RECENT study on health risks from biomass power plants in Surin province has confirmed that nearby residents are being exposed to tiny dust particles in amounts that exceed the level recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Now authorities have been urged to come up with measures to lessen the health impact.
Sukanda Padpadee, an expert from the Department of Health's Health Impact Assessment Division, presented her study on exposure to air pollution from the plant during the Public Health Ministry's annual academic conference last month.
Thanks to encouragement from the National Energy Policy Council,the number of biomass power plants had risen, as have the complaints about the impact of these plants, she said. It was now necessary to study the air pollution and health risks, so related agencies can make better preparations in handling long-term impacts.