Fine Particulate Matter Concentration and Early Deaths Related to Thermal Power Plants and National Industrial Complexes in South Korea

Abstract

Thermal power plants (TPPs) and national industrial complexes (NICs) are widely known as being among the major causes of changes in the concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). However, little is known about the changes in PM2.5 concentration caused by the operation of these facilities in South Korea and the health burden attributable to them, including early death. There were two purposes to this study. The first was to quantitatively evaluate the changes in PM2.5 concentration caused by TPPs and NICs in Korea. The second was to estimate the number of early deaths as a health burden attributable to such changes in PM2.5 concentration. The changes in PM2.5 concentration caused by the operation of TPPs and NICs were investigated within TPPs in 2013 and within NICs in 2015. The number of early deaths in 2015 caused by changes in PM2.5 concentration was estimated using the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP). Nationwide, the annual average concentration of PM2.5 caused by the operation of TPPs and NICs was estimated to increase by 0.611 μg/m3 and 1.245 μg/m3, respectively, suggesting that NICs contributed about twice as much to this concentration as TPPs. The same trend was also observed regarding the number of early deaths, with TPPs and NICs accounting for 1017 and 2091 early deaths per year, respectively, indicating that the operation of NICs causes a health burden about twice as high as that caused by TPPs. However, the changes in PM2.5 concentration were found to be high near TPPs and NICs, while the health burden caused by exposure to PM2.5 varied according to the level of population distribution and mortality in each air (quality) control zone (ACZ) to which one is exposed. The findings of this study are expected to be utilized as reference data when setting goals to strengthen air quality management (AQM) in each ACZ in Korea.