Barqan Industrial Park: Implications of industrial development for population health

Human health is intimately linked to the health of the environment. Environmental degradation sickens and kills millions around the world, especially minorities and low-income groups. Industrial parks are one major source of environmental degradation, posing serious threats to the sustainability of the environment and to population health. This pilot study adopts Ecosystem Health and Environmental Justice frameworks to map the population health impact of the Barqan Industrial Park. Barqan, located in the West Bank, spans 360 acres and hosts over 70 industrial facilities engaged in a variety of processes, including plastic, electroplating, and textile manufacturing, likely to have major environmental and health impacts. In a preliminary assessment, residents in three nearby villages reported skin diseases, cancer, birth defects, and psychological stress. Our planned pilot study examines the impact of the Park's untreated wastewater on one affected village, Bruqin, including the physical and mental health of its residents and the physical and chemical properties of its water supplies, soil, and milk of grazing cattle. Data will be used to calculate sample sizes for a larger controlled study including all six villages affected by Barqan. Because neither the Park's construction nor practices have been accompanied by environmental or health assessments, there is a critical need for a comprehensive investigation that can evaluate its population health impact and inform public health and environmental interventions and policy in the region. Our study, the first to examine the population health impact of an Industrial Park in this location, builds towards this objective.