Morbidity among municipal waste incinerator workers.

Incinerator workers are exposed to many toxic compounds, most notably heavy metals. We evaluated medical and exposure monitoring data of an actively employed cohort of Philadelphia incinerator workers following an Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry site survey and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) health hazard evaluation (HHE). Of the many airborne samples taken by NIOSH, only four of the personal breathing zone samples were above OSHA or ACGIH standards: one for lead, one for phosphorous, and two for total particulates. Because samples were taken during limited operations (only one of the two incinerators were operating), the results may underestimate historical exposures at this site. We limited our medical analysis to the 86 male workers who participated in the HHE out of the 105 active employees. The 86 employees were divided into potential high and low exposure groups based on a work site analysis done by an independent industrial hygienist. Eight individuals had at least one elevated biological index indicating exposure to a heavy metal. These elevations, however, were unrelated to the workers' exposure categories. Furthermore, no clinically significant mean blood or serum measurements were noted. Thirty-four percent of the workers had evidence of hypertension which increased the risk of significant proteinuria. Neither hypertension nor proteinuria were related to exposure group. Changes in pulmonary function related only to smoking status. Although there was some evidence of an increased risk of exposure to products of incinerator waste, we could not relate the few elevated biological tests to exposure classification. Additional studies are needed to assess the potential health effects of municipal waste incinerator by-products.     

Mortality among workers at a municipal waste incinerator

Mortality was investigated among 176 male workers employed for at least 1 year between 1920 and 1985 at a municipal waste incinerator. Expected numbers of deaths from 1951 to 1985 were calculated from national and local death rates, standardized for age and calendar year. There was an excess of deaths from lung cancer and, after long follow-up, for ischemic heart disease. Analysis of duration of exposure supported that the excess of ischemic heart disease was caused by occupational factors; the lung cancer cases were too few to permit conclusions in this respect. Exposure to combustion products and polycyclic aromatic compounds were common, but other occupational exposures may also have contributed to the risk excesses. Smoking habits were investigated and did not differ from the average for Swedish men in cities and towns. Some work operations are very dusty and should be performed only with appropriate protection devices.     

Morbidity among municipal waste incinerator workers: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: In order that the occupational exposures and health risks for municipal waste incinerator operators be better determined, a study was carried out in three centres. METHODS: A transversal study was carried out for 102 male incinerator workers matched for age with 94 male workers from other industrial activities. Three groups of exposed workers were considered (group 1: "crane operators" and "equipment operators"; group 2: "furnace " workers; group 3: "maintenance" and "effluent-treatment" workers). Data were collected through a questionnaire and medical examination. The respiratory function was explored and blood samples were taken for biological analysis. Statistical analysis using chi(2) or Student's test, and calculation of odds-ratio (OR) using logistic regression analysis were performed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in general symptoms between the two groups. Skin symptoms (OR =4.85; 2.04-11.51 for the "maintenance and effluent" workers) were more often observed in the exposed group. An excess of respiratory problems was also encountered: daily coughing ["maintenance and effluent" groups (OR =2.55; 0.84-7.75); "furnace men" (OR =6.58; 2.18-19.85)]. A significant relationship between exposure and the decrease of several pulmonary parameters was observed. The liver and haematological tests were well within the normal range; nevertheless, a slight but significant increase in the white blood cells was observed in the exposed group. Higher blood lead levels were found for exposed workers. CONCLUSION: There were few adverse health effects in our morbidity study but skin irritation and cough were more frequent in the exposed workers. A slight decrease in pulmonary function was observed. These findings are in agreement with those of several other studies.     

Mental health status of municipal solid waste incinerator workers compared with local government office workers

Recently in Japan dioxin problem of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) became social issue. The news spread all around Japan and induced fear that workers at incinerators would suffer from cancer or other serious illness induced by the exposure to dioxins. Authors were interested in the effect of this stressful event occurred to the workers and intended to evaluate mental health status of MSWI workers compared with office workers. Subjects were male workers from two MSWI plants and a local government office; 20 government office workers who were engaging in health administration and 55 MSWI workers. Subjects were interviewed about their age, educational carrier, and working schedule. POMS and GHQ30 were used to evaluate mood status of subjects. There were differences in mood state between the two occupational groups. POMS showed that Tension-Anxiety, Depression-Dejection, and Fatigue levels were high in the health administration worker group. GHQ30 showed that General Illness, Social Dysfunction, and Anxiety and Dysphoria state were deviated to abnormal in the health administration worker group. General mental health status evaluated by GHQ30 score was also deviated to abnormal in the office worker group. Our results showed that mental health status of health administration workers was less healthy compared with MSWI workers. This meant that the stress of MSWI workers enhanced by the fear that they might have been exposed to dioxin did not exceed the stress the health administration workers usually had suffered from.     

