title: Does open-air exposure to volatile organic compounds near a plastic recycling factory cause health effects?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  After a plastic reprocessing factory began to operate in August 2004, the residents around the factory in Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan, began to complain of symptoms. Therefore, we conducted an exposure assessment and a population-based epidemiological study in 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess exposure, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and total VOCs were measured at two locations in the vicinity of the factory. In the population-based study, a total of 3,950 residents were targeted. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information about subjects' mucocutaneous or respiratory symptoms. Using logistic regression models, we compared the prevalence of symptoms in July 2006 by employing the farthest area from the factory as a reference, and prevalence odds ratios (PORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The concentration of total VOCs was higher in the vicinity of the factory. The prevalence of mucocutaneous and respiratory symptoms was the highest among the residents in the closest area to the factory. Some symptoms were significantly increased among the residents within 500 m of the factory compared with residents of an area 2800 m from the factory: e.g., sore throat (POR=3.2, 95% CI: 1.3-8.0), eye itch (POR=3.0, 95% CI: 1.5-6.0), eye discharge (POR=6.0, 95% CI: 2.3-15.9), eczema (POR=3.0, 95% CI: 1.1-7.9) and sputum (POR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.1-5.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite of the limitations of this study, these results imply a possible association of open-air VOCs with mucocutaneous and respiratory symptoms. Because this kind of plasticre cycling factory only recently came into operation, more attention should be paid to the operation of plastic recycling factories in the environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Ecology, Okayama University Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Japan. yorichan@md.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yorifuji
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: Etsuji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Soshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takao
authors.forename: Saori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashima
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yanagisawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004782:Environmental Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010969:Plastics / Q000633:toxicity*; D059027:Recycling; D012119:Respiration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds