Specific Environmental Health Threats to Children in the Region Environmental health threats in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific are numerous—ranging from the more traditional health hazards, such as poor sanitation and unsafe waste disposal, to those caused by the introduction of toxic chemicals such as lead and pesticides. Several speakers at the Bangkok conference discussed examples of environmental health hazards currently facing children in these regions.
Lead. In China, the environmental lead emissions of a lead smelter and the effects of these emissions on health have been studied for 15 years. The lead content in rice, vegetables, and drinking water and the blood lead levels of 104 choolchildren 7–14 years old in the polluted area and of 86 children in the control area were determined. In the polluted
area, 22 schoolchildren’s blood lead levels exceeded 30 μg/d; for eight schoolchildren blood lead reached as high as 45–75 μg/dL. The children’s weights and heights, rates of sick leave per semester, and incident rates of upper respiratory infection were also surveyed. Significantly lower levels of weights