Implication of e-waste trafficking on human health

Global embryonic rise in e-waste and its disposal practices is becoming a severe cause of concern for human health, so is for the ecosystem health. With the rise of disquiet on e-waste management and disposals, there are also efforts to hold back this concern by various tools of regulatory instrument. A large part of the regulatory initiatives are focused on unlawful trafficking and improper handling of e-wastes. Center of attention in recent studies are primarily focused on linkages of improper handling and health effects on workers in different nations. Quite a few studies reported lead level in children’s blood, dechlorane in house dust and PBBs, PBDEs and PCBs in human hair in China. Before these issues can turn into global tragedy there is need to re-review the facts from recent research studies and design appropriate measures. An across-the-board review of available research study is necessary to offer course for a sustainable strategy to deal with global trafficking of e-wastes.

Rapid Evaluation and Improvement of Drinking Water Supplies in Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa presents environmental health professionals with opportunities to make meaningful public health impacts with modest investments of time and resources. UNICEF estimates that 43% of children in sub-Saharan Africa drink unsafe water. As a result, diarrheal illness is one of the leading causes of death and malnutrition for children under the age of five. It is estimated that each child in this region has five episodes of diarrhea per year. More than 800,000 of these children die annually from diarrhea and associated dehydration.

Environmental health professionals can make a significant contribution in Africa by conducting sanitary surveys and evaluating small water systems. Using simple, inexpensive biological testing methods, the safety of drinking water sources and the efficacy of water treatment devices can be evaluated in 48 hours or less. An environmental health professional can then recommend cost-effective, actionable steps to improve drinking water quality and prevent disease.

In some cases recommendations may focus on taking steps to protect the water source from contamination. In other cases, low-technology water treatment methods including the use of UV disinfection, bio-sand filters, ceramic filters, or solar stoves can be employed to significantly improve drinking water quality.

These environmental health skills can be easily taught to African nationals so that there is lasting change in drinking water quality and community health. Importantly, safer water supplies and better community health improve the standard of living, reduce deforestation due to the cutting of wood to build fires to boil water, and promote global sustainability.

Level of Awareness of the Effects of Chewing Tobacco and Attitudes towards Public Spitting [POSTER]

Study Objectives: This study was designed to assess awareness of the effects of chewing tobacco, attitudes towards public spitting and to explore a relationship between the two behaviors.

Material and Methods: This is a study on attendants of patients at Department of Neurology, AIIMS, utilizing a pretested questionnaire. Data from 90 subjects was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2007.

Results: A higher level of awareness was noted for chewing tobacco as a risk factor for cancer and poor dentition compared with gum slump, bad breath, addiction potential, social effects, effects on taste and smell, and heart disease. Forty percent of all the subjects admitted to spitting in public.

Though a high percentage of tobacco chewers (46.6%) indulged in the behavior, a large percentage of non tobacco chewers (38%) also spit in public. Knowledge of consequences was low.

Conclusions: There is variable level of awareness regarding the effects of chewing tobacco. Both tobacco chewers and non-chewers spit in public.