Impacts of Minings
-Prior to Environmental Quality Promotion and Conservation Act (1992), minings had
caused deterioration of environment and health.
-For example, tin minings in the South have left thousands of cases of arsenic poisoning.
-Tin and tantalum minings in Phuket Island caused the damages to fisheries, tourism,
soil erosions along the seashores, etc.
Post-E&HIA laws (after 1992-present),
minings have remained harmful to
environment and health.
-For example, gold minings in the North have caused arsenic poisoning and high blood
levels of cyanide and heavy metals, also high levels of heavy metals in the environment.
-Zinc mining in the North has caused cases of cadmium poisoning
For EIA, it must cover at least the following 9 “health
determinants”: effects on natural resources; production, transportation and storage of hazardous substances; occurrence and release of hazards; exposure assessment; occupational impacts; impacts on community relationship; impacts on artistic and cultural heritages; impacts on vulnerable groups; and resources and readiness of health sector.
-Report on the study must be under public review.
- Drafted report must be submitted to the Independent
-Commission on Environment and Health (ICEH) for final approval.