"Electric vehicle battery fire causes skin and ophthalmic diseases that emit toxic gases"
Oct 23, 2024
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Professor Ham Seung-heon of the Department of Occupational Environmental Medicine at Gachon University Gil Hospital emphasized that the electric vehicle battery fire accident in an apartment parking lot in early August 2024 should be used as an opportunity for our society to think about new environmental health problems.
Residents who suffered from the electric vehicle battery fire are complaining of skin and eye diseases. According to a previous study by the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, air pollution caused by wildfires has been found to be related to skin diseases.
In particular, fine dust and toxic gases generated during battery combustion can pose a direct or indirect threat to health. This is because nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co), which are major components of electric vehicle batteries, can cause allergic contact dermatitis.
According to the International Society for Contact Dermatitis (ICDRG) classification, these substances act as major allergens. In addition, hydrogen fluoride (HF) generated during a battery fire is a highly corrosive and toxic gas that can seriously damage the skin and eyes and cause respiratory diseases.
Therefore, Professor Ham suggested a systematic response method necessary in the event of such an accident. Specifically, ▲ Rapid and accurate work environment and air environment monitoring through industrial environmental health experts ▲ Measure the indoor air quality of the fire occurrence space, especially fine dust, heavy metals, and hydrogen fluoride and provide the results to residents ▲ Establish a professional and systematic medical support system and conduct comprehensive diagnosis and treatment through consultation with dermatologists, ophthalmologists, respiratory medicine doctors, and occupational environmental medicine ▲ Evaluate the health impact from an additional and long-term perspective ▲ It is necessary to understand the long-term effects of fire exposure on health through cohort studies of exposed residents.
Professor Ham Seung-heon said, `First of all, legal and institutional responses should be supported. By strengthening safety standards for electric vehicle batteries, improving safety manuals in case of fire, educating firefighters, and introducing an environmental insurance system, similar accidents should be prevented from happening again and a compensation system for damage should be established"Effective risk communication is important. We must provide residents with accurate and understandable information about the current situation, potential risks, and how to deal with it."
Electric vehicles, the result of technological development, are an important means of reducing carbon emissions, but as seen in this accident, the unexpected health threats brought about by new technologies remain. Therefore, close cooperation between the government, environmental health experts, and civil society is essential to identify and prepare for environmental health problems hidden behind technological advances in advance.
Professor Ham said, `Our society should begin a deeper discussion about the balance between environment, health and technological advancement"For a safe and healthy sustainable future, it is necessary to establish policies based on scientific grounds and to involve citizens." We need to build better environmental health policies and systems based on the lessons learned from this incident.
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