• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.28
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• pp.10.1-10.4
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• 2013

Objectives Children are one of the most vulnerable populations to the impact of disasters. We aimed to examine children's mental health in the area affected by the Hebei Spirit oil spill accident on December 7, 2007. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted using the Korean versions of the Children's Depression Inventory and State Anxiety Inventory for Children on 1,362 children attending elementary schools in the affected area. The information on distances between the nearest contaminated coastline to the child's residential house or attending school were obtained using a web-based map by inputting two address points. The symptom risks of depression and state anxiety were estimated by multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and other covariates. Results Children with the closest distance (in the fourth quartile) to the school from the contaminated coastline showed a significantly higher symptom risk of depression compared to those with the farthest distance (first quartile)(odds ratio, 2.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-5.33), while there was no significant association between anxiety symptoms and distance. Conclusions Children, a vulnerable population for mental health impact by the oil spill accident, should be included in mental health programs in the community along with their family as victims of the disaster.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.109-112
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• 2010

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2015

After oil outlow accident of Hebei spirit in December 7, 2007, the motality of manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum in the west coast of South Korea, was significantly increased from 9.2% in April, 2007 to 22.4% in April 2008. Although the mortality was about 10% in the tidal flat of Geunso Bay and Cheonsu Bay, Incheon and Gyeonggi-do, the values was significantly high about 30% in water coast of Taean, Boryeong and Seosan in where the spilled oil was getting into fishery zone. However, the mortality in water coast of Taean, Boryeong and Seosan was decreased from 22.4% in 2008 to 6.0% in 2009. Also, we found that the mortality in contaminated and non-contaminated water zones was both slightly increased from 6.0 in 2009 to 8.6% in 2010, Therefore, these results are indicating that the significant high mortality observed in water coast of Taean, Boryeong and Seosan at April, 2008 was due to the crude oil accident outflow from tanks of Hebei spirit. Although the mortality of manila clam was significantly decreased in middle west coast of South Korea after the accident of Hebei spirit in December, 2007, the annual production of manila clam in South Korea was sustainedly from 27,459 ton in 2007, 36,302 ton in 2008, 40,392 ton in 2009, to 36,248 ton in 2010. In the production of manila clam by regional groups, the amount in sea coast of Chungnam, where was damaged by crude oil, was significantly decreased from 10,598 ton in 2007 to 5,048 ton in 2008, but then was significantly increased to 7,065 ton in 2009, and to 12,921 ton in 2010. However, in sea coast of Jeonnam that was not damaged by crude oil, the amount was significantly increased from 1,252 ton in 2007 to 12,248 ton in 2008, but then was significantly decreased to 9,566 ton in 2009, and to 2,770 ton in 2010. Therefore the results are suggesting that a increasing of the total annual production of manila clam in South Korea in 2008 when was 1 year after the oil accident of Hebei spirit was due to increasing of clam production in a coast of Jeonnam in where was not damaged by crude oil.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.177-181
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• 2008

In this study, the authors analyzed the limit of IOPC Fund system, such as limit of compensation, amount of FC, long period of assessment by IOPC Fund, issue of non verification by poor claimant or small business, issue of poor claimant subsistence in early stage of accidents, and comparatively analyzed how the three countries resolved these limits by enacting special laws and government policy. Until recently most governments have carried out prevention policy for maritime safety, oil spill response, investigation of maritime accidents, and restoration of marine environment when oil spill accidents happened. However, governments have not actively participated in the oil spill compensation process because it is a matter of private sectors between the polluter and claimant. The governments have only limited their role in ratifying Civil Liability Convention and Fund Convention and enacted relevant domestic laws. However, the governments of France, Spain, and Korea have actively participated in the compensation process of oil pollution incidents of M/T Erika, M/T Prestige, and M/T Hebei Spirit. This is because they had experiences of unsuccessful compensation in M/T Amoco Cadiz, M/T Agean Sea, and M/T Sea Prince.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.354-361
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• 2016

While the amounts of oil spill caused by the VLCC Hebei Spirit indicated 2.5 times more than that of the VLCC Sea Prince, the economic, environmental, and social damages derived from the Hebei Spirit spill were estimated to be about 30 times greater than those from the Sea Prince incident. This study consolidates the appropriate justification for building a multi-purpose large oil spill response vessel to allow swift and efficient handling of catastrophic marine pollution events through an analysis of technical and economic feasibility of such a project. The result of the technical feasibility analysis illustrates that a hopper dredge and oil spill response vessel with a capacity of 4,000 tons should be more appropriate. The result of the economic feasibility analysis indicates that under the most conservative estimates the project appears to be slightly impractical, with a benefit/cost ratio of 0.82, in which self-help efforts, however, can facilitate the project. And medium to optimistic estimates present benefit/cost ratios are estimated to be 2.72 and 5.82 respectively, representing apparent economic feasibility.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.73-81
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• 2009

Objectives : This study presents a scientific basis for the establishment of an environmental health contingency plan for dealing with accidental coastal oil spills and suggests some strategies for use in an environmental health emergency. Methods : We reviewed the existing literature, and analyzed the various fundamental factors involved in response strategies for oil spill. Our analysis included data derived from Hebei Spirit oil spill and used air dispersion modeling. Results : Spill amounts of more than 1,000 kl can affect the health of residents along the coast, especially those who belong to vulnerable groups. Almost 30% of South Korean population lives in the vicinity of the coast. The area that is at the highest risk for a spill and that has the greatest number of people at risk is the stretch of coastline from Busan to Tongyeong. The most prevalent types of oil spilt in Korean waters have been crude oil and bunker-C oil, both of which have relatively high specific gravity and contain volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals. In the case of a spill of more than 1,000 kl, it may be necessary to evacuate vulnerable and sensitive groups. Conclusions : The government should establish environmental health planning that considers the spill amount, the types of oil, and the distance between the spot of the accident and the coast, and should assemble a response team that includes environmental health specialists to prepare for the future oil spill.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.166-173
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• 2010

Objectives: On December 7, 2007, the Hebei Spirit oil tanker spilled out 12,547 kl of crude oil on the Yellow Sea 10 km away from the cost of Taean Province, Korea. As the coastline has been contaminated, local residents have been exposed to crude oil. Because the residents were showing many symptoms, we investigated the acute health effects of this oil spill on them. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study consisting of the heavy and moderately oil soaked area in Taean and the lightly oil soaked area in Seocheon. Ten seashore villages were selected from each area, and 10 male and female adults were selected from each village. We interviewed the subjects using a structured questionnaire on the characteristics of residents, the cleanup activities, the perception of oil hazard, depression and anxiety, and the physical symptoms. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The logistic regression model was adjusted for age, gender, education, smoking, the perception of oil hazard and anxiousness. Results: The more highly contaminated the area, the more likely it was for residents to be engaged in cleanup activities and have a greater chance of exposure to oil. The indexes of anxiety and depression were higher in the heavy and moderately oil soaked areas. The increased risks of headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, tingling of limb, hot flushing, sore throat, cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, itchy skin, rash, and sore eyes were significant. Conclusions: The results suggest that exposure to crude oil is associated with various acute physical symptoms. Long-term investigation is required to monitor the residents' health.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2014

Macrobenthic biodiversity in the rocky intertidal areas of the Tae-an region, Republic of Korea, has decreased since the Hebei Spirit oil spill in December 2007. We aimed to investigate ecological roles of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) because recruitment and growth of oysters are critical to the recovery of damaged rocky shore ecosystem. We surveyed two sites monthly: natural rocky substrate and farming substrate, from July 2012 to January 2013 to identify and compare the changes in macrobenthic fauna. The abundance of young oysters was higher at the natural site. On the other hand, the mean height of oyster on the farming substrate was more than twice as great. The abundance of oyster at the natural site increased until October and then continuously decreased until end of study period. However, the abundance of oyster at the farming site constantly decreased from the beginning of study period. These different growth patterns might be attributable to spatial competition between oyster and a barnacle species (Balanus albicostatus) and environmental factors. At the natural site, physical stress factors including dramatic temperature changes and desiccation a few of the major factors limiting growth during aerial exposure. In addition, motile macrobenthos could be detrimental to oysters because they interrupt filter-feeding activities and hence hamper the growth of oysters. We show the higher recruitment of oysters at the natural site and healthy growth in the farming substrate are due to complicated differences in physical and biological stress factors.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.345-354
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• 2008

Objectives : Our objective is to review and summarize the previous studies on the health effects of exposure to oil spills in order to make suggestions for mid- and long-term study plans regarding the health effects of the Hebei Spirit oil spill occured in Korea. Methods : We searched PubMed to systemically retrieve reports on the human health effects related to oil spill accidents. The papers' reference lists and reviews on the topic were searched as well. Results : We found 24 articles that examined seven oil spill accidents worldwide over the period from 1989 to August 2008, including the Exxon Valdes, Braer, Sea Empress, Erika, Nakhodka, Prestige and Tasman Spirit oil spills. Most of the studies applied cross-sectional and short-term follow-up study designs. The exposure level was measured by assessing the place of residence, using a questionnaire and environmental and personal monitoring. Studies on the acute or immediate health effects mainly focused on the subjective physical symptoms related to clean-up work or residential exposure. Late or mid-term follow-up studies were performed to investigate a range of health effects such as pulmonary function and endocrine, immunologic and genetic toxicity. The economic and social impact of the accidents resulted in the socio-psychological exposure and the psychosocial health effects. Conclusions : Studies of the health effects of exposure to oil spills should consider a range of health outcomes, including the physical and psychological effects, and the studies should be extended for a considerable period of time to study the long-term chronic health effects.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.164-178
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• 2009

This study was aimed to make GIS oiling thematic maps and analyze temporal oiling variation patterns for two months after 'Hebei Spirit' oil spill accident in December 7, 2007 using GIS and oiling status surveyed data. As a basic work for making of oiling thematic maps, geometric corrections were performed with IKONOS images using ground control points data. These corrected images were used to make detailed coastline from digital charts, and then spatial unit of coastline were defined using classified coastline types. And to know the representative parameters which reflect oiling situation, relationship between oiling status parameters extracted from four times oiling assessment reports and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) data (December 2007 and January 2008) monitored by Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI). Using these representative oiling status parameters pollution value were calculated, and they were keyed into spatial unit of coastline as attributive value. GIS oiling status thematic maps made with coastline containing pollution value showed the initial two month's situations somewhat well. Also, to analyze temporal variation pattern of coastline types, about 13.4km length coastline around Malripo beach was defined as detailed study area where is the common spatial zone surveyed oiling status by each organizations. Based on this study results, it could be possible to provide oiling status maps quickly and to support decision making for oiling control action and scientific pollution monitoring.