Body burden monitoring of dioxins and other organic substances in workers at a hazardous waste incinerator

The construction in Constantí (Tarragona County, Catalonia) of the first, and up till now the only hazardous waste incinerator (HWI) in Spain, finished in 1999. In this study, we measured the concentrations of a number of organic substances determined in blood and urine of the HWI workers. Samples of 18 men and 9 women, classified according to their respective workplaces, were collected in 2011, after approximately 12 years of regular operations in the facility. The current results were compared with those of the baseline survey, as well as with the most recent surveys performed in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Plasma analyses were carried out for hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, and 180) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), while the levels of 2,4- and 2,5-dichlorophenol (DCP), 2,4,5- and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP), pentachlorophenol (PCP) and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP) were measured in urine samples. In plasma, the mean concentrations were the following: 10.8 μg/kg lipid for HCB; 0.8 μg/kg lipid for PCB28; 0.3 μg/kg lipid for PCB52; 0.5 μg/kg lipid for PCB101; 42.2 μg/kg lipid for PCB138; 18.5 μg/kg lipid for PCB153, and 51.2 μg/kg lipid for PCB180. For PCDD/Fs, the mean concentration was 4.6 ng I-TEQ/kg lipid (4.7 ng WHO-TEQ/kg lipid). These levels, as well as those found in urine samples, are in agreement with the data of previous surveys performed in the same area. The current results in HWI workers do not show any evident sign of occupational exposure to PCDD/Fs and other organic substances. However, these results must be considered only as an indication of potential exposure, as the study presents notable limitations, such as the reduced number of participants and the lack of data relative to the air concentrations of chemicals. Consequently, general conclusions cannot be derived and the results should not be used as a basis for the implementation of industrial hygiene measures in other HWIs.     

Respiratory function among waste incinerator workers

Introduction:Whereas air pollutants have been measured in incinerator working areas, few studies have focused on the effects of these pollutants on the lung function of incinerator workers. In France, a study was performed among workers at two urban incinerators, aimed at identifying a link between exposure to different pollutants in incinerator plants and respiratory lung function impairments. Methods: A follow-up of lung function was carried out on 83 incinerator workers from two incinerator plants, comparing them with a group of 76 non-exposed workers recruited by the same occupational physician. Workers lung functions were measured during their yearly occupational medical examination, for 3 years. The American Thoracic Society quality criteria were used to control the quality of the flow–volume curves. Results: Base-line lung functions were lower among incinerator workers than among non-exposed workers. The few significant differences were indicative of obstructive symptoms. During the first year the differences observed between the two groups were close to the significant threshold value of 5% for FEF₇₅/ PV and FEF_25–75/PV. During the third year significant differences covered three parameters: FEF₅₀/PV, FEF_25–75/PV and FEF_25–75/FVC. After smoking habits (pack-years), medical history of allergy or lung diseases and the examination centres had been taken into account in a linear regression, the reduction of FEF₇₅/PV in the first year and FEF_25–75/FVC in the third year was linked to exposure in incinerator plants. There was no significant association between exposure and the differences observed in the FEF_25–75/PV in the first year or in the FEF₅₀/PV and the FEF_25–75/PV in the third year. Conclusion: This analysis of incinerator workers lung functions has identified some lung impairments among workers exposed to incinerator air pollutants compared to non-exposed workers, thus indicating possible obstructive disorders among incinerator workers. However, these impairments are moderate and in accordance with the low levels of airborne pollutants identified in a previous study.     

