Do emissions from landfill fires affect pregnancy outcomes? A retrospective study after arson at a solid waste facility in Sicily

Abstract

ObjectivesIn response to public health concern about effects of arson at solid waste management plants in July 2012, we analysed vital statistics data to evaluate any potential effect on pregnancies at different gestational ages of pollutants emitted from the landfill on fire.SettingA community living near the largest landfill plant in Sicily.ParticipantsThe study group comprised 551 births, live births and stillbirths from pregnancies of mothers residing in the extra-urban exposed area, conceived during a 40 week period during which the highest fire’s peak might have influenced pregnancy.Primary and secondary outcome measuresBirth outcomes (gestational age <37 and <32 weeks, low birth weight, very low birth weight and small for gestational age) in the study group were compared with the ones of a reference group of women residing in areas of Sicily with similarly low population density and industrial development.ResultsAmong singleton live births we observed a three-fold increase in risk of very preterm birth between the extra-urban area and the remaining low inhabitants density and unindustrialised areas for births whose pregnancies were in the third trimester (OR adjusted for maternal age and infant gender=3.41; 95% CI 1.04 to 11.16). There was an excess of very low birth weight singleton infants in the study group as compared with the reference group, which was limited to births to mothers exposed during periconception period (OR adjusted for maternal age and infant gender=4.64; 95% CI 1.04 to 20.6) and first trimester (OR adjusted for maternal age and infant gender=3.66; 95% CI 1.11 to 12.1). The association estimates were imprecise due to the small number of outcomes recorded.ConclusionsThe study documented an excess of very preterm and very low birth weight among infants born to mothers exposed to the landfill fire emissions during conception or early pregnancy.

The Management of Health Hazards Related to Municipal Solid Waste on Fire in Europe: An Environmental Justice Issue?

“…On the contrary, health effects in terms of reproductive, pregnancy and delivery outcomes were retrospectively documented on mothers residing in the proximity of municipal solid waste incinerators [59]: an observational study, conducted to evaluate any potential effect on pregnancies at different gestational ages of pollutants emitted from the Bellolampo landfill on fire by using vital statistics data, highlighted an excess of very preterm and very low birth weight among infants born to mothers exposed to the landfill fire emissions during conception or early pregnancy [28].…”

“…However, as reported by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research for 2017, the amount of landfilled waste in Italy was totaled to around 23%, while landfilling still remains the main method of municipal waste disposal in the region of Sicily with percentages of 73% [14]. Of interest, the increasing occurrence of arsons in solid waste treatment plants documented in Italy in recent years [27] highlighted the need to prevent this phenomenon and to investigate, at the same time, the potential health effects related to exposure of pollutants emitted by solid waste management plants on fire laying in proximity to populated areas [28].…”

Proposal for an Alliance Between Healthcare and Legal Area Professionals for Shared Public Health and Preventive Strategies in Italy and Europe

“…More recently, environmental emergencies due to perfluoroalkylated substances in the North East of the Italy (Veneto region) (23) and, in the South Italy, to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) dioxins-specific (Taranto, Apulia region) (24) and to pollutants emitted from waste management on fire in Sicily island (25), reaffirmed the need to plan preventive controls and strategies to reduce any types of pollutants in the environmental media and to establish and legislate, based on the most recent scientific evidence, any limits to exposure, if not yet defined.…”

From dumpsites to engineered landfills: A systematic review of risks to occupational and public health

“…In an effort to determine the outcomes of pregnancies where mothers had gestated near to the site of a landfill fire in Sicily in 2012, Mazzucco et al (2019) studied 551 live and stillbirths of mothers living in the area who had conceived within 40 weeks of the incident. The study found preterm birth was 3.41 times (95% CI: 1.04 to 11.16) more likely compared to the 22, 341 Sicilian births over the same study period and that very low birthweight was 4.64 more likely (95% CI: 1.04 to 20.6).…”