Health effects and medical health surveillance in people living around the area of landfills and landfill fires: A review of the literature

Abstract

          Online consumer behaviors lead to a continuous increase in waste production rate in Thailand. Insufficient waste management systems cause contamination of various hazards in the environment effecting the health of populations living in communities surrounding landfill sites. This article aimed to identify health effect of hazards released from landfills and landfill fires and how to conduct medical health surveillance in people living around the area of landfills and landfill fires by reviewing related literatures. The literature review identified that potential health hazards include landfill gas and leachate such as methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), heavy metals and particulate matter. In case of  landfill fires, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanide, polycyclic  aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) and dioxin will be released. The presence and magnitude of        exposure depend on waste composition, site characteristics, meteorological condition, and distance from the source. Potential health effects include symptoms of asphyxiation, irritation of respiratory tract, heavy metal poisoning, neurological effects, skin rash, cardiovascular disease, cancers and congenital anomalies. Initially health risk assessment should be conducted using  data from environmental monitoring and biological exposure monitoring. If the analysis indicates that there is a potential for population exposure which might result in health concern, medical health surveillance should be considered. Health indicators should be used in health surveillance especially in children, pregnant women, the elderly and individual with pre-existing conditions include respiratory diseases, neurotoxic disorders, skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases, kidney dysfunction, cancer and birth defects.