Occupational exposure to chemical agents in the paper industry

Abstract

As part of an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) international epidemiological study of workers in the pulp and paper industry, previously unpublished exposure measurements were assembled in a database. This article summarizes the results of 3,873 measurements carried out in the production departments of paper and paperboard mills and recycling plants in 12 countries. In the paper and paperboard mills, most of the agents were measured in the pulping and refining departments and in on-machine coating and winding of paper/paperboard. Exposures to asbestos, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, fungal spores, bacteria, nitrogen dioxide, minerals dusts, paper dust, sulphuric acid and different solvents sometimes exceeded exposure limit values. In the re-pulping and de-inking departments of recycling plants high exposures to formaldehyde, fungal spores, bacteria and paper dust were observed. High exposures to asbestos, bioaerosols, carbon monoxide and paper dust were found in many departments; ammonia, formaldehyde, mineral and paper dust and solvents were found in coating machines; and diphenyl and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) were found in some special circumstances. Measurements in the newsprint and uncoated paper machine departments revealed only a few elevated exposures. In nearly all departments, measurements of epichlorohydrin, PCBs, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans tended to be low, often even below their detection limits. In spite of some uncertainties in the measurement data, the study provides new insights into the level and variation of occupational exposures of production workers in the paper and paperboard industry.

Ovarian cancer mortality and industrial pollution

“…Pulp and paper industry release toxic substances, including asbestos (Korhonen et al, 2004), a known risk factor for ovarian cancer, and this could be related to the significant excess risks found in our study for women living in the vicinity of paper and wood production industries.…”

Cancer mortality in a Swedish cohort of pulp and paper mill workers

“…Detailed exposure data associated with paper production (Korhonen et al 2004) and non-production departments collected in this study have been published (Teschke et al 1999). Exposure measurement time trends resulting from compliance inspections in the US pulp and paper industry have also been published (Coble et al 2001).…”

“…The main occupational exposures in focus have been wood dust and paper dust, terpenes and bleachery chemicals, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulWde, and various reduced sulfur compounds and paper additives (Torén et al 1996a). Furthermore, among the multitude of chemicals used in this industry, some potential carcinogens also occur across diVerent departments, such as wood dust, organic solvents, chloroform, mineral oil mist, asbestos, benzo(a)pyrene, respirable quartz, epichlorohydrin, formaldehyde, chromium, and nickel Teschke et al 1999;Korhonen et al 2004).…”

Cohort mortality study of Swedish pulp and paper mill workers—nonmalignant diseases

“…With regard to exposure data, an international database has been formed of exposure measurements in the pulp and paper industry (10), and detailed exposure data from paper production (11), as well as data from the nonproduction departments, has been published (12). The database is part of an international study, carried out by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), on mortality and morbidity in the pulp and paper industry in 13 countries.…”