• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.139-145
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• 2011

Objectives: This investigation is purposed to evaluate the airborne asbestos concentrations in the public buildings having asbestos containing materials(ACMs) in Seoul. Methods: The Seoul Metropolitan Government carried out an asbestos survey to the city-owned public buildings to identify the level of risk exposure, classified into low, moderate and high risk. To evaluate the airborne concentration of asbestos, 11 sampling sites in ten buildings based on the survey were selected. The air samples from the eleven sites were analyzed by Phase Contrast Microscopy(PCM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and compared the analytical results from the both. Results: 1. The airborne fiber concentrations by PCM were less than the detection limit($7f/mm^2$) in 9(82%) out of 11 sampling sites. The highest concentration was 0.0043 f/cc, but it was below the guideline value for indoor air quality(0.01 f/cc), proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Korea. 2. In two sampling sites, having moderate risk level, the chrysotile was identified and showed it's concentrations of 0.0102 s/cc and 0.0058 s/cc, less than $5{\mu}m$ lengths. 3. The ACMs identified in the two sampling sites were a packing material(65% of chrysotile) in mechanical area and a thermal system insulation(5% of chrysotile) in a boiler room. Having more possibility of asbestos emission in the mechanical area, it would be required to set up and carry out the asbestos management plan. Conclusions: Based on the result of this study, the airborne asbestos concentrations in the public buildings with ACMs were generally lower than the guideline value for indoor air quality. There are widespread concerns about the possible health risk resulting from the presence of airborne asbestos fibers in the public buildings. Most of the previous studies about airborne asbestos analysis in Korea were performed based on PCM method that asbestos and non-asbestos fibers are counted together. In the public and commercial buildings, having ACMs, it is suggested that the asbestos be analyzed by TEM method to identify asbestos due to concerns about asbestos exposure to workers and unspecified people.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.27-44
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• 1976

This study was carried out to evaluate the harmful factors in working environments and to investigate the labor productivity after improvement of environments, surveying 93 industrial establishments of 10 industries located in Youngdeungpo industrial area in Seoul. The results obtained were as follows: 1) The highest noise level of 125dB(A) was indicated at the rolling process of transport equipment manufacturing industry. 2) The best illumination level was shown in precise machinery industry and the worst was indicated in rubber products, metallic products and transport equipment manufacturing industries. 3) Thermal conditions were above threshold limit value (TLV) at more than two processes of all industries except printing industry. 4) The highest dust concentration was determined in textile and wearing manufacturing industry. 5) Organic solvents were detected at 52 processes in 93 industrial establishments and 33 processes of them showed higher than TLV. The results about harmful chemicals were as follows: a) sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$)was determined higher than TLV on welding process of metallic product manufacturing industry and heat treatment process of transport equipment manufacturing industry. b) Carbon monoxide (CO) concentration was 700ppm at heat treatment process of transport equipment manufacturing industry, indicating 14 times of TLV. c) vinylchloride concentration in the air of PVC raw material mixing process and PVC preparation process of chemical product manufacturing industry was determined higher than TLV. d) Hydrochloride (HCl) concentration in the air of wire expanding process of transport equipment manufacturing industry was determined higher than TLV. 7) Higher values of lead concentration than TLV were determined at lead welding metallic product manufacturing industry and type planting process of process of printing industry, $1.8mg/m^3$ and $0.3mg/m^3$ respectively. 9) 22, 968 of 52, 855 workers (i.e. 43.5%) in 93 industries were exposed to various harmful agents. 10) It was found that the improvement of illumination in electric apparatus manufacturing industry (from 20~40 lux to 420 lux) resulted in an increase in productivity of 6.5% per capita and a decrease in faulty products of 19%. 11) Improvement of environments using local exhaust ventilation system resulted in a decrease of harmful substances lower than TLV and an increase in productivity of 11.4%. 12) Improvement of shovelling tools based on ergonomics resulted in a reduction in energy expenditure of 25.3% and an increase in productivity of 32.2% per capita.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.51-58
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• 1993

The integrated solid waste management for Seoul Metropolitan city can be established on the basis of the following hierarchy of priorities: 1. Efforts for source reduction should be propelled by both government and citizens to achieve the effects of resource conservation. The adequate production and consumption which are environmentally amenable and sustainable can be induced by the reasonable imposition of deposit money for waste treatment to one-time use products. To accomplish source reduction effectively, the induction of legal and institutional regulation of producer and consumer participation is requisite. 2. For resource recovery, wastes generated should be recycled as far as practicable. Community residents are responsible to separate discharge, the authorities concerned have responsibility of separate collection, and recycling industry should be assissted through tax reduction and financing. Resource separation facilities can be constructed at Kimpo Metropolitan landfill site for wastes not separately collected due to some unavoidable circumstances. 3. Garbage should be composted. Garbage is uneconomical for incineration, because it has high moisture content and low calorie, thus there is no reason for the incineration of garbage even though garbage is classified into combustibles. Composting facilities can be located at sites which are not densely populated and easily accessible to transportation, for example, Kimpo Metropolitan landfill site. Compost produced can be managed by the authorities for the use of fertilizer to a green tract of suburban land and farms. 4. Nonhazardous combustible wastes not recyclable can be utilized for thermal recovery at the incinerators which are completely equipped with pollution control devices. According to the trend of local autonomy and the equity principle of local autonomous entities, incineration facilities of minimal capacity required can be constructed at each districts of Seoul Metropolitan city which have organized local assembly. In case of Yangcheon district, the economically combustible waste quantity is about 260 tons/day which exceeds 150 tons/day, the incineration capacity of existing facility. But, from now on, waste quantity can be reduced substantially by the intensive efforts of citizens for source reduction and recycling and the institutional support of administrative organizations. Especially, it is indispensable for the government to constitute institutional and technological bases that can recycle paper and plastics form 43% of waste generated. A good time for constructing of incineration facilities for municipal solid waste can be postponed to the time that pollution control technologies of domestic enterprises are fully developed to satisfy the standards of air pollution prevention, because the life expectancy of Kimpo Metropolitan landfill site is about 25 years. Within this period, institutional improvements and technological advancements can be attained, while the air qual. ity of Seoul Metropolitan city can be ameliorated to the level to afford incineration facilities. 5. For final disposal, incombustibles and ash are landfilled sanitarily at Kimpo Metropolitan landfill site.