Occupational Mercury Exposure at a Fluorescent Lamp Recycling Facility — Wisconsin, 2017

Wilson, Erica; Lafferty, Jeffery S.; Thiboldeaux, Robert; Tomasallo, Carrie; Grajewski, Barbara; Wozniak, Ryan J.; Meiman, Jonathan

doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6727a3

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Historically, human exposure to this metal has occurred due to contamination of the food chain, especially methyl-mercury contamination of fish products, or in specific work contexts such as mining. More recently, the workplaces that are still potentially involved in this type of exposure are the following: orthodontics and dental activities, due to the use of mercury-based amalgams [ 63 , 64 , 65 ]; chlorine production plants, in which large quantities of mercury are used (100 tons to produce 50,000 tons of chlorine) [ 66 ]; the disposal and recycling of fluorescent lamps [ 67 , 68 ]; and gold mining, especially in developing countries [ 69 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Environmental to Possible Occupational Exposure to Risk Factors: What Role Do They Play in the Etiology of Endometriosis?

Caporossi

Capanna

Viganò

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Endometriosis is a gynecological disorder characterized by the presence of endometrial stroma and glands outside the uterine cavity. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to clarify, starting from environmental exposure data, whether possible occupational risk factors may correlate with the onset of the disease. The guidelines for reporting systematic reviews of the “PRISMA” statement were followed and two databases, Scopus and PubMed, were used. Of the 422 studies selected with specific keywords, 32 publications were eligible, 28 of which referred to chemical agents and 4 related to night work. Conflicting data emerged among these studies. Although some compounds seemed to be more involved than others in the onset of endometriosis. Association with exposure to organochlorine compounds is the most supported by the epidemiological data, while other pesticide exposure did not show any clear correlation. Likewise, the hypothesis of a correlation with perfluoroalkyls exposure is not currently supported by data. The involvement of metals as risk factors has not been confirmed, while the role of night work, in the case of long service, seems to play an etiological role. In order to clarify the potential occupational risk of endometriosis development, well-designed studies are needed to evaluate the potential association between chemical compounds and disease etiology.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Environmental to Possible Occupational Exposure to Risk Factors: What Role Do They Play in the Etiology of Endometriosis?

Caporossi

Capanna

Viganò

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recycling workers have exceptionally high exposures to the toxic element mercury (Hg) globally [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Yet there is no known threshold for safe mercury exposure [1] and evidence indicates that current thresholds for tolerable workplace exposure may be inadequate to protect workers [2,5]. Globalization has increased the transfer of hazardous products without a corresponding strengthening in safeguards for their proper disposal; e-waste (i.e., discarded electric and electronic items) is one of the clearest examples of this phenomenon, leading to unequal health risks in the Global South [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Little is known about how individuals exposed to mercury in the workplace come to perceive risks related to mercury exposure via recycling [1][2][3][4][5], particularly in South America [50][51][52][53]. In the workplace, misperceptions of risk may result in overconfidence in one's own safety, inappropriate safety behavior, or potentially unnecessary stress about occupational risks [45,54,55].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mercury Exposure among E-Waste Recycling Workers in Colombia: Perceptions of Safety, Risk, and Access to Health Information

Jensen

Bayona

Sripada

2021

IJERPH

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Exposures to the toxic element mercury (Hg) are exceptionally high among recycling workers globally. Recycling is a growing sector in Colombia, yet workers who directly handle e-waste are often unaware of the risks of exposure to mercury from post-consumer lighting products (e.g., fluorescent lamps). This qualitative study aimed to understand how recycling workers perceive their own risks from mercury exposure and how they find information about these risks, through interviews (n = 35) at the three largest formal recycling facilities in Colombia. Workers’ risk perception was generally disconnected from their likely actual exposure to mercury, instead often seen juxtaposed to co-workers who worked more directly with hazardous waste. Recycling workers, who were predominantly men from lower-income socioeconomic backgrounds, had limited knowledge of health risks due to mercury exposure and were more likely to receive health-related information from informal sources. Over a third of interviewees had searched online for information about occupational health risks of mercury, but these searches were perceived as unsatisfactory due to information being difficult to find, not available in Spanish, or related to mercury exposure via seafood or mining rather than recycling. Workers expressed (over)confidence in personal protective equipment and concern about frequent employee turnover. This study points to weaknesses in environmental health literacy and public health communication around toxic exposures to mercury in the workplace. Stronger regulation and enforcement are needed to prevent toxic exposures and promote worker health equity.

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“…[3][4][5] Such take-home exposures can happen with a variety of chemicals including pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, asbestos, mercury, and others. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] If a family is vulnerable to take-home, they may also experience other hazards with barriers to care, possibly contributing to health disparities. 15 Workplaces that assess and monitor lead exposures according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's lead protection standard 16 are not required to evaluate take-home issues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

One-Hour Pilot Training to Prevent Workers From Taking Home Workplace Contaminants

et al. 2019

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Workers can accidentally transport chemical hazards from the workplace to the home, known as “take-home exposures.” Recent take-home lead-poisoning cases highlight the need for effective prevention training. A one-hour take-home prevention training was developed in partnership with a nonprofit. The training was administered and evaluated during two training sessions with twenty-one trainees. The training was composed of a lecture and interactive activities. An illustrated poster was used with different prevention actions within a story line to reduce take-home exposures under three categories: facilities with formal health and safety programs, small businesses, and outdoor work. The effectiveness and acceptability of the training was measured by a survey and pre- and posttraining exams. The second training exam responses showed a 14 percent (84 percent to 98 percent) increase in take-home prevention knowledge. Community-based prevention training could reduce the burden of chemical exposures on vulnerable workers and their families.

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Occupational Mercury Exposure at a Fluorescent Lamp Recycling Facility — Wisconsin, 2017

Cited by 15 publications

References 4 publications

From Environmental to Possible Occupational Exposure to Risk Factors: What Role Do They Play in the Etiology of Endometriosis?

From Environmental to Possible Occupational Exposure to Risk Factors: What Role Do They Play in the Etiology of Endometriosis?

Mercury Exposure among E-Waste Recycling Workers in Colombia: Perceptions of Safety, Risk, and Access to Health Information

One-Hour Pilot Training to Prevent Workers From Taking Home Workplace Contaminants

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