Assessment of relative asthma risk in populations living near incineration facilities in Seoul, Korea

Abstract

While incineration is among the most commonly used technologies for waste disposal, there is ongoing public concern regarding the adverse health impact. The aim of this study is thus to use health statistics to assess the relative risk of asthma-related hospitalization for those living in close proximity to incineration facilities. We also examine differences in asthma risk related to age demographics. The spatial relationship between incineration facilities and asthma-related hospital admissions in Seoul is analyzed for the period of 2009–2011 using the Rapid Inquiry Facility (RIF) and SaTScan software. The relative risk of asthma-related hospitalization decreased with increasing distance from incinerators, but increased among those living within a 2-km radius. The relative risks of asthma-related hospitalization were 1.13 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10–1.17), 1.12 (95% CI: 1.08–1.17), and 1.18 (95% CI: 1.10–1.27) for all ages, those aged below 15 years, and those aged 65 years and older, respectively. This study is the first to observe an increased risk of asthma-related hospitalization in relation to a person’s distance from an incinerator in Seoul, Korea. It is clear that asthma should be considered an adverse health outcome during health impact assessments of incineration plants.