Exposure of maintenance workers to dioxin-like contaminants during the temporary shutdown of a municipal domestic solid waste incinerator: a case series

To evaluate workers' exposure to dioxin-like substances (such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, and polychlorinated biphenyls), the authors used a chemical-activated luciferase gene expression (CALUX) assay to determine serum dioxin-like activity in five workers before and after two different cleaning-up activities inside a municipal domestic solid-waste incinerator. The workers' mean serum concentration of dioxin-like substances before the first cleaning operation, shown as a weighted value of toxic equivalents (or TEQs) according to the CALUX test, was 17.2 pg CALUX TEQ/g fat (range = 12-22), which is comparable with concentrations found in similarly aged men in a Flemish environmental health pilot study. After cleaning work, the workers' mean serum concentration was 28.5 pg CALUX TEQ/g fat (range = 18-31). At the second plant stoppage, the workers' mean dioxin-like activity was 15.4 pg CALUX TEQ/g fat (range = 12-21) before and 16.4 pg CALUX TEQ/g fat (range = < 10-32, where 10 pg is the limit of determination) after the cleaning operation. These results indicate that workers may be exposed to dioxin-like substances during their performance of cleaning operations in a municipal domestic solid-waste incinerator.     

Negative association between serum dioxin level and oxidative DNA damage markers in municipal waste incinerator workers

Objectives: To investigate the effect of dioxin on the formation of oxidative DNA damage and urinary mutagenicity, we measured the concentrations of serum dioxins and lymphocytic 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) in 57 male waste incinerator workers, urinary 8-OH-dG and urinary mutagenicity in 29 male waste incinerator workers. Methods: Information about the subjects was obtained from a questionnaire. Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD), polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF), and coplanar-polychlorinated-biphenyl (Co-PCB) in serum samples from the workers were measured with a high-resolution gas chromatograph /high-resolution mass spectrometer. Lymphocytic and urinary 8-OH-dG levels were measured with a high-performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detector system. The urinary mutagenicity was measured with umu assay. Results: The lymphocytic 8-OH-dG level showed a negative association with the serum dioxin level (total value of TEQ-PCDD, PCDF, and Co-PCB). Urinary 8-OH-dG did not show correlation with serum dioxin level, but showed positive correlation with the smoking index. Conclusions: With respect to the subjects‘ serum dioxin level, dioxin did not increase the urinary 8-OH-dG level by oxidative DNA damage, but upregulation of the primary defenses with oxidative damage and/or DNA repair system activity might have occurred.     

An evaluation of the occupational health risks to workers in a hazardous waste incinerator

A study was conducted to evaluate the health impact of airborne pollutants on incinerator workers at IZAYDAS Incinerator, Turkey. Ambient air samples were taken from two sampling points in the incinerator area and analyzed for particulate matter, heavy metals, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs) and dioxins. The places where the maximum exposure was expected to occur were selected in determining the sampling points. The first point was placed in the front area of the rotary kiln, between the areas of barrel feeding, aqueous and liquid waste storage and solid waste feeding, and the second one was near the fly ash transfer line from the ash silo. Results were evaluated based on the regulations related to occupational health. Benzene, dibromochloropropane (DBCP) and hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) concentrations in the ambient air of the plant were measured at levels higher than the occupational exposure limits. Dioxin concentrations were measured as 0.050 and 0.075 pg TEQ.m(-3), corresponding to a daily intake between 0.007 and 0.01 pg TEQ. kg body weight(-1).day (-1). An assessment of dioxin congener and homologue profiles suggested that gaseous fractions of dioxin congeners are higher in front of the rotary kiln, while most of them are in particle-bound phases near the ash conveyor. Finally, the necessity of further studies including occupational health and medical surveillance assessments on the health effects of the pollutants for the workers and the general population in such an industrialized area was emphasized.     

