Health risk assessment of household hazardous waste in Malaysia

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the risk of health hazards of exposure to hazardous waste at home to employees in local authorities in Malaysia. The study was conducted on 40 local authorities (27.8%), using the same method used by Buenrostro et al, 2001 and health risk assessment guidelines of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1989. The Four Step Process of Health Risk Assessment is hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose response assessment and risk characterization. In this study, the household hazardous wastes (HHW) were analyzed for their permissible dose level and the existing hazard level, hazard index and cancer index by using Monte Carlo Method. This study estimated that 22,388 tonnes of wastes generated every day in Malaysia and around 2.2 percent out of that amount are HHW, which mean average generation for each person per day was 0.02 kg. The category District Council, show that the HHW generated around 3.7 %, followed by Municipal Council around 3.3 percents then for City Council with 3.0 %. These figures indicate that, the increments of the percentages depend on the status of the local authorities and it was also estimated that the waste generation increment was around 2 to 3 percents per year. The study found that almost 14 percents of the local authorities in Malaysia dumping the HHW into the drains and rivers without considering the proper management and the figures also indicated that the pollution level was at High Risk in Malaysia. Cancer Index for dermal exposure is 5.8 x 10-7 mg/m³, for Inhalation dust 1.4x x10-1 mg/m³, under Low Risk and for Inhalation aerosol is 5 x x10-2 mg/m³, under Medium Risk, while if the HHW were improperly managed, it will fall into High Risk in Malaysia if the index rate less than 1:1,000,000 as specified by United States Environmental Protection Agency, 1989 and World Health Organization. Hazard ranking for risk contamination from HHW clearly shows that the district council found 15 % are level High Risk (Rank 1). Municipal council 14 % and City Council 25 % and almost 14 percents the pollution level was at High Risk in Malaysia. For landfill with high-risk pollution potential to water resources, it should be shut in stages. Safety and health are important and should be given priority. So, the employees need to know the permissible dose level of exposure for the handling of HHW and this is the responsibility of employers to increase the level of knowledge and provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees in accordance with the provisions under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1994. While the separation of HHW should be done at the main source by implementing enforcement and compliance with the provisions of Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act (Act 672) Malaysia, 2007.