Japanese Journal of Smoking Control Science
Online ISSN : 1883-3926
The smoking area was closed due to the measurement results of particulate matter at University of Shizuoka.
Yusuke MiyazakiYuko Iwazaki[in Japanese]Youichi SunagawaYasuhumi KatanasakaYuko TakahashiMaki KomiyamaKouji HasegawaTatsuya Morimoto
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JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2018 Volume vol.12 Issue 09 Pages 1-5

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Abstract

Abstract
[Introduction] Although passivesmoking is a serious risk factor affecting the health of non-smokers and minors, the prohibition of smoking was enforced at 12 campuses in 27 campuses (44%) in Shizuoka Prefecture. Unfortunately, smoking areas still exist in universities. Therefore, we investigated the environment around the smoking area at University of Shizuoka, Kusanagi campus.
[Methods] We measured suspended particle matter (SPM) in the air nearby the two distinct smoking areas at University of Shizuoka. The digital particle meter, LD-3K2 (Sibata Scientific Technology, Ltd.) between 10h00 and 18h00 in sunny and calm conditions was employed to perform the measurements. The Basic Environment Act and the Tentative Guideline for Alerts (Ministry of the Environment, Japan) were used to determine thresholds.
[Results] The results of SPM measurement are as follows:
1. The maximum SPM concentration in the outside smoking area was 1,830 μg/m3. It was higher than the reference value (35 μg/m3) at least nine times a day.
2. The maximum SPM concentration 5 m from the outside smoking area was 77.5 μg/m3. It was higher than the reference value at least twice a day.
3. The maximum SPM concentration in front of the inside smoking area was 113 μg/m3. It was higher than the reference value at least five times a day. Moreover, it was higher than 70 μg/m3, the reference value of Tentative Guideline for Alerts, three times a day.
[Conclusion] Our results showed that more than half of the universities in Shizuoka Prefecture did not enforce strict rules to avoid passive smoking. This indicates that people who visit universities, especially those who walk in the vicinity of smoking areas, are at serious health risk. Universities are public places and open to everyone. Therefore, there should be a rule enforcing no smoking at universities to ensure everyone’s safety.

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© 2018 Japanese Journal of Smoking Control Science
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