title: Respiratory function among waste incinerator workers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Whereas air pollutants have been measured in incinerator working areas, few studies have focused on the effects of these pollutants on the lung function of incinerator workers. In France, a study was performed among workers at two urban incinerators, aimed at identifying a link between exposure to different pollutants in incinerator plants and respiratory lung function impairments.
  
  
  METHODS
  A follow-up of lung function was carried out on 83 incinerator workers from two incinerator plants, comparing them with a group of 76 non-exposed workers recruited by the same occupational physician. Workers' lung functions were measured during their yearly occupational medical examination, for 3 years. The American Thoracic Society quality criteria were used to control the quality of the flow-volume curves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Base-line lung functions were lower among incinerator workers than among non-exposed workers. The few significant differences were indicative of obstructive symptoms. During the first year the differences observed between the two groups were close to the significant threshold value of 5% for FEF(75)/ PV and FEF(25-75)/PV. During the third year significant differences covered three parameters: FEF(50)/PV, FEF(25-75)/PV and FEF(25-75)/FVC. After smoking habits (pack-years), medical history of allergy or lung diseases and the examination centres had been taken into account in a linear regression, the reduction of FEF(75)/PV in the first year and FEF(25-75)/FVC in the third year was linked to exposure in incinerator plants. There was no significant association between exposure and the differences observed in the FEF(25-75)/PV in the first year or in the FEF(50)/PV and the FEF(25-75)/PV in the third year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This analysis of incinerator workers' lung functions has identified some lung impairments among workers exposed to incinerator air pollutants compared to non-exposed workers, thus indicating possible obstructive disorders among incinerator workers. However, these impairments are moderate and in accordance with the low levels of airborne pollutants identified in a previous study.
authors.affiliation: UMRETTE (Transport, Work & Environment Epidemiology Research Unit), INRETS (French National Institute for Transport and Safety Research), University Lyon I, Domaine Universitaire Rockefeller, 69373 Lyon, France. barbara.charbotel@rockefeller.univ-lyon1.fr
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Charbotel
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hours
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perdrix
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Anzivino-Viricel
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergeret
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational