A significant study have been conducted on the health risks related to waste management practices in the Bohai Rim of China by Johann Fellner, opens an external URL in a new window et al.. they focused on the impact of 96 waste-to-energy (WtE) plants and 178 landfills, using advanced pollution modeling techniques to understand how harmful substances spread in the air. Here are some key takeaways from their research:
✅ Health Risk Levels: both incineration (burning waste) and landfilling (storing waste) present very low health risks, with their Hazard Index (HI) values being far below the safe threshold.
✅ Cancer Risk Assessment: The risk of developing cancer from both waste management methods was also found to be low, indicating that they are relatively safe concerning long-term health concerns.
✅ Affected Health Systems: The research identified that incineration mainly poses risks to the respiratory and developmental systems, while landfills primarily affect the nervous and respiratory systems.
✅ Future Health Predictions: As the region transitions from landfilling to incineration for waste disposal, the number of patients suffering from certain diseases is expected to decrease, especially in developed areas like Beijing and Tianjin.
This study not only highlights the potential health impacts of waste management practices but also offers valuable suggestions for policymakers to improve public health in the future.