Health risks related to asbestos exposure in the environment - literature review and present status in Republic of Macedonia
Published 2017-07-01
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Abstract
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2009 classified all forms of asbestos as sure human carcinogen (Group 1) for lung cancer, mesothelioma of the pleura, and cancer of the larynx and ovary. The аim of this paper is to evaluate the available scientific evidence of exposure to asbestos in the environment and the diseases associated with exposure to asbestos environment in the world and in Macedonia.
Material and Methods: A review of the scientific evidence presented in published papers available in electronic databases (Pubmed, Web of Science.), WHO documents related to asbestos, published results of the projects in this domain, oral presentations of experts from the domain. Selected papers were reviewed and grouped by type of exposure in the environment.
Results: A research from West Australia has shown about 10% of malignant mesothelioma of the pleura in men and about 40% of malignant mesothelioma in women due to exposure to asbestos in the environment, 8% of the registered mesotheliomas have been found in family members of workers exposed to asbestos (paraprofessional exposure) and 31% among persons who lived half a mile away from an asbestos plant. The incidence of mesothelioma of the pleura among persons who independently renovated their houses/apartments in the period 2000-2004 was about 13 times higher, and in the period 2005-2008 it was 44 times higher than the incidence registered between 1980 and 1984 in Western Australia. In Macedonia, no data are available for people with diseases caused by exposure to asbestos during renovation/maintenance of their apartments/houses or in the private renovation/maintenance. Records of these diseases are not satisfactory because of the problems in the manner of collecting data from the institutions where they are diagnosed and treated. Thus, the number of persons with diseases caused by asbestos as a result of exposure to asbestos at the workplace or in environmental environment is not known. Based on data from the mortality statistics, the number of deaths from mesothelioma is in range from 1 in 2006, 6 in 2009, 3 in 2014.
Conclusions: Activities aimed at preventing diseases caused by exposure to asbestos in the environment should include two target groups, people with prior and those with current exposure to asbestos in the environment. National program for the elimination of diseases caused by asbestos for Macedonia has been prepared and adopted, but now we have to implement the program.
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