Internal exposure to organic substances in a municipal waste incinerator

Summary Fifty-three persons occupied in a municipal waste incinerator were examined with respect to their internal exposure to organic substances which may be produced during pyrolysis of organic matter. For this purpose the levels of benzene in blood, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in plasma, and mono- (MCPs), di- (DCPs), tri- (TCPs), tetra-(TECPs) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) and hydroxypyrene in urine were determined. For control purposes, 431 men and women were examined. Significantly higher values for the workers were found for the excretion of hydroxypyrene [median (m): 0.24vs 0.11 g/l; non-smokers], 2,4/2,5-DCP (m: 10.5 vs 3.9 g/l) and 2,4,5-TCP (m: 1.2 vs 0.8 g/l) and for the HCB level in plasma (m: 4.4 vs 2.8 g/l). For the concentrations of 4-MCP and 2,3,4,6/2,3,5,6-TECP, the controls had significantly higher concentrations in urine than did the workers in the incineration plant (m: 4-MCP 1.7 vs 1.2; 2,3,4,6/2,3,5,6-TECP: 1.2 vs 0.3 g/l). No significant differences between workers and controls were detected with respect to benzene in blood (m: 0.20 vs 0.28 g/l; non-smokers), 2,4,6-TCP and PCPs in urine (m: 0.85 vs 0.60 and 2.2 vs 2.2 g/l) or the levels of PCB congeners in plasma (m: 138, 153, 180: 5.6 vs 4.1 g/l). The elevated levels of hydroxypyrene, 2,4/2,5-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP and HCB in biological material may be related to the incineration of the waste. These elevations, however, are very small and are of interest more from the environmental than from the occupational point of view.     

Occupational hazards of municipal solid waste workers

The removal of municipal solid waste is a job associated with a variety of physical, chemical, and biological hazards. Municipal solid waste workers (MSWWs) have a risk of fatal occupational injuries that is much higher than for the general workforce. Among this group of workers, non-fatal injuries are mainly musculoskeletal. Other common injuries are fractures, ocular trauma, and bites, and diseases include skin and gastrointestinal disorders. Workers at municipal solid waste incinerators are exposed to a variety of concerning substances, such as heavy metals, respirable quartz dust, dioxins, furans, and mutagens. Workers can be protected by using safety procedures on and around garbage trucks and with personal protective equipment. The burden of morbidity due to occupational exposure to bioaerosols and carcinogens among MSWWs is unknown.     

Effects of dioxin on metabolism of estrogens in waste incinerator workers

The authors measured the concentrations of serum dioxins and urinary estrogen metabolites in 57 male waste incinerator workers to determine whether dioxin influenced the metabolism of estrogens. Concentrations of serum dioxin levels and urinary estrogen metabolites, such as estrone, 17beta-estradiol, 2-hydroxyestrone, 2-methoxyestrone, 2-hydroxyestradiol, 2-methoxyestradiol, 4-hydroxyestrone, 4-hydroxyestradiol, 4-methoxyestradiol, 16-hydroxyestrone, and estriol from the workers were measured. An analysis of covariance showed that mean estriol concentrations, adjusted for confounding factors among 3 serum dioxin levels, indicated a progressive increase with increasing serum dioxin level: 1.30, 1.41, and 2.02 nmol/mol creatinine at < 30.3, 30.3-39.7, and > 39.7 pg toxicity equivalent quantity/g lipid, respectively (F = 3.56, p = .036). This study showed that dioxin acts to metabolize estrogens to 16-hydroxyestrogens rather than to 2- or 4-hydroxyestrogens.     

Levels of dioxins and furans in plasma of nonoccupationally exposed subjects living near a hazardous waste incinerator

The potential adverse effects of hazardous waste incinerators (HWI) continue to be a subject of worry. The construction of the first and till now only HWI in Spain finished in 1999. To assess the potential impact of the plant on public health, a preoperational monitoring program was established during the period of construction. The main goal of the present study was to determine, after approximately 3 years of regular operations in the facility, the concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in plasma of nonoccupationally exposed subjects living near the HWI. Blood samples were obtained from 20 volunteers aged 19-62 years. The mean PCDD/F concentration in plasma was 15.70 pg I-TEQ/g lipid (range 4.66-29.25 pg I-TEQ/g lipid), which is significantly lower than the mean level found in the baseline survey, 27.01 pg I-TEQ/g lipid (range 14.79-48.95 pg I-TEQ/g lipid). Reductions were noted for both sexes and for all age groups. The comparison with PCDD/F levels from a number of different countries shows that, in general terms, the current PCDD/F concentrations are lower than most results recently reported. It is concluded that emissions from the stack of the HWI assessed here should not mean any additional significant exposure to PCDD/Fs for the population living near the facility.     

