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Mortality among workers at a municipal waste incinerator
Author(s) -
Gustavsson Per
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.4700150302
Subject(s) - medicine , environmental health , incineration , waste management , occupational exposure , engineering
Mortality was investigated among 176 male workers employed for at least 1 year between 1920 and 1985 at a municipal waste incinerator. Expected numbers of deaths from 1951 to 1985 were calculated from national and local death rates, standardized for age and calendar year. There was an excess of deaths from lung cancer and, after long follow‐up, for ischemic heart disease. Analysis of duration of exposure supported that the excess of ischemic heart disease was caused by occupational factors; the lung cancer cases were too few to permit conclusions in this respect. Exposure to combustion products and polycyclic aromatic compounds were common, but other occupational exposures may also have contributed to the risk excesses. Smoking habits were investigated and did not differ from the average for Swedish men in cities and towns. Some work operations are very dusty and should be performed only with appropriate protection devices.