Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) queries the Department of Environment (DOE) whether the concentration and level of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in the air in Bukit Koman, near Raub, Pahang declared safe by the Department, are actually safe and will not cause any adverse health effects to those who are exposed to the pollutant.
It was reported that in a statement to The Malay Mail, the DOE said monitoring of the environment adjacent to the Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd (RAGM) gold processing plant here found that each reading of HCN was below the 4.7 parts per million (ppm) standard for safety and workers’ health set by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). The readings were also well below the 10ppm standard set by the Cyanide Management Guidelines of the Department of Mineral and Energy, Western Australia.
However, SAM is of the opinion that the standards the DOE is using to conclude that the HCN levels are safe are NOT the correct standards. Stricter standards exist for inhalation reference exposure level as opposed to the ceiling limit of 4.7ppm for HCN, of which under Malaysia’s Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, an employer must ensure that the exposure of any person to the chemical hazard does not exceed the ceiling limit.
For instance, in California, there are standards stipulating that on a short-term basis, in order to prevent loss of coordination and loss of consciousness, due to cellular hypoxia of the central nervous system (CNS), 24-hour average levels of HCN should not exceed 340 µg/m3 (0.30ppm).
Whereas on a long-term basis, in order to prevent CNS effects, thyroid enlargement, and hematological disorders, annual average levels of HCN should not exceed 9µg/m3 (0.008 ppm).
Until the DOE can demonstrate that HCN levels are below these standards (0.3 ppm on a 24-hour basis, 0.008 ppm on an annual basis), it has no basis to conclude that hydrogen cyanide levels at Bukit Koman are safe for the residents living in the area, bearing in mind that they are not workers who have chosen to be exposed to this pollutant for the duration of their working hours only.
Furthermore, hydrogen cyanide is not the sole pollutant here and members of the community, especially vulnerable individuals, have been suffering ill health for extended periods, which they suspect is caused by exposure to several different pollutants.
We urge the responsible authorities to conduct long-term 24-hours continuous monitoring of air pollutants and to determine the source of emission. Ambient air quality guidelines for HCN and other pollutants must be set and stricter standards must be used by the DOE to ensure protection of public health and the environment.
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Source: Consumer Association of Penang (CAP)
http://www.consumer.org.my/index.php/health/health-hazards/628-are-hydrogen-cyanide-levels-in-bukit-koman-really-safe
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