Using pollutant release and transfer register data in human health research: a scoping review

Abstract

Pollutant release and transfer registers (PRTRs) collect and provide information on chemicals released to the environment or otherwise managed as waste. They support the public's right-to-know and provide useful information in gauging performance of facilities, sectors, and governments. The extent to which these data have been used in research, particularly in relation to human health, has not been documented. In this scoping review our objective was to learn from scholarly literature the extent and nature of the use of PRTR data in human health research. We performed literature searches (1994-2011) using various search engines and (or) key words. Articles selected for review were chosen following predefined criteria, to extract and analyze data. One hundred and eighty four papers were identified. Forty investigated possible relations with health outcomes: 33 of them identified positive associations. The rest explored other uses of PRTR data. Papers identified challenges, some imputable to the PRTR. We conclude that PRTR data are useful for research, including health-related studies, and have significant potential for prioritizing research needs that can influence policy, management, and ultimately human health. In spite of their inherent limitations, PRTRs represent a perfectible, unique useful source, whose application to human health research appears to be underutilized. Developing strategies to overcome these limitations could improve data quality and increase its utility in future environmental health research and policy applications.Résumé : Les registres sur le relâchement et le transfert des polluants (RRTPs) rassemblent et fournissent des informations sur les substances chimiques relâchées dans l'environnement ou traités autrement comme déchets. Ils supportent le droit public à l'information et fournissent de l'information utile pour établir la performance des installations, des secteurs et des gouvernements. On n'a jamais documenté la fréquence avec laquelle ces données ont été utilisées en recherche, surtout en relation avec la santé humaine. Dans cette revue exploratoire, l'objectif des auteurs vise à apprendre à partir de la littérature scientifique, l'étendue et la nature de l'utilisation des données du RRTP dans les recherches sur la santé humaine. Il ont effectué une revue de la littérature (1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011) en utilisant divers moteurs de recherche et mots clés. Ils ont choisi les articles à sélectionner selon des critères prédéfinis, afin d'extraire et analyser les données. Ils ont identifié 184 publications. Quarante d'entre elles portent sur les relations possibles avec des questions de santé, dont 33 comportent des associations positives. Les autres explorent d'autres usages des données RRTP. Les auteurs concluent que les données RRTP sont utiles en recherche, incluant des études reliées à la santé et montrent un potentiel significatif pour établir des priorités de besoins en recherche pouvant influencer...

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