Health Impacts on Local Community
The health hazards from plywood industry to the local community are mostly similar to those affecting the employees but the impacts will be very different. This is because of the following reasons;
1. The community consists of people of all age group, from young children to old people, who have difference sensitivity to a chemical substance and difference tolerance of nuisances such as noise
2. The community consists of people with pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthama, which could be exacerbated by the chemicals/dust pollution from the industry
2. The community consists of people with pre-existing medical conditions, such as asthama, which could be exacerbated by the chemicals/dust pollution from the industry
In addition, the following matters should be of consideration while dealing with the community as relating to the health hazards from the plywood industry;
1. The community is being exposed to an involuntary hazards as against the employees. The employees choose to work in the factory and have an option not to work their if they don’t want to be exposed. The community on the other hand is being exposed to a pollution not by their choice
2. The workers in the industry is eligible for medical attention, leave and compensation when suffering health impacts from industrial chemical exposure. The community however have no such protection.
2. The workers in the industry is eligible for medical attention, leave and compensation when suffering health impacts from industrial chemical exposure. The community however have no such protection.
For the above reasons, internationally, the tolerance level for a chemical or hazard for the general community is kept one order of magnitude lower than that of the workers.
The community leaving around the plywood industry have the following potential exposure pathways which they should be conscious about;
1. Exposure by air pollution (formaldehyde, particulates, diesel fumes and dust, methanol, other organics)
2. Exposure by water pollution (formaldehyde, nitrogen in water, hydrocarbons, organic leachates from wood and bark)
3. Exposure through food chain (chemicals accumulating on plants and animals leaving around the industry)
4. Exposure to noise pollution
2. Exposure by water pollution (formaldehyde, nitrogen in water, hydrocarbons, organic leachates from wood and bark)
3. Exposure through food chain (chemicals accumulating on plants and animals leaving around the industry)
4. Exposure to noise pollution
Community leaving around the plywood industry may experience the following outcomes which are correlated to the health hazards from the plywood industry;
1. Polluted air, with dust, formaldehyde and other organics
2. Polluted water, with wood leachates, formaldehyde and urea
3. Increased noise pollution
4. Reduced cost of land/property value
As a consequence, the following health outcomes are to be expected;
1. Increase in number of cancer cases
2. Increased number of asthma cases
3. Breathing difficulties for people with asthma and general population
4. Blue baby syndrome in infants due to increasing nitrogen in drinking water
Since linking between health impact and
specific industry is a scientifically complex exercise, only when the entire
community is entered into a health registry and all their health situation
regularly and systematically assessed, can one make the association and obtain
the required compensation.