Seung-Hun Ryu

Strategies for Protecting Waste Collectors` Health and Safety

Recycling is a main issue in protection of the environment and waste collection and sorting have much higher value in current recycling policies than they did previously. Waste collectors, like firefighters and policemen, are working for the public benefit, however, waste collection is more dangerous than either police or firefighting work. In the USA, waste collectors are 10 times more likely than the average worker to die on the job. Waste collectors also suffer from musculoskeletal disorders, infectious diseases and various injuries. If we truly appreciate the worth of waste collectors, we need to improve their working environment and personal hygiene. Furthermore, abolishing discrimination will be a very important step towards greater protection for waste collectors.Recycling is a main issue in protection of the environment and waste collection and sorting have much higher value in current recycling policies than they did previously. Waste collectors, like firefighters and policemen, are working for the public benefit, however, waste collection is more dangerous than either police or firefighting work. In the USA, waste collectors are 10 times more likely than the average worker to die on the job. Waste collectors also suffer from musculoskeletal disorders, infectious diseases and various injuries. If we truly appreciate the worth of waste collectors, we need to improve their working environment and personal hygiene. Furthermore, abolishing discrimination will be a very important step towards greater protection for waste collectors.

Characteristics of Exposure to Humidifier Disinfectant by Lung Injury Patients

In South Korea, many cases of humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injury (HDLI) have been reported among people who used humidifier products containing humidifier disinfectant (HD). The objective of this study is to characterize exposure to HD among a total of 221 HDLI patients who used HD. Info...

Types of household humidifier disinfectant and associated risk of lung injury (HDLI) in South Korea

From 2002 through 2015, hundreds of people died of fatal lung injuries associated with the use of humidifier disinfectants (HDs) in Korea. Several chemical disinfectants used for household humidifiers were later clinically confirmed to cause HD-associated lung injury (HDLI). The aim of this study is to evaluate the registered lung disease cases and to compare the distribution of HDLI patients, including deaths, by HD use characteristics including types of HD and HD brands categorized by age group. A total of 530 registered were clinically examined through two rounds of investigations conducted from July 2013 until April 2015. Information on HD use was obtained from a structured questionnaire and home investigations. Approximately one-half of the patients (n=221) were clinically confirmed to be associated with the use of HDs. Pregnant women (n=35, 16%) and pre-school children≤6years old (n=128, 58%) accounted for most of the HD-associated lung injury patients (n=163, 74%). Sixty-seven percent of HDLI patients developed HDLI after less than one year of HD use. HD products containing polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate (PHMG) were the most frequently used among confirmed HDLI patients (n=123, 55.7%), followed by oligo (2-(2-ethoxy) ethoxyethyl guanidinium (PGH) (n=24, 10.9%) and a mixture of chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT) (n=3, 1.4%). Other HDs did not appear to be linked to HDLI. The majority of the HDLI patients (n=85, 38.5%) was found to use only Oxy Saksak® products containing PHMG. The development of HDLI was clinically found to be associated with the use of several HD products containing PHMG and PGH, and to lesser extent, CMIT/MIT.

Airborne bacteria and fungi associated with waste-handling work

Abstract Background: Municipal workers handling household waste are potentially exposed to a variety of toxic and pathogenic substances, in particular airborne bacteria, gram-negative bacteria (GNB), and fungi. However, relatively little is known about the conditions under which exposure is facilitated. Methods: This study assessed levels of airborne bacteria, GNB, and fungi, and examined these in relation to the type of waste-handling activity (collection, transfer, transport, and sorting at the waste pre-processing plant), as well as a variety of other environmental and occupational factors. Airborne microorganisms were sampled using an Andersen single-stage sampler equipped with agar plates containing the appropriate nutritional medium and then cultured to determine airborne levels. Samples were taken during collection, transfer, transport, and sorting of household waste. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify environmental and occupational factors that significantly affect airborne microorganism levels during waste-handling activities. Results: The “type of waste-handling activity” was the only factor that significantly affected airborne levels of bacteria and GNB, accounting for 38% (P = 0·029) and 50% (P = 0·0002) of the variation observed in bacteria and GNB levels, respectively. In terms of fungi, the type of waste-handling activity (R2 = 0·76) and whether collection had also occurred on the day prior to sampling (P<0·0001, R2 = 0·78) explained most of the observed variation. Given that the type of waste-handling activity was significantly correlated with levels of bacteria, GNB, and fungi, we suggest that various engineering, administrative, and regulatory measures should be considered to reduce the occupational exposure to airborne microorganisms in the waste-handling industry.

Evaluation of Effectiveness for an Atopy Prevention Program Operated by a Local Government

Objectives: We evaluated the effects of an allergy control program on children with atopic dermatitis (AD) in five schools located within Gyeonggi-do. Methods: Based on the results of the 12-month prevalence of AD symptoms from an International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) ques...

Estimation of Humidifier Disinfectant Amounts Inhaled into the Respiratory System

In South Korea, many cases of humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injury (HDLI) have been reported among people who used humidifier products containing humidifier disinfectant (HD). The objectives of this study are to estimate both airborne HD concentration in the room where HD was used and the amount of humidifier disinfectant absorbed into the respiratory system. Information and data on the HDs were collected using a structured questionnaire and home environmental investigations include the volume of HD (ml) and hours used per day, concentration of disinfectants contained in the HD brand (μg/ml), volume of the room (m), assumed ventilation rate (m/hr) and breathing rate assumed (m/hr). We used children aged under five years old as a sample and estimated both airborne HD concentrations and amount of HD absorbed into the respiratory system. The estimated airborne concentration of HD in the room ranged from 68 to 369 μg/m for PHMG (polyhexamethylene guanidine phosphate) and from 16 to 239 μg/m for PGH (oligo (2-(2-ethoxy) ethoxyethyl guanidine). The amount of HD absorbed in the respiratory system per day was estimated to range from 227 to 1,225 μg for PHMG and from 53 to 794 μg for PGH. In conclusion, a great amount of HD was likely absorbed into respiratory system, likely beyond the level of the capacity of the immune system to remove the HD absorbed.

Characteristics of Particulate Matter Generated while Handling Municipal Household Waste

Characteristics of Particulate Matter Generated while Handling Municipal Household Waste: Donguk PARK, et al. Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University, Korea—

Review on Safety and Health Information on Humidifier Disinfectant

The objective of this study is to review the safety and health information displayed on containers of humidifier disinfectants (HD). We summarized not only general characteristics related to the marketing and manufacturing of HD, such as the duration sold and the name of the company, but also the sa...

Distribution of Health Problems Associated with Humidifier Disinfectant by Year

Objectives: Studies are needed to examine the characteristics of health effects reported by people who used humidifier disinfectant (HD), including the distribution of victims. Methods: We analyzed the distribution of health effects including lung injury that were asserted by a total of 699 individu...