Exploration study on mortality trends in the territory surrounding an incineration plant of urban solid waste in the municipality of Vercelli (Piedmont, Italy) 1988-2009.

BACKGROUND: The places, where the incinerators are located, often present problems of heterogeneous people having different environmental factors. It becomes important to evaluate the possible etiologic role of various environmental risk factors and try to quantify as they affect in the excess epidemiological.

METHODS: This study considers the ISTAT index mortality due to all causes occurred from 1988 to 2009 referred to ten municipalities at south of Vercelli (Piedmont, North Western Italy) placed nearby the active incinerator from 1977 (10 latent years). The risks were calculated considering this area at risk versus the municipalities placed at North of Vercelli and versus the Vercelli.

RESULTS: Some significant statically excesses emerged in the South area such as neoplasia of nervous system, liver and total of tumours.

CONCLUSIONS: The study presents some drawbacks, but it is a work creditable of widening by specific research ad hoc such as cohort and/or control where it is possible to verify various environmental, occupational and occasional factors.