The health impact of hazardous waste landfills and illegal dumps contaminated sites: An epidemiological study at ecological level in Italian Region.

Background and aim: The implementation of idoneous management of hazardous waste, in contrast to illegal practices, is one of the environment and health priorities of the WHO. The aim of the present study, based on a collaborative agreement between the Italian National Health Institute and a Prosecution Office located in Naples North, was to evaluate the health effects of illegal landfills and burning of urban and hazardous waste in the territory of the Prosecution Office. Methods: The municipalities included in the study territory were investigated with respect to the regional population. Regression analyses were performed in the study area between four classes of an environmental municipal indicator of waste risk (MRI) previously defined, computing the relative risks (RRs) in 2-4 MRI classes, with respect to the first MRI class (the least impacted). The prevalence of reproductive outcomes and cause-specific mortality and hospitalization were analyzed in the general population and in the 0-19-year-old population using SAS software. Results: An increase of mortality and hospitalization risk in both the genders of the whole area, with respect to regional population, were found for overall all cancer cases, cancer of the stomach, the liver, the lung and the kidney, and ischemic heart diseases. An increase of mortality for leukemias in the 0-19-year-old population and in hospitalization risk for certain conditions originating in the perinatal period were observed. Correlation between MRI and the risk of mortality from breast tumors in women (MRI class 2: RR = 1.06; MRI class 3: RR = 1.15; MRI class 4: RR = 1.11) and between MRI and the risk of hospitalization from testis tumors (MRI class 2: RR = 1.25; MRI class 3: RR = 1.31; MRI class 4: RR = 1.32) were found. The hospitalization risk from breast tumors and asthma exceeded significantly in both genders of three and four MRI classes. Among the 0-19-year-old population, correlation between MRI and hospitalization from leukemias (MRI class 2: RR = 1.48; MRI class 3: RR = 1.60; MRI class 4: RR = 1.41) and between MRI and the prevalence of preterm birth (MRI class 2: RR = 1.17; MRI class 3: RR = 1.08; MRI class 4: RR = 1.25) were found. Conclusion: A correlation between health outcomes and the environmental pressure by uncontrolled waste sites was found. Notwithstanding the limitation of the study, the results promote implementing the actions of environmental remediation and the prosecution of illegal practices.

[The contaminated sites in the SENTIERI Project: an update of legislative, contamination, and sources of environmental exposure aspects in Italy]. / I siti contaminati del Progetto SENTIERI: aggiornamenti legislativi, caratteristiche della contaminazione e fonti di esposizione ambientale.

In Italy, the problem of contaminated sites was introduced for the first time at a regulatory level with the 'Ronchi Decree' No. 22 of 1997. Subsequently, the regulations that defined most of the contaminated Sites of National Interest (SINs) were Law No. 426 of 09.12.1998 and Law no. 179 of 31.07.2002. Today, the reference directive is the Legislative Decree 152/2006 'Consolidated Environmental Act', which in Part IV, Title V 'Remediation of contaminated sites', dictates the administrative and technical procedures for the remediation of contaminated sites. Over time, there have been numerous regulatory updates that have changed the selection criteria for the SINs, leading some of these to be downgraded to Sites of Regional Interest (SIRs). The SINs in their entirety are managed by the Italian Ministry of the Environment, today called 'of the Ecological Transition', while the pass to the competence of the territorially concerned Regions SIRs regarding the verification and eventual remediation operations. Currently, in Italy there are 42 SINs and 17 SIRs. All the information derived from the various environmental regulations and that found in the context of the remediation procedures made it possible to define the exposure of the population residing in the areas adjacent to the SINs and SIRs as well as the elaboration of sheets containing all the site-specific information.

[SENTIERI - Epidemiological Study of Residents in National Priority Contaminated Sites. Sixth Report]. / SENTIERI - Studio epidemiologico nazionale dei territori e degli insediamenti esposti a rischio da inquinamento. Sesto Rapporto.

INTRODUCTION ADN OBJECTIVES: The Sixth Report presents the results of the "SENTIERI Project: implementation of the permanent epidemiological surveillance system of populations residing in Italian Sites of Remediation Interest", promoted and financed by the Italian Ministry of Health (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention - CCM Project 2018). The aim of this study is to update the mortality and hospitalization analyses concerning the 6,227,531 inhabitants (10.4% of the Italian population) residing in 46 contaminated sites (39 of national interest and 7 of regional interest). The sites include 316 municipalities distributed as follows: 15 in the North-East (20.3% of the investigated population); 104 in the North-West (12% of the investigated population), 32 in the Centre (12.6% of the investigated population), 165 in the South and Islands (55.5% of the investigated population). Analyses were carried out on the paediatric-adolescent (1,128,396 residents) and youth (665,284 residents) population, and a study on congenital anomalies (CA) was carried out at sites covered by congenital malformation registers. Accompanying the epidemiological assessments, site-specific socioeconomic conditions were examined and an overall estimate of excess risk for populations residing at contaminated sites was drawn up. By means of a systematic review of the scientific literature, the epidemiological evidence on causal links between sources of environmental exposure and health effects was updated to identify pathologies of a priori interest. METHODOLOGY: In the 46 sites included in the SENTIERI Project, mortality (time window: 2013-2017) and hospital admissions (time window: 2014-2018) of the general population of all ages, divided by gender, and of the paediatric-adolescent (0-1 year, 0-14 years, 0-19 years), youth (20-29 years), and overall (0-29 years) age groups, divided by gender, were analysed. In 21 sites, CA diagnosed within the first year of life were studied. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) and hospitalization ratios (SHR) were calculated with reference to the rates in the regions to which the sites belong. The reference population was calculated net of residents in the sites. CA were studied by calculating the prevalence per 10,000 births and the ratio, multiplied by 100, between the cases observed at the site and those expected on the basis of the prevalences observed in the reference area (region or sub-regional area of belonging, according to the geographical coverage of the registry). The socioeconomic condition studied in the 46 sites is based on the convergence of three deprivation indicators with respect to the reference region: deprivation index at municipal level, deprivation index at census section level, premature mortality indicator (age range 30-69 years) for chronic non-communicable diseases. For the estimation of excess risk for the entire study population, meta-analysis of the mortality and hospitalization risk estimates for each site was carried out and the number of excess deaths estimated for the sites as a whole. The epidemiological evidence was updated through a systematic literature review (January 2009-May 2020), following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The search was carried out on the search engines MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science; the quality of the studies included in the review was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 checklist for systematic reviews and the NewCastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies in the case of cohort and case-control studies and a modified version thereof for ecological and cross-sectional studies. The update was based on the selection of 14 systematic reviews, 15 primary studies, 6 monographs/reports from international scientific organisations on health effects due to the presence of environmental exposure sources. RESULTS: Mortality. The a priori causes of interest that occur most frequently in excess are, in descending order: malignant lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma of the pleura, malignant bladder cancer, respiratory diseases, non-Hodgkin lymphomas, malignant liver cancer, all malignant tumours, malignant colorectal cancer, malignant stomach cancer, total mesotheliomas, malignant breast cancer, and asbestosis. Hospitalization. The a priori causes of interest that occur most frequently in excess are represented in descending order by: respiratory diseases, malignant lung cancer, malignant tumours of the pleura, malignant bladder cancer, malignant breast cancer, malignant liver cancer, asthma, malignant colorectal cancer, all malignant tumours, malignant stomach cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, acute respiratory diseases, leukaemias. The differences observed between mortality and hospitalization can be attributed to the intrinsic characteristics of the diseases (higher or lower lethality, gender differences in incidence), lifestyles, and occupational phenomena. Age classes. Excesses of general mortality were observed in the first year of life at the Manfredonia, Basso Bacino Fiume Chienti, Litorale Domizio Flegreo and Agro Aversano sites; in the 0-1 year and 0-19 year age groups at Casale Monferrato; in the paediatric age group at Serravalle Scrivia and at the Trento Nord site; in the 0-19 year age group at Sassuolo Scandiano; in the young age group (0-29 years) at the two municipalities of Cerchiara and Cassano (Crotone-Cassano-Cerchiara site). With regard to hospitalization due to natural causes, risk excesses in both genders are found in the first year of life in 35% of the sites (Porto Torres industrial areas, Bari-Fibronit, Basso bacino fiume Chienti, Bolzano, Crotone-Cassano-Cerchiara, Cerro al Lambro, Bologna ETR large repair workshop, Gela, Manfredonia, Massa Carrara, Pioltello Rodano, Pitelli, Priolo, Sesto San Giovanni, Trento Nord, and Trieste). These same sites, with the addition of Casale Monferrato, Cengio e Saliceto, Serravalle Scrivia, and Sulcis-Iglesiente-Guspinese (total: 43% of sites), show excesses for all natural causes, in both genders, even in the paediatric-adolescent age group (0-19 years). Among young adults (20-29 years), the analyses show excesses of hospitalization for all natural causes in both genders in the Bolzano, Crotone-Cassano-Cerchiara, Gela, Manfredonia, Pitelli, Priolo, and Sulcis-Iglesiente-Guspinese sites. Among young women only, excesses for all natural causes are also found in Brescia Caffaro, Brindisi, Broni, Casale Monferrato, Crotone-Cassano-Cerchiara, Falconara Marittima, Fidenza, and Massa Carrara. Congenital anomalies. In the 21 sites investigated for CA, 10,126 cases of CA, validated by participating registers, were analysed out of 304,620 resident births. Genital CA is the subgroup for which the greatest number of excesses was observed (in 6 out of 21 sites). The available evidence does not allow a causal link to be established between the excesses observed for specific subgroups of ACs and exposure to industrial sources, but the results suggest further action. The interpretation of the results appears, in fact, particularly complex as the scientific literature on the association between exposure to industrial sources and AC is very limited. Socioeconomic status. The sites in which the indicators converge to show the presence of fragility are: Litorale Vesuviano area, Val Basento industrial areas, Basso Bacino fiume Chienti, Biancavilla, Crotone-Cassano-Cerchiara, Litorale Domizio Flegreo and Agro Aversano, Livorno, Massa Carrara, Trieste. Global impact. Over the period 2013-2017, an estimated 8,342 excess deaths (CI90% 1,875-14,809) or approximately 1,668 excess cases/year, 4,353 excess deaths among males (CI90% 334-8,372) and 3,989 among females (CI90% -1,122;9,101). The pooled excess risk of general mortality is 2% in both genders (pooled SMR 1.02; CI90% 1.00-1.04). The proportion of excess deaths to total observed deaths is almost constant over time, rising from 2.5% in 1995-2002 to 2.6% in 2013-2017. The number of deaths in absolute value is also very similar between the periods analysed. Deaths from all malignant tumours contribute the most by accounting for 56% of the observed excesses, the excess risk of mortality from malignant tumours across all sites, compared to the reference populations, is 4% in the male population (pooled SMR 1.04; CI90% 1.01-1.06) and 3% among the female population (pooled SMR 1.03; CI90% 1.01-1.05). Hospitalization (2014-2018) in the 46 sites as a whole was in excess of 3% for all causes, in both genders, for all major disease groups (males: SHR pooled 1.03; CI90% 1.01-1.04 - females: SHR pooled 1.03; CI90% 1.01-1.05). The results for the pooled estimates at the 46 sites on the general population, both with regard to mortality and hospitalization, are consistent in indicating excess risk in both genders for all the diseases considered and, in particular, for all malignancies. A total of 1,409 paediatric-adolescent deaths and 999 young adult deaths were observed, and the pooled analysis of mortality across the 46 sites showed no critical issues, with pooled estimates for all causes, perinatal morbid conditions and all malignancies falling short of expectations. The analysis of hospitalizations, on the other hand, showed an excess risk of 8% (males: SHR pooled 1.08; CI90% 1.03-1.13 - females: SHR pooled 1.08; CI90% 1.03-1.14) for all causes in the first year of life, and in paediatric-adolescent and juvenile age of 3-4% among males (age 0-19 years: SHR pooled 1.04; CI90% 1.02-1.06 - age 20-29 years: SHR pooled 1.03; CI90% 1.00-1.05) and 5% among females (in both age groups; SHR pooled 1.05; CI90% 1.02-1.08). The pooled analysis of mortality for the a priori identified diseases reported excesses for specific diseases in the group of sites with sources of exposure associated with them. Mortality from total mesotheliomas is three times higher at sites with asbestos present (males:pooled SMR 3.02; CI90% 2.18-3.87 - females: pooled SMR 3.61; CI90% 2.33-4.88) and that from pleural mesotheliomas more than two times higher at the group of sites with asbestos and port areas (males: pooled SMR 2.47; CI90% 1.94-3.00 - females: pooled SMR 2.43; CI90% 1.67-3.19). Lung cancer was in excess by 6% among males (pooled SMR 1.06; CI90% 1.03-1.10) and 7% among females (pooled SMR 1.07; CI90% 1.00-1.13). In addition, there are excess mortalities for colorectal cancer at sites with chemical plants, by 4 % among males (SMR pooled 1.04; CI90% 1.01-1.08) and 3 % among females (SMR pooled 1.03; CI90% 1.00-1.07) and for bladder cancer among the male population of sites with landfills (+6 %: SMR pooled 1.06; CI90% 1.02-1.11). Among the diseases of a priori interest, stomach and soft tissue cancers are at fault as a cause of death among all the sites considered. LITERATURE REVIEW: The update of the epidemiological evidence underlying the Sixth SENTIERI Report has highlighted in the general population a possible association, previously undiscovered, between certain diseases and residence near petrochemical and steel plants, landfills, coal mines and asbestos sources. CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES: Despite the fact that this is an ecological study, and the excesses of pathologies with multifactorial aetiology can never be mechanically attributed solely to the environmental pressure factors that exist or existed in the areas studied, the ability to identify the excesses found in the contaminated sites investigated by the SENTIERI Project confirms the validity of this method of assessing the site-specific health profile, based on the use of epidemiological evidence to identify pathologies of interest a priori. In interpreting the data and lending robustness to what has been observed, comparison with the results obtained in previous Reports is essential. The global estimates give an overall picture that shows excess mortality and hospitalization in these populations compared to the rest of the population, and show how, for specific pathologies, comparable effects are produced at sites with similar contamination characteristics. The themes developed in the in-depth chapters broaden the vision and understanding of the complex interactions between environment and health, describe the possibilities offered by new ways of communicating the results, and confirm the modernity of a Project that began way back in 2006, and that could be grafted onto the objectives of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan within the framework of the Operational Programme Health, Environment, Biodiversity and Climate.

[From the selection of priority pollutants to the analysis of health data in the SENTIERI Project]. / Dalla selezione degli inquinanti prioritari alla lettura dei dati sanitari nel Progetto SENTIERI.

OBJECTIVES: evaluation of mortality and hospitalization of residents in five Italian National Priority Contaminated Sites, studied in the SENTIERI Project, for those pathologies which, on the basis of the assessments of international agencies and bodies, are known to have an aetiological connection with exposure to specific environmental pollutants. DESIGN: ecological study. SETTING AND PARTICIOANTS: resident population in the sites of Trieste and Piombino (steel plants), and Falconara, Livorno, and the industrial area of Milazzo (petrochemical plants and/or refineries). Data extracted from the Sixth SENTIERI Report. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: mortality (2013-2017) and hospitalization (2014-2018) for associated causes by exposure to specific pollutants detected in the soil and water matrices. RESULTS: the results obtained do not show common patterns between the excesses found in Trieste and Piombino Sites (steel plants) nor among Livorno, Falconara, and Milazzo (petrochemicals and/or refineries). Livorno and Trieste sites, having a larger population, show the greatest number of excesses. CONCLUSIONS: the proposed approach can be a useful tool, in addition to others, for the study of the health profile of residents in contaminated sites, being also the basis for aetiological epidemiological studies.

Mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in sediment and biota: A case study in a lagoon in Central Italy.

A quantification of total mercury (Hgtot) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in sediment and mussels was carried out in the east basin of the Orbetello lagoon in order to assess their bioaccumulation potential. The sediment was sampled in four macroareas, mussels were transplanted in the same sites and collected after seven weeks. The results show that Hgtot concentrations in sediments exceeded (0.21-16.9 mg/kg dry weight (dw)) the environmental quality standard of the Italian legislation (0.3 mg/kg dw). The Hgtot concentration in mussels (0.050-0.324 mg/kg wet weight (ww)) does not exceed the limit values (0.5 mg/kg ww) of the European food legislation. The biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) derived for MeHg (80-306.7) and a biomagnification factor (BMF) greater than 1 for Hgtot demonstrate that in the lagoon, these compounds can be transferred in the upper levels of the trophic chain and pose a risk to human health.

A Geographic Information System-Based Indicator of Waste Risk to Investigate the Health Impact of Landfills and Uncontrolled Dumping Sites.

