ObjectivesThis study was conducted to review the validity of the need for the application of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) to household chemical products in Korea. The study also aimed to assess the severity of health and environmental hazards of household chemical products using the GHS.Methods135 products were classified as ‘cleaning agents and polishing agents’ and 98 products were classified as ‘bleaches, disinfectants, and germicides.’ The current status of carcinogenic classification of GHS and carcinogenicity was examined for 272 chemical substances contained in household chemical products by selecting the top 11 products for each of the product categories. In addition, the degree of toxicity was assessed through analysis of whether the standard of the Republic of Korea’s regulations on household chemical products had been exceeded or not.ResultsAccording to GHS health and environmental hazards, “acute toxicity (oral)” was found to be the highest for two product groups, ‘cleaning agents and polishing agents’, and ‘bleaches, disinfectants, and germicides’ (result of classification of 233 household chemical products) at 37.8% and 52.0% respectively. In an analysis of carcinogenicity assuming a threshold of IARC 2B for the substances in household chemical products, we found ‘cleaning agents and polishing agents’ to contain 12 chemical substances and ‘bleaches, disinfectants, and germicides’ 11 chemical substances.ConclusionSome of the household chemical products were found to have a high hazard level including acute toxicity and germ cell mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and reproductive toxicity. Establishing a hazard information delivery system including the application of GHS to household chemical products in Korea is urgent as well.
The study examined how the risk perception of cellular phone electromagnetic waves' possibility to harm human bodies would be psychologically different by gender and age. The study measured the risk perception targeting a total of 1,001 men and women in their twenties and more living in six major cities in Korea. According to the results, for the risk perception by gender, the women would recognize the risk of cellular phone electromagnetic waves more than the men. Among the women, those in their fifties appeared to have the greatest risk perception. In particular, the risk perception difference by age and gender was observed to be affected by psychological factors and, the study should be regarded academically significant for having verified the importance. For general people, they would perceive the risk via those psychological factors as experiences in daily life. Therefore, in order to relieve social conflicts caused by the risk, basic risk communication based on proper understanding of how the general people would recognize the risk should be provided. Hence, the study is expected to be a chance for intervention strategy research on how our community would proceed with communication and how the community, again, apprehends the cellular phone electromagnetic waves as well.
키워드Risk Communication, Risk Perception, Women, Cellular Phone 리스크커뮤니케이션, 위험인식, 휴대전화 전자파, 휴대전화, 여성 http://dx
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