Health effects on nearby residents of a wood treatment plant.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the health status of nearby residents of a wood treatment plant who had sustained prolonged low-level environmental exposure to wood processing waste chemicals.


METHODS
A population of 1269 exposed residents who were plaintiffs or potential plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the wood treatment plant were evaluated by questionnaire for a health history and symptoms. A representative sample of 214 exposed subjects was included in the analysis. One hundred thirty-nine controls were selected from 479 unexposed volunteers and matched to the exposed subjects as closely as possible by gender and age. Subjects and controls completed additional questionnaires and were evaluated by a physician for medical history and physical examination, blood and urine testing, neurophysiological and neuropsychological studies, and respiratory testing. Environmental sampling for wood processing waste chemicals was carried out on soil and drainage ditch sediment in the exposed neighborhood.


RESULTS
The exposed subjects had significantly more cancer, respiratory, skin, and neurological health problems than the controls. The subjective responses on questionnaires and by physician histories revealed that the residents had a significantly greater prevalence of mucous membrane irritation, and skin and neurological symptoms, as well as cancer. (Exposed versus unexposed, cancer 10.0% versus 2.08%, bronchitis 17.8% versus 5.8%, and asthma by history 40.5% versus 11.0%) There were significantly more neurophysiologic abnormalities in adults of reaction time, trails A and B, and visual field defects.


CONCLUSIONS
Adverse health effects were significantly more prevalent in long-term residents near a wood treatment plant than in controls. The results of this study suggest that plant emissions from wood treatment facilities should be reduced.
Dahlgren
James
J
UCLA, School of Medicine, 2811 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 510, Santa Monica, CA 9003, USA. dahlgren@envirotoxicology.com
Warshaw
Raphael
R
Thornton
John
J
Anderson-Mahoney
C Pamela
CP
Takhar
Harpreet
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002617:Chemical Industry; D002648:Child; D003407:Creosote / Q000009:adverse effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D010416:Pentachlorophenol / Q000009:adverse effects; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014934:Wood
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D003407:Creosote; D010416:Pentachlorophenol