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Principles of Environmental Health
Air pollution: The Southeast Asian
haze-1997
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What is air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate, or
biological material that cause
harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or
damages the natural
environment into the atmosphere (Flagan & Seinfeld,
2013).
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What is Haze?
Haze consists of sufficient smoke, dust, moisture, and vapour
suspended in air to
impair visibility. Haze pollution can be said to be
transboundary if its density and
extent is so great at source that it remains at measurable
levels after crossing into
another countrys air space (Forsyth, 2014).
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Description of the problem
In the second half of 1997, large areas in Southeast Asia were
severely affected by a
smoke-haze pollution episode caused by the emissions of an
estimated 45,600 km2 of
vegetation that burnt on the Indonesian islands Kalimantan and
Sumatra. The three
risk that were evident were health, economy and lifestyle
(Forsyth, 2014). This
episode can be classified as seasonal.
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Risk assessment
Risk assessment is the process of estimating the potential
impact of a chemical, physical,
microbiological or psychosocial hazard on a specified human
population or ecological
system under a specific set of conditions and for a certain time
space (Rodericks, 1994).
Risk management
Risk management is the process which evaluates how to protect
public health (EPA, 2016).
Risk communicationRisk communication is vital information which
is passed on to people who may be at risk.
This can take two forms one is proactive and the other is
reactive (Abkowitz, 2002).
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Risk assessment
The blaze of 1997-1998, which
affected Brunei Darussalam,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand, was
among the most damaging in
recorded history.
More than 9 million hectares of
land were burnt, 6.5 million of
which were forested areas.
The damage was estimated at
more than USD 9 billion in terms
of economic, social and
environmental losses.
Risk management
Preparedness
Prevention
Procedures for deployment of
people, materials, and equipment
across borders
Monitoring and assessment
Technical cooperation and
scientific research
National and joint emergency
response
Risk com
Citizens were
indoors.
Use air condi
Wear respirato
Avoid exertio
Schools, publ
factories were
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Local Agencies
The Jamaica Fire Brigade
Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
(ODPEM)
Jamaica Defence Force (JDF)
Ministry of Health (MOH)
Jamaica Information Service (JIS)
National Water Commission (NWC)
National Solid Waste Management (NSWM)
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Vulnerable groups
Individuals with pre-existing respiratory or cardiac
diseases
Elderly
Children
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Jamaica Legislation
Every person who sets fire to any crop shall be guilty of an
offence against this Act:
Provided that fire may be set, subject to the provisions of
sections 4 and 5, to
growing sugar cane for the purpose of ridding it of any vine or
other pest (The
Countrys Fire Act, 1942).
R f
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References
Abkowitz, M. D. (2002). Environmental Risk Communication What is
it and how can it
work?.ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION-WACO-, 13(10), 44-44.
Environmental Protection Agency. (2016). Risk management.
Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/risk/risk-management
Flagan, R. C., & Seinfeld, J. H. (2013). Fundamentals of air
pollution engineering. Courier
Corporation.
Forsyth, T. (2014). Public concerns about transboundary haze: A
comparison of Indonesia,
Singapore, and Malaysia. Global Environmental Change,
25,76-86.
Heil, A., & Goldammer, J. (2001). Smoke-haze pollution: A
review of the 1997 episode in
Southeast Asia.Regional Environmental Change, 2(1), 24-37.
Rodricks, J. V. (1994). Risk assessment, the environment, and
public health. Environmental health
perspectives, 102(3), 258.
The Countrys Fire Act (1942). Country Fire. Retrieved from
http://moj.gov.jm/sites/default/files/laws/The%20Country%20Fires%20Act.pdf
