Incineration Health Effects Assessment by the WHO and Other Authorities

SCIENCE: Incineration Health Effects Assessment by the WHO and Other Authorities

http://www.ecomed.org.uk/content/IncineratorReport_v2.pdf

Assessment by the WHO and Other Authorities

Based on World Health Organisation Air Quality Guidelines the British Society for Ecological Medicine has estimated that a 1μg per cubic metre increase in PM2.5 particulates(a) would lead to a reduced life expectancy of 40 days per person over 15 years(b).

Although this figure appears small they note that the public health implications are large and the effect on a typical population of 250,000 surrounding an incinerator would be a loss of 27,500 man-years of life over a 15 year time period.

This figure gives an indication of the likely loss of life from any major source of PM2.5 particulates. In addition, incinerators normally operate for much longer periods than the 15 years quoted here. Note that the estimated loss of life here is likely to be an underestimate as it is from particulates alone and not from other toxic substances.

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a) A very conservative estimate of the level of increase that would be expected around large incinerators.

b) This equals a reduction of life expectancy of 1.1 years for each 10μg per cubic metre increase in PM2.5 particulates

The US National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM 2.5 particulates was introduced into the USA in 1997 with a mean annual limit of 15μg per cubic metre. This had measurable health benefits.

An annual mean limit for PM 2.5 particulates is to be introduced into Scotland in 2010 and this will be 12μg per cubic metre. An annual mean target for PM 2.5 particulates is to be introduced into the UK in 2020 and this will be 25μg per cubic metre. Many will wonder why the difference is so vast when the science is the same.

Waste-To-Toxins, wastetoenergy, Deadly Particles (PM2.5), Poolbeg Incinerator, Dublin Bay Incinerator, Dublin City Council, EPA, Bord Pleanala, Health, Deaths, The Big Lie,