ArticleThe Lancet. Planetary health2020
Exposure to waste sites and their impact on health: a panel and geospatial analysis of nationally representative data from South Africa, 2008-2015.
Article in The Lancet. Planetary health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- Water-Energy-Food Security and Health in South Africa: A Scoping Review.JAMA network open · 2026Article
- Water, sanitation, and depressive symptoms in Indonesia: The mediating role of life satisfaction.PloS one · 2026Article
- Illegal Dumping Sites in Bloemfontein, South Africa: Respiratory Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Community Perspectives.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Saccharification and co-fermentation of lignocellulosic biomass by a cockroach-gut bacterial symbiont and yeast cocktail for bioethanol production.BMC biotechnology · 2024Article
- Geospatial Analysis of Malaria and Typhoid Prevalence Due to Waste Dumpsite Exposure in Kinshasa Districts with and Without Waste Services: A Case Study of Bandalungwa and Bumbu, Democratic Republic of Congo.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- The health impact of hazardous waste landfills and illegal dumps contaminated sites: An epidemiological study at ecological level in Italian Region.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- Respiratory health among adolescents living in the Highveld Air Pollution Priority Area in South Africa.BMC public health · 2022Article
- Leveraging Open Electronic Health Record Data and Environmental Exposures Data to Derive Insights Into Rare Pulmonary Disease.Frontiers in artificial intelligence · 2022Article
- Occupational health and safety hazards among solid waste handlers at a selected municipality South Africa.Health SA = SA Gesondheid · 2022Article
- Waste Disposal Practices in Low-Income Settlements of South Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Mental health and COVID-19 in South Africa.South African journal of psychology = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir sielkunde · 2021Article
- Dhaka landfill waste practices: addressing urban pollution and health hazards.Buildings & cities · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRapid population growth, urbanisation, and economic development have led to an unprecedented number of waste sites in developing countries. This challenge has become a contentious international relations issue, with an unsustainable amount of waste and its health consequences often being borne by developing countries. However, little national-level evidence is available in sub-Saharan Africa to quantify the association between exposure to waste sites and health.
methodsWe used panel data from the South African National Income Dynamics Study (SA-NIDS) to investigate the association between exposure to waste sites and asthma, tuberculosis, diabetes, and depression. The SA-NIDS is a panel survey of a nationally representative sample in South Africa, which includes data reporting the health status of 32 255 individuals between 2008 and 2015. The study exposure was distance of households, in km, to the nearest waste site, derived from waste site geospatial locations from the South Africa Waste Information System.
findingsWe observed a substantial increase in exposure of households to waste sites between 2008 and 2015. The median distance between study households and waste sites decreased from 68·3 km (IQR 31·1-111·7) to 8·5 km (3·0-23·7). Residing within 5 km of a waste site was significantly associated with asthma (adjusted relative risk 1·41; 95% CI 1·20-1·64), tuberculosis (1·18; 1·02-1·36), diabetes (1·25; 1·05-1·49), and depression (1·08; 1·03-1·14). The association persisted even after controlling for multiple socioeconomic factors.
interpretationWe identified multiple adverse health outcomes in individuals living close to waste sites at a national level in South Africa, suggesting the need to reduce the number and size of waste sites to diminish harmful effects on health and wellbeing for communities living in close proximity to such sites.
fundingSouth African Medical Research Council, South African National Treasury, and Wellcome Trust.
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