Plastic burning and health in rural Guatemala
Combustion of plastic waste and human health effects in Guatemala
Community programs to reduce household plastic burning aim to lower toxic chemical exposures and improve health for women of reproductive age in rural Guatemala.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11391605 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a village group that works to stop burning plastic and learns safer trash-handling practices. Twenty rural villages will be randomized, and about 400 women of reproductive age who report burning plastic will be enrolled (about 20 per village). Researchers will collect urine samples to measure chemical exposures such as bisphenols and phthalates, measure air emissions, and ask about health-related quality of life. The project compares villages with the intervention to control villages to see if reducing plastic burning lowers exposures and improves well-being.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women of reproductive age in rural Jalapa, Guatemala who currently burn plastic trash as their primary form of waste disposal are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who do not burn plastic, live outside the participating villages, or are not women of reproductive age are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lower toxic chemical exposures and improve reproductive and overall health for participating women and nearby children.
How similar studies have performed: Community clean-cookstove programs have shown mixed health results, and interventions specifically targeting household plastic burning with biomarker measures are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Saikawa, Eri — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Saikawa, Eri
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.