Gov't recognizes causal relations of lung cancer and humidifier disinfectants

The Korean government has recognized the causal relations between lung cancer and humidifier disinfectants sold between 1996-2011 that presumably resulted in the deaths of more than 1,800 people.

People hold a demonstration remembering the victims who lost their lives from lung-related disease caused by toxic humidifier disinfectants in front of Seoul Station on Aug. 31. [YONHAP]

The Korean government has recognized the causal relations between lung cancer and humidifier disinfectants sold between 1996-2011 that presumably resulted in the deaths of more than 1,800 people.

The recognition of ties between lung cancer and the disinfectants comes 12 years after a humidifier disinfectant scandal first rattled the nation in 2011.

Damage relief will be provided to 599 people who claimed to have suffered lung-related diseases from using the disinfectants, the Ministry of Environment announced at the 36th committee meeting on the damage relief for the disinfectants held in central Seoul on Tuesday.

One of the 599 will receive damage relief for suffering from lung cancer caused by exposure to polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG), a chemical substance in disinfectants.

Researchers at a humidifier disinfectant research center of Korea University Ansan Hospital in January proved that exposure to PHMG increases the chance of growing a malignant tumor in the lung.

“Proving [the correlation between disinfectants and] lung cancer scientifically was very challenging and required a long period of experimentation,” Vice Environment Minister Lim Sang-jun said.

Tuesday’s decision brings up the number of relieved people to 5,176. A total of 7,862 people have requested compensation.

“The government will be able to take a more forward-looking approach to review reliefs for the other 206 lung cancer patients,” Lim added.

Oxy Reckitt Benckiser, SK Chemical, Aekyung Industrial, Lotte Shopping, Emart, Homeplus, GS Retail and SK Innovation were some of the companies embroiled in the case for either manufacturing or distributing the disinfectants.

Damage relief provided by these companies so far amounts to 140.6 billion won ($105.5 million).

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]