oa Environmental and Occupational Health Impacts for Tobacco Cultivation: A Case Study on a Developing Country (Bangladesh)

Bangladesh is an agriculture-based country. However, nowadays, tobacco cultivation has increased significantly (about 65 percent) in the last few years compared to other cereal crops. Tobacco cultivation has an impact not only by its production but also by its processing. The overall impact of tobacco cultivation is negative, considering the environmental and occupational health measures and indicators. The environment is damaged due to the overuse of pesticides and fertilizers, tobacco processing; and occupational health is in a vulnerable state due to the dispersal of harmful substances emitted during tobacco processing. The social impacts are significant, and respiratory and lung diseases are now obvious to the tobacco farmers and their families. Social surveys were conducted at the tobacco cultivation sites to identify the social and environmental impacts of tobacco cultivation. In this study, an assessment of environmental and occupational health impacts due to tobacco cultivation and processing were highlighted considering the health issues. A risk assessment framework was suggested considering the social and environmental dynamics of tobacco cultivation in different areas of Bangladesh.

Keywords: Environment / Health / Impacts / Occupational / Tobacco

Shahriar Rahman, Environmental and GIS Specialist, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Bangladesh Country Office, House # 11, Road # 138, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh EMail: [email protected] .