Abstract

Environmental Health Risk Assessment of Limestone Mining in Sukabumi, Cirebon, Tegal, Jepara, and Tulung Agung.To assess health risk from exposures to limestone mining air contamination, an environmental health risk assessment has been conducted in Sukabumi, Cirebon, Tegal, Jepara, and Tulung Agung. The ultimate goal of this assessment is to formulate risk management options so the mining can be operated safely. A total of 450 populations at risk residing in surrounding areas of the limestone mining were subjected to an thropometric surveys for body weight and particulate exposure times. TSP and PM10 as risk agents as well as Ca TSP Ca, Mg TSP, air temperature, and wind speed were measured. Reference concentrations (RfCs) of TSP and PM10 were employed as dose-response quantity to characterize health risk quotients (RQs). For risk agents with RQs>1, deleterious health effects of non cancer risks are considered to exist over lifetime. To control the risks, management options were formulated by either reducing risk agent concentrations and /or cutting short exposure time. Risk characterization shows that RQs of TSP are greater than those of PM10. By individual particulate, the rughest RQs are 11.9 for TSP and 10 for PM10, both in Tulung Agung, while the lowest are 0.5 for TSP and 0.3 PM10 in Tulung Agung and Tegal, respectively. Cumulatively, the highest and the lowest RQs are 21.1 and 1.1, respectively, both found in Tulung Agung. Graphically, the RQs decline exponentially by distance and, at the existing particulates' concentration, the healthy area to reside is likely >5 km away from the mining site. As the residential population cannot be relocated to the safe areas and their exposure times cannot be shortened, the health risks to those of 55 kg body weight can be managed by reducing TSP and PM10 concentrations to as low 78 and 53 µg/M3, respectively. These values are 13% lower than those of National Ambient Air Standard.