Uncontrolled and poor waste management practices are widespread. The global health impact of hazardous waste exposure is controversial, but the excess of some diseases appears to be consistent. The Geographic Information System (GIS, ESRI Inc., Rome, Italy) method used to estimate the waste risk exposure, in an area with many illegal waste dumps and burning sites, is described. A GIS geodatabase (ESRI ArcGIS format) of waste sites' data was built. A municipal GIS-based indicator of waste risk (Municipal Risk Index: MRI) has been computed, based on type and quantity of waste, typology of waste disposal, known or potential environmental contamination by waste and population living near waste sites. 2767 waste sites were present in an area 426 km2 large. 38% of the population lived near one or more waste sites (100 m). Illegal/uncontrolled waste dumps, including waste burning areas, constituted about 90% of all sites. The 38 investigated municipalities were categorized into 4 classes of MRI. The GIS approach identified a widespread impact of waste sites and the municipalities likely to be most exposed. The highest score of the MRI included the municipalities with the most illegal hazardous waste dumps and burning sites. The GIS-geodatabase provided information to contrast and to prosecute illegal waste trafficking and mismanagements.

Minimization of spreading of SARS-CoV-2 via household waste produced by subjects affected by COVID-19 or in quarantine.

Currently available evidence supports that the predominant route of human-to-human transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 is through respiratory droplets. Indirect hands contact with surfaces contaminated by infectious droplets subsequently touching the mouth, nose or eyes seems to be another route of an indirect contact transmission. Persistence of the virus on different surfaces and other materials has been reported in recent studies: SARS-CoV-2 was more stable on plastic and stainless steel than on copper and cardboard. Viable virus was detected up to 72 h after application to different surfaces, although infectivity decay was also observed. This evidence suggests the likelihood that waste generated from patients affected by COVID-19 or subjects in quarantine treated in private houses or in areas different from hospitals and medical centres could be contaminated by SARS-CoV-2. Consequently, waste streams may represent a route for viral spreading being a potential risk also for the operators directly involved in the different phases of waste management. To address this concern, a specific multidisciplinary working group was settled by the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS) during the COVID-19 emergency, in order to establish guidelines related to solid waste collection, delivering, withdrawal, transport, treatment and disposal. Temporary stop of waste sorting, instructions for the population on how to package waste, instructions for Companies and operators for the adoption of adequate personal protection equipment (PPE), the use and sanitation of proper vehicles were among the main recommendations provided to the community by publications of freely downloadable reports and infographics in layman language. Incineration, sterilization and properly managed landfills were identified as the facilities to be preferentially adopted for the treatment of this kind of waste, considering the main inactivation strategies of SARS-CoV-2 (e.g. treatment length > 9 days and temperature > 70 °C for more than 5 min).

Agricultural areas in potentially contaminated sites: characterization, risk, management.

INTRODUCTION: In Italy, the current legislation for contaminants in soils provides two land uses: residential/public or private gardens and commercial/industrial; there are not specific reference values for agricultural soils, even if a special decree has been developed and is currently going through the legislative approval process. The topic of agricultural areas is relevant, also in consideration of their presence near potentially contaminated sites. Aim and results. In this paper, contamination sources and transport modes of contaminants from sources to the target in agricultural areas are examined and a suitable "conceptual model" to define appropriate characterization methods and risk assessment procedures is proposed. These procedures have already been used by the National Institute of Health in various Italian areas characterized by different agricultural settings. CONCLUSION: Finally, specific remediation techniques are suggested to preserve soil resources and, if possible, its particular land use.

[Environmental characterization and exposure evaluation]. / Prospettive nella caratterizzazione ambientale e valutazione dell'esposizione.

As certified by the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure assessment represents a key stage in epidemiological studies that aim to evaluate health risks linked to contaminated sites. The assessment procedure is contingent on the availability of data relating to environmental and food compartments and on any other available scientific evidence, such as data on toxicity and human biomonitoring. This chapter outlines the procedure that should be adopted in order to conduct an accurate exposure assessment and presents three case studies involving different types of contaminated sites where this approach was applied.

Airborne microorganisms associated with waste management and recovery: biomonitoring methodologies.

This paper presents preliminary results from a year-long indoor bioaerosol monitoring performed in three working environments of a municipal composting facility treating green and organic waste. Composting, whereby organic matter is stabilized through aerobic decomposition, requires aeration, causing the dispersion of microbial particles (microorganisms and associated toxins). Waste can, therefore, become a potential source of biological hazard. Bioaerosol samples were collected on a monthly basis. Through a comparison of results obtained using two samplers - the Surface Air System DUO SAS 360 and the BioSampler - the study aimed at assessing the presence of biological pollutants, and at contributing to the definition of standard sampling methods for bioaerosols leading, eventually, to the establishment of exposure limits for these occupational pollutants.