Health Impact and Ecosocial Safety in Romanian Metallic Materials Industry

Abstract

Abstract In the context of the industrial evolution towards Industry 5.0 concept, there is an increase in the industrial processes automation and digitization which can bring several benefits but also challenges for human health protection. Thus, it is important that governments and industrial companies take a series of measures to detect health problems that may be related to harmful substances exposure during industrial processes. The paper deals with a subject of industrial ecosociology represented by the interactions of three systems: natural-ecological (particulate matters pollution of the atmosphere), technological (polluting particulate matters in processing of metallic materials), social (health status under negative impact of polluting particulate matters). The negative influence of particulate matters on human health is investigated with regard to the particle characteristics, namely size, dp [m], concentration, cp [g/m3], granulometric fractions, fg [%], elemental chemical composition and granulometric structure. The following aspects are approached: the importance of industrial ecosociology concerns for sustainable development of human existence; the need of engineers to know the industrial ecosociology targets; the ranking of metallurgy sectors (sintering plant, blast furnace, LD converter, electrical arc furnace – EAF, rolling mills) according to the impact of pollutants particulates that may affect human health induced diseases is assessed. JEL Classifications F64, I15, J81, O14, Q57