An official at Samsung Electronics’ healthcare center, right, explains working conditions at its chip lines to an unnamed guest, Friday. / Korea Times file

By Kim Yoo-chul

A study commissioned by Samsung Electronics said Friday no ``critical’’ cancer- and leukemia-causing chemicals were found at the company’s memory chip lines.

The world’s biggest chipmaker, which set up its first healthcare center at the firm’s main chip compound on the outskirts of Seoul in April 2010, released a statement saying some 10 experts are still conducting a thorough study exploring working conditions at its chip facilities.

In the statement, Samsung said it has released its analysis of working conditions at its chip lines in the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Expo 2012 (AIHce 2012), held from June 16 to June 21 in Indianapolis, the United States.

Samsung said it discussed various pending issues with experts in the United States and the United Kingdom during the forum. Officials said the participation was aimed at building stronger monitoring systems to make its chip lines safer.

Environ International _ a Chicago-based environmental consulting firm _ has also sided with Samsung Electronics by claiming that there was no ``critical link’’ between workplace exposure and diagnosed cancers.

Last year, Samsung hired the consulting firm after a local court ruled in June last year that the chip giant was responsible for two worker’s deaths and a state-funded agency to pay proper compensation to the surviving family members.

Formaldehyde, ionizing radiation and trichloroethylene were the only chemicals and agents used or detected on Samsung’s lines known to be related to the cancers in question, according to Environ.

Despite a year-long investigation by Samsung and Environ that claimed that no hazardous materials were found in Samsung’s chip plants, conditions inside the Korean firm’s factories were still generating a wave of protests here, including the evolution of a protest group led by a worker’s advocate body called Banollim.

The advocate body is still insisting that those who fell ill with apparent leukemia, while working at Samsung were ``offered money in return for the families’ agreement not to report their illnesses as an industrial accident or contact civic organizations.’’

Samsung Electronics is saying the claim by Banollim is ``totally groundless’’ and stressed the company didn’t make any such offer.

The statement, which says the chip lines are safe, comes after Environ released its analysis at the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) in March in the Mexican city of Cancun.

Samsung said it’s been increasing budgets for the health of its workers on the company’s chip-making lines and that it has been running various health care programs for the safety of its workplaces.

It officially said 26 current and former employees have been diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma and 10 of them died, while other sources said at least 36 Samsung employees developed cancer and 15 died.

Samsung runs chip-making lines in Korea, the United States and the company recently released a plan to build its first chip line in the western Chinese city of Xian.

The reputation of the electronics sector as a clean industry has been challenged in the past decade by cancer detected in people who worked at computer parts manufacturers.