Iranian Journal of

Background and Objective: Pesticides are the major components of production in modern agriculture, however, as their widely usage, the hazards associated with their wastes have become of increasing concern. The aim of this study is to investigate orchard farmers’ attitudes toward proper disposal of pesticide wastes.
Materials and Methods: The statistical population of the study includes all orchard farmers in Meshkinshahr County (N=32,300). A total sample size of 300 farmers was selected and the data were collected. The research instrument was a questionnaire which was validated by a panel of university staff. A pilot study was conducted with 30 farmers outside the sample villages and Cronbach's alpha showed high reliability of the instrument.
Results: Due to the pesticides use, significant amounts of wastes are produced annually. Farmers do not properly dispose pesticide wastes. They leave the wastes on the farm, dump it in canals or river flow, or burn it. Farmers were not well informed about triple rinsing of containers before disposal. Most farmers used masks, hats, and gloves, 53% used boots and 7.7% used goggles, though none of them used coverall during pesticides’ handling. Respondents took negative to moderate attitudes towards proper wastes disposal. Age, education, and participation in extension programs were the most important determinants of the attitudes.
Conclusion: Considering the relatively negative attitude and improper waste disposal, it is necessary to establish centers for waste collection, to inform and encourage farmers to dispose of waste properly. Relevant organizations, such as health and the environment should plan for pesticide waste management.

Background and Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate dust origin particulate (PM_2.5) in Mashhad city in a long period of time (2014-2019) based on unhealthy days. Furthermore, changes in meteorological parameters and their relationship with dust storms have also been investigated.
Materials and Methods: In order to locate dust pollution hotspots in mashhad air, first, information about unhealthy days of Mashhad city in a 5-year period was obtained from the site of Mashhad Pollutants Monitoring Center and then HYSPLIT model was used to locate air pollution hotspots caused by particulate matter. To verify the results, the outputs obtained from this model were also compared with the DREAM8b model.
Results: By examining the meteorological parameters and its relationship with the outputs obtained from THEHYSPLIT and DREAM8b models, the maximum wind speed and relative humidity were obtained in autumn. There was no rainfall in the studied days (19 days) and the highest temperature was related to summer, indicating the relationship between the occurrences of polluted days due to particulate matter less than μ 2.5, wind speed and relative humidity in autumn. The results of the two models showed that the southern and northeastern regions of Mashhad city had the highest source of dust particles during the studied days.
Conclusion:  Although in previous articles, the origin of dust in Mashhad city was announced outside the geographical boundaries of the province, long-term investigation at low altitude (below 10m) showed that local origin of dust have an essential role in air pollution in Mashhad city under unstable atmospheric conditions. Inappropriate use of agricultural lands and severe changes in land use often in the northern region and implementation of construction projects such as the southern belt of Mashhad city play essential roles in increasing PM_2.5 particles in the air of Mashhad. This finding shows the importance of decision making for the implementation of soil stabilization projects etc... at the local level.

Background and Objective:  One of the important environmental problems is the mass production of urban waste, which has increased per capita household waste production with the ever-increasing population growth; Therefore, nowadays, the use of intelligent systems has been expanded as a new solution in the analysis of environmental issues. Estimation of household waste through modeling, including the use of the fuzzy-neural network, leads to its better management. Therefore, the current research was conducted to investigate the socioeconomic factors on household waste production using the Adaptive Neural Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) in Tabriz city.
Materials and Method:   In this research, by using the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (AFNIS) with the Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) method, domestic waste generation in Tabriz city has been predicted. According to the nature of the subject and the investigated indicators, the information collected in descriptive research was collected from the students of schools in Tabriz using a questionnaire. Also, socio-economic factors were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 26 software, and parameters affecting domestic waste production in Tabriz city were used for modeling in MATLAB software.
Results: The results of the study showed that the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system with the Fuzzy C-Means method has acceptable performance for domestic waste production in Tabriz city.
Conclusion:  According to the results obtained based on the statistical index, the forecasted model in domestic waste production in the Fuzzy C-Means method with the highest R (0.75) and the lowest error has an acceptable performance model in predicting the production of dry domestic waste in the studied area.

