Air pollution and the world of work in southeast Asia

The document examines occupational air pollution in southeast Asia, highlighting that 87% of the workforce is in the informal sector, where workers face higher exposure and fewer protections. Case studies from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Viet Nam, and Thailand reveal that gender, age, and class create differentiated risks, with men often facing higher direct exposure in some roles while women face confining indoor pollution in others. The report finds a widespread lack of awareness regarding health impacts and a critical gap in government accountability due to fragmented agency collaboration. It recommends updating labour laws to include informal workers, improving occupational safety awareness, and establishing a single responsible agency for national air pollution monitoring and control.

• Occupational air pollution exposure is influenced by intersectional factors including gender, age, ethnicity, class, and migrant status. In Lao PDR's food vending sector, men typically have higher exposure as they are preferred as main chefs working closer to grills, while in Viet Nam's craft villages, women often face higher concentrations of indoor air pollution due to more confining assigned tasks.
• There is a significant lack of awareness among workers regarding the health risks of air pollution in the workplace, particularly among younger workers who may perceive themselves as "invincible". This lack of knowledge reduces the likelihood of workers seeking protection or advocating for policy changes.
• Informal workers in southeast Asia face higher risks of air pollution exposure and have significantly less access to healthcare and labour protections than formal workers. In Viet Nam, healthcare coverage is limited to the formal sector and those paying social security, whereas Thailand provides universal healthcare for both sectors.
• Home-based work, which is predominantly informal and often performed by women, extends air pollution risks to family members, including children and the elderly, especially when work involves emissions-generating activities like cooking.
• Effective policy is hindered by a lack of integration and accountability across government ministries for labour, environment, and health. Most countries in the region lack a single agency responsible for managing the impacts of occupational air pollution.

APA

Slater, J., Archer, D., O’Neill, C., Han, J. Y.-C., & Vanhuyse, F. (2023). Air pollution and the world of work in southeast Asia. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/work-air-pollution-se-asia-sei2023.022.pdf

Chicago

Slater, Jessica, Diane Archer, Connie O’Neill, Jenny Yi-Chen Han, and Fedra Vanhuyse. Air pollution and the world of work in southeast Asia. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2023. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/work-air-pollution-se-asia-sei2023.022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Slater |first1=Jessica |last2=Archer |first2=Diane |last3=O’Neill |first3=Connie |last4=Han |first4=Jenny Yi-Chen |last5=Vanhuyse |first5=Fedra |title=Air pollution and the world of work in southeast Asia |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=March 2023 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/work-air-pollution-se-asia-sei2023.022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{slater2023air, author = {Slater, Jessica and Archer, Diane and O’Neill, Connie and Han, Jenny Yi-Chen and Vanhuyse, Fedra}, title = {{Air pollution and the world of work in southeast Asia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2023}, month = mar, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/work-air-pollution-se-asia-sei2023.022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }