A meta-analysis of mortality data in Italian contaminated sites with industrial waste landfills or illegal dumps

Abstract

Objectives. Adverse  effects  of  waste  management  represent  a  public  health  issue.  Mortality meta-analysis in Italian National Priority Contaminated Sites (NPCSs) with  industrial waste landfills or illegal dumps is presented.
Methods.  24  NPCSs  include  industrial  waste  landfills  or  illegal  dumps.  Class  1  (10  NPCSs with industrial waste landfills) and Class 2 (14 NPCSs with illegal dumps) were  categorized.  Random-effects  model  meta-analyses  of  Standardized  Mortality  Ratios  non-adjusted (SMRs) and adjusted for Deprivation (DI-SMRs) computed for each CS  (1995-2002)  were  performed  for  overall  24  NPCSs  and  the  two  classes.  The  North-Southern gradient was considered.
Results.  24  CSs  pooled-SMRs  are  significantly  increased  in  both  genders  for  cancer  of liver (men: SMR = 1.13; women: SMR = 1.18), bladder (men: SMR = 1.06; women:  SMR = 1.11), and for cirrhosis (men: SMR = 1.09; women: SMR = 1.13). In Class 2 the  increase is confirmed in both genders for liver and bladder cancers and for cirrhosis and  in men only for lung cancer. Congenital anomalies and adverse perinatal conditions are  not increased.
Conclusion. The results are consistent with the hypothesis of adverse health effects of  non-adequately managed hazardous waste. Causal interpretation is not allowed, but the  meta-analytic approach provides more confidence in the findings.