Background and Objective: Compliance with the principles of environmental health is of particular importance in any gathering ceremony. This issue needs more attention in the Muharram and Safar mourning ceremonies due to the position of health in Islam and the presence of different populations in this ceremony. Based on this, the present study was conducted with the aim of environmental health management during Muharram and Safar days using the Analytic Hierarchy Process.
Materials and Methods: According to the main purpose of the study, a literature review was done. Then, a team of experts was formed and criteria, sub-criteria and programs related to the purpose of the study were determined by brainstorming, and the relevant questionnaire was prepared and after completion by 25 experts, the relevant criteria were prioritized using the Analytic Hierarchy Process.
Results: Based on the weighting with the Analytic Hierarchy Process method, the highest score (0.441) was awarded to the health inspection criteria, and then the administrative coordination criteria(0.186), education (0.182), reporting (0.169) and finally the support and services criterion (0.022) were prioritized.
Conclusion: The results of the study indicate the emphasis on environmental health management during the Muharram and Safar mourning ceremonies from the point of view of experts, that compliance with the three principles of health inspection, administrative coordination and continuous training has the particular importance.
 

Background and Objective: The challenge of fostering healthier societies begins with considering the environment and promoting collective acceptance of environmentally friendly behaviors. Consumer choices regarding the environment impact the health and quality of life for current and future generations. Therefore, it is essential for academics and marketers to understand the concept and characteristics of green consumers. Consequently, the aim of the current research is to identify factors influencing consumers' attitudes toward environmentally friendly products, while also considering the moderating role of green innovation.
Materials and Methods: This study is applied in terms of purpose, descriptive and survey method. The statistical population comprises all consumers of green products in Shahin Dezh city. A sample size of 208 individuals was determined using Cochran's formula selected through simple random sampling. A standard questionnaire was used to collect information. To analyze the research data, structural equation modeling software Lisrel and Smart-Pls3 were used.
Results: The research findings indicated that environmental attitude (significance coefficient of 5.20), health consciousness (significance coefficient of 4.07), and environmental knowledge (significance coefficient of 3.30) positively influence consumers' attitude toward green products. Additionally, the study recognized and confirmed the significance of the green innovation variable as an important moderating factor in this relationship.
These relationships are statistically significant. Additionally, the study recognizes and confirms the green innovation variable as an important moderating variable in this relationship.
Conclusion: Our findings offer valuable insights for tailoring educational strategies targeted at diverse consumer groups to promote the adoption of environmentally friendly products. By fostering such consumer behavior, we aim to contribute to the creation of a healthier environment for both present and future generations.

Background and Objective: The use of chemical pesticides is essential for integrated pest management; however, their improper application can lead to significant health and environmental consequences. This study aimed to develop an advocacy document for managing pesticide residues in agricultural products in the country, supported by the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Materials and Methods: The study comprised the following steps: (1) formation of a committee to develop the advocacy document, (2) assessment of pesticide residue levels in agricultural products, (3) evaluation of the management of pesticide residues in the country, (4) drafting the advocacy document, and (5) proposing executive recommendations to improve the current situation.
Results: The systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that approximately 19% of agricultural products in the country exceeded the maximum residue level (MRL) set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, a relatively high rate compared to other countries. While existing laws and regulations provided a clear framework for pesticide residue management and outlined stakeholder responsibilities, there was insufficient allocation of resources and support for policymakers, executives, beneficiaries, and the general public. The advocacy document identified stakeholder roles and defined five goals to enhance stakeholder engagement and foster intersectoral collaboration. The five key recommendations to improve the current situation were: (1) clarifying the current status of pesticide residue management, (2) setting quantitative goals for programs, (3) ensuring adequate budget and resource allocation, (4) leveraging expert opinions effectively, and (5) improving the performance of beneficiaries.
Conclusion: To ensure the implementation of these recommendations and achieve the goals outlined in this document, it is recommended to establish an advocacy committee on pesticide residue management in agricultural products. This committee should include representatives from all responsible organizations within the Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education.