Traditional and emerging environmental hazards in South-East Asia: double-trouble in the 21st century

摘要

While our world, climate and environment is changing, as stated by Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr in 1849 (1) "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose" or in English - the more things change the more they stay the same. This is an apt description of the situation faced by vulnerable groups in South-East Asia, who continue to be exposed to the "traditional" environmental hazards such as: poverty; lack of safe potable water; lack of access to adequate sanitation and personal hygiene facilities; household and ambient air pollution; lack of access to sufficient and safe food and exposure to infectious diseases, while at the same time being exposed to "Western" environmental hazards such as: processed foods that are high in calories, fat and salt but low in trace elements, fiber and nutritious value; changes in the physical environment that make exercise more difficu exposure to "modern" chemicals including endocrine-disrupting chemicals, plastic product chemicals and plasticizers, flame retardants and pesticides; and household chemicals and personal care products.