Journal of Environmental Health Sciences (한국환경보건학회지)

Korean Society of Environmental Health (한국환경보건학회)
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Critical Review of the Former Korean Regulations for Consumer Chemicals and the Humidifier Disinfectant Disaster

가습기 살균제 참사와 관련된 당시 생활화학물질 관리 법령에 대한 비판적 고찰

  • Cho, Dae Hwan (Humidifier Disinfectant Fact-Finding Department, Special Investigation Commission on Humidifier Disienfectants & 4.16 Sewol Ferry Disasters) ;
  • Zoh, Kyung Ehi (Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University) ;
  • Park, Taehyun (Law School, Kangwon National University) ;
  • Choi, Yeyong (Asian Citizen's Center for Environment and Health) ;
  • Park, Dong-Uk (Department of Environmental Health, Korea National Open University)
  • 조대환 (가습기살균제사건과 4.16 세월호참사특별조사위원회 가습기살균제사건지원팀) ;
  • 조경이 (서울대학교 보건대학원 환경보건학과) ;
  • 박태현 (강원대학교 법학전문대학원) ;
  • 최예용 (환경보건시민센터) ;
  • 박동욱 (한국방송통신대학교 보건환경학과)
  • Received : 2022.04.07
  • Accepted : 2022.05.25
  • Published : 2022.06.30
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Abstract

Background: No study has examined the regulatory factors associated with fatal health problems due to the use of humidified disinfectants (HD) in South Korea. Objectives: This study aimed to identify and discuss the deficiencies and limitations found in the Toxic Chemical Control Acts (TCCA) that failed to prevent the health risk of chemicals in HD products. Methods: The South Korean TCCA was reviewed focusing on acts in operation from 1994 through the end of 2011, the period when HD was allowed in manufacturing and marketing. Results: The TCCA was the act intended to regulate the toxicity of chemicals in HD products. We found the TCCA to lack three key legal clauses which would have been essential to controlling the health risk of HD. First, there was the exemption of toxic and hazard testing for existing chemicals, including chloromethylisothiazolinone (CMIT), methylisothiazolinone (MIT), and benzalkonium chloride (BKC). Secondly, there were no articles requiring industry to provide animal inhalation test result for polymers such as polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) and Oligo(2-)ethoxyethoxyethyl guanidine chloride (PGH). Finally, there was a lack of articles on examining the risk of products as well as on addressing changes in the usage of products. These articles were found to be generally provided in the US Toxic Substance Chemical Act (TSCA) and the EU Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH). Conclusions: In conclusion, the Ministry of Environment of South Korea had not updated key articles for regulating hazardous chemicals, causing large-scale health problems due to HD which had been fundamentally addressed in chemical-related acts in other countries.

Keywords

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