Lead exposure from battery recycling in Indonesia

Abstract

In Indonesia, more than 200 illegal used lead acid battery (ULAB) smelters are currently operating. Only a few health studies support the finding of lead-related symptoms and diseases among populations living near the smelters. To assess the blood lead levels (BLLs) and potential health impacts among the population surrounding ULAB recycling smelters, we evaluated health effects reported from 2003 to 2013, conducted focus group discussions with lead smelter owner/workers and a group of 35 female partners of smelter owners or workers not actively engaged in smelter work, and retook and measured BLLs. It was found that many children in the areas were having difficulty achieving high grades at school and having stunting or other problems with physical development. The average mean of BLLs increased by almost double in 2015, compared with in 2011. The risk of having hypertension, interference in the ability to make red blood cells in females occurred among 24% of respondents; Elevated blood pressure, hearing loss, and interference in the ability to make red bloods cell occurred in 20% of males; Kidney damage, infertility in male, nerve problems, including decreased sensation and decreased ability to move quickly occurred in 13%; Decreased ability to make red blood cells (20%), and; Frank anemia, decreased life-span, coma/seizures were experienced by 22%. The populations living in areas surrounding ULAB smelters are experiencing severe chronic health problems. It is recommended that the smelters must be moved and placed far away from the municipality.Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content. Please, subscribe or login to access all content.

The Global Burden of Lead Toxicity Attributable to Informal Used Lead-Acid Battery Sites

“…Haryanto, for instance, documented 71 distinct smelting locations in the Jakarta metro area. 20 These sites are disparately located in nearly all major areas of the city. 20 Similar spatial diffusion has been identified in those countries where TSIP has been conducted.…”

“…20 These sites are disparately located in nearly all major areas of the city. 20 Similar spatial diffusion has been identified in those countries where TSIP has been conducted. ULAB operations are of low capital intensity and require little skill.…”

“…Informal ULAB processers tend to be much smaller in scale and more widely distributed than their formal counterparts and are prone to changes in location in response to regulatory efforts or other forces. 20 Consequently it is a challenging exercise to develop a truly accurate assessment of their location and number. Disability Adjusted Life Years.…”

A review of human biomonitoring in selected Southeast Asian countries

“…Haryanto assessed the potential health impacts of lead as consequence of the exposure coming from illegal lead acid battery smelters. They found that level of blood lead levels have increased by almost double in the period from 2011 to 2015 (Haryanto, 2016).…”

Ecogenetics of lead toxicity and its influence on risk assessment

“…5,6 The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health which is also a part of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has designated a blood Pb reference value of 5 mg/dL for occupationally exposed adults. 7 However, cases of adult and childhood Pb poisoning continue to be reported due to association of low Pb-B levels with disease processes such as learning and behavioral deficits, 8,9 cardiovascular 10 and renal 11 disease, decreased fertility, 12,13 and cancer 14 suggesting no safe threshold level for Pb. Pb is known to mimic common divalent metal ions such as calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and magnesium (Mg), hence altering the biological functions.…”