in the rivers around the world due to both natural and anthropogenic factors. However, the primary source of Po-210 in Langat River, Malaysia might be the natural weathering of granite rock along with mining, agriculture and industrial activities. Hence, this is the first study to determine the Po-210 activity in the drinking water supply chain in the Langat River Basin to simultaneously predict the human health risks of Po-210 ingestion. Therefore, water samples were collected in 2015–2016 from the four stages of the water supply chain to analyze by Alpha Spectrometry. Determined Po-210 activity, along with the influence of environmental parameters such as time-series rainfall, flood incidents and water flow data (2005–2015), was well within the maximum limit for drinking water quality standard proposed by the Ministry of Health Malaysia and World Health Organization. Moreover, the annual effective dose of Po-210 ingestion via drinking water supply chain indicates an acceptable carcinogenic risk for the populations in the Langat Basin at 95% confidence level; however, the estimated annual effective dose at the basin is higher than in many countries. Although several studies assume the carcinogenic risk of Po-210 ingestion to humans for a long time even at low activity, however, there is no significant causal study which links Po-210 ingestion via drinking water and cancer risk of the human. Since the conventional coagulation method is unable to remove Po-210 entirely from the treated water, introducing a two-layer water filtration system at the basin can be useful to achieve SDG target 6.1 of achieving safe drinking water supplies well before 2030, which might also be significant for other countries.