환경성 석면노출의 건강영향

Health Effects of Environmental Asbestos Exposure

In Korea, asbestos related diseasεs (ARDs) associated with occupational and environmεntal asbestos exposures have bεεn reported, and cornmercial products contamÌnated with asbestos have gathered huge public attentions recently. Review of previous studies was conducted. Whereas asbestos consumptions 없nong developεd countries have decreased, those of Asian countries have increased, which showεd typical intemational transfer of .hazardous industries. In Korea residents around former asbestos mines had ARDs, which werε reported in many countries such as South Africa, Canada and Austra1ia. ARDs among residents around asbestos factories were found in many countries such as United Kingdom, United States and Italia, and increased rε， lative risks were reported among residents around asbestos textile factories in Korea. Increased air asbestos concentrations by environmental asbestos leakagεs from factories were correlatεd with higher malignant mesothelioma incidence rates. When 떠r dispεrsion modeI appliεd， excess incidence rate as far as 2.5 km from a factory were observed. As mεsothεlioma incidence rate, a reprεsentative index of ARD, in Korea has not reported systemicalIy, mandatory reporting system by health personnel who diagnose the disease n∞ds to be introduced. It is hard to concIude that cornmercials with contarninated asbestos do not have adverse hεalth effects, and further studies are needed to solve these public questions.