HIA : A HIA : A mainstreamingmainstreaming tool for local community and tool for local community and industry to achieve the well-being goal and industry to achieve the well-being goal and

sustainable growthsustainable growth

Yanyong InmuongFaculty of Public Health

Khon Kaen University, Thailandyanyong@kku.ac.th

KNOWLEDGE, DISCIPLINE & KNOWLEDGE, DISCIPLINE & WISDOMWISDOM

XI HIA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “In times of crisis, healthier ways”April 14 15, 2011‐

Andalusian School of Public Health, Granada, Spain,

Industry vs Community DisputesIndustry vs Community Disputesonon

Environment and Health ImpactsEnvironment and Health Impacts

• Environmental Environmental Regulation WeakRegulation Weak

• Environment & Environment & Health Impacts Health Impacts Widely Widely RecognitionRecognition

• Country Pro-Country Pro-Growth Growth PolicyPolicy

• Boost Boost Industry Industry InvestmentInvestment

HIA ?HIA ?

Why HIA ?Why HIA ?

• HIA : An effective tool for promotion of community health and reduction of any adverse health impacts caused by development project/program/policy.

• Approaches : Retrospective, concurrent and prospective assessment

• Core values : Equity, democracy, governance

• Industry Emission Compliance to Environmental Standard : This does not always mean to safeguard community efficiently from environmental risk and any of adverse health impact.

• Study Assumption : Whether HIA can be a compromise tool in resolving dispute between local community and factory on environmental health impact issue.

Study ObjectivesStudy ObjectivesThis case study explored the use of

rapid HIA in;

• indentifying of community health impact issues of concern,

• engaging of local stakeholders to propose a set of recommendation on mitigation measures and activities against the identified environmental health impacts.

The study site was at Huay Jod Community locating adjacent to a large Pulp and Paper Factory at the vicinity of Ubolrat Industrial Complex northeast Thailand.

Community

Factory

Study Methods : Rapid HIAStudy Methods : Rapid HIA• Deskwork review 5 days

– Factory profile– Community profile– Environment and health

problems/complaints• Key informants interview 5 days

– Factory manager– Provincial and local government

authorities– Local community leaders– Vulnerable residents

• Stakeholder HIA workshop 1 day– Factory manager– Government authorities– Local community leaders– NGO– Academics

• Writing a conclusion and recommendation paper 5 days

Key Study ResultsKey Study Results• Deskwork review pollution

impacts and disputes– The factory used quite old

technology to produce pulp and papers, and planned to increase product.

– 2 years intense community complaints with 21 officially records.

– Issues centered around factory emission and weak regulation enforcement matters.

– No community and factory dialogue on any of resolution matters.

– Health data revealed respiratory problem in some vulnerable groups.

– Community impacts showed false smell from emission dusts and fumes, and factory truck.

• Key informant interview summary– Elders who always live at home is

the most vulnerable group.– Village leaders need the factory to

replace the manufacturing process a more advanced technology.

– Women leaders suggest the factory should do community environmental impact surveillance regularly.

– Local authority affirms the factory report their emission meeting the standard level.

– Factory manager insists environmental compliances as well as the new CSR strategy linking with local community.

– All interviewees reflect new to HIA tool.

HIA Workshop SummaryHIA Workshop Summary

Hazards Causes & Community Impacts Agreement on Proposed Mitigation Measures

Dusts • Factory heavy trucks cause much road dusts.

• Accident high risk to community school children.

• The factory will help improvement of the local road.

• The factory will revise and establish its new transportation schedule.

Offensive smell (paper mill type)

• Fume emission from the stack causes much covers of rice field and vegetable garden.

• Respiratory impact.• Fear of chemical poisoning.

• The factory accepts to improve its cyclone and furnace equipment.

• The factory will establish a plan to replace its old processing within next year investment plan.

Wastewater • The factory liquid waste reused for Eucalypt plantation leaching into groundwater.

• Fear of bored-well water pollution.

• The local government will extend its water supply system service to the village.

• The factory will support community with home consumption water delivery.

• The factory will review infiltration and seepage impact on groundwater.

Hazard-Impact-Proposed Mitigation Measures Matrix(Tripartite 31 Persons : Community-Local Authority-Community Leaders)

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks• It was clearly observed that each

stakeholder groups hold different reasons, expectations, and values on community environmental health impact, and hardly reaching mutual agreement when first recognized.

• The non-profit outsider (the university researcher group) caused a change, using rapid HIA, on impact resolution outcome based on solid evidences collected and brought into the tripartite workshop.

• The rapid HIA, as a communication tool, could successfully build community-factory-government authority with common understanding matters and later reaching a set of mitigation agreements on community environmental health impacts.

This is a real world MPH fieldwork project sponsored by Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Thailand.

Assistant researchers are 20 MPH students who enrolling HIA Course in 2010.

Special ThanksSpecial Thanks• Faculty of Public Health, Khon

Kaen University, Thailand, which kindly funded the project financially.

• 20 MPH students as assistant researchers led by Mr Weera Siriwan.

• Huay Jod Community.• The Phoenix Pulp and Paper

Industry Co. Ltd.• Kood Nam Sai Municipal

Authority.• Kood Nam Sai Health Authority.

Thank Thank YOUYOU for your kind attention for your kind attention