Survey on the health effects of chronic exposure to dioxins and its accumulation on workers of a municipal solid waste incinerator,rural part of Osaka Prefecture,and the results of extended survey afterwards

In September 1998 the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that high concentrations of dioxins were detected in the samples of soil near the incinerator and ash, drainage, sludge and others remained in the furnace and air pollution control devices of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in rural part of Osaka Prefecture. According to the results the Ministry of Labor immediately organized the "Research and investigation committee on the dioxin problem of Toyono-gun Clean Center" under Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association to investigate the health effects of chronic exposure to dioxins and its accumulation on workers of the incinerator plant. The investigation was carried out in Sept 1998 and from the results, the committee concluded that the concentrations of dioxin among the blood of the workers who had engaged in maintenance of the furnace, the electric dust collector, and the wet scrubber of the incinerator were higher compared with those of residents in surrounding areas. However, there were no signs or findings correlating to blood level of dioxns, and the level was not high enough to induce sufficient health effects from the review of published papers. According to the results of this survey the committee understood that the follow-up study of blood dioxins level of group III and IV workers was inevitable and concerned about the other MSWI workers in Japan who might also be exposed to similar level of dioxins. The Ministry of Labor decided to expand the survey to other MSWI workers in Japan as 3-year project from 1999. The summarized report on the project is appended in this paper.     

Human health risks of dioxins for populations living near modern municipal solid waste incinerators

Although incineration is an effective way of treating municipal solid waste (MSW), in many countries the potential health risks associated with stack emissions, particularly those of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs), have become a cause of great controversy and concern. Given the interest and importance of this controversy, in the present paper a series of experimental data corresponding to a number of surveys made in the vicinity of three MSW incinerators (MSWIs) of Catalonia (Spain) are reviewed. In recent months, an adaptation to the EU legislation on pollutant emissions from the stack was carried out in these facilities. We assessed whether the pronounced reductions in the atmospheric PCDD/PCDFs emissions parallel the concurrent decreases in environmental matrices collected in the vicinity of the MSWIs. In comparison with other PCDD/PCDFs emission sources in the areas under direct influence of the MSWIs, the health risks from current emissions of PCDD/PCDFs by these incinerators would be of low significance for populations living in the neighborhood. For such populations, the daily intake of PCDD/PCDFs from direct and indirect (diet) exposure are currently within the rank recommended by the WHO as the maximum daily exposure to PCDD/PCDFs for non-carcinogenic adverse effects.     

Dioxin concentrations in the blood of workers at municipal waste incinerators.

OBJECTIVES--Increased concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-furans (PCDFs) in pooled blood samples from workers at municipal waste incinerators have been reported. This study was undertaken to confirm these results in individual blood samples from potentially exposed and unexposed workers at municipal waste incinerators compared with matched unexposed controls and compared with concentrations in the slag and fly ash from the municipal waste incinerators. METHODS--Concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs were determined in the blood of 10 workers from an old municipal waste incinerator without adequate pollution controls, 11 workers from a newer incinerator with modern pollution controls, and 25 controls from the general population group matched for age (+/- 10 years), sex, and race, and in the slag and fly ash from the older incinerator. RESULTS--Significant increases of certain PCDDs and PCDFs were found in the blood of the workers from the older incinerator compared with the controls as follows: octaCDD (1051 (438) v 637 (344), P < 0.001), hexaCDF (52.3 (28.7) v 30.2 (18.2), P < 0.01), heptaCDF (43.9 (30.4) v 22.7 (12.4), P < 0.001), total PCDDs (1262 (484) v 825 (454), P < 0.001), total PCDFs (133.0 (68.1) v 93.7 (36.7), P < 0.05), and total PCDD/Fs (1395 (537) v 918 (437), P < 0.001). The workers from the older incinerator with the greatest exposure were found to have the most significant increases of the blood PCDDs and PCDFs, and the pattern of increased PCDD and PCDF congeners in the blood corresponded to the pattern in the incinerator slag and ash. No significant differences were found between the blood concentrations of the workers at the newer incinerator and the controls. CONCLUSION--Occupational exposure to slag and fly ash from municipal waste incinerators may increase the blood concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs. Modern pollution control technology in new incinerators may be able to minimise potential exposure to slag and fly ash and thus the absorption of PCDDs and PCDFs from this source.     

垃圾焚烧发电地区儿童二噁英暴露水平及特征研究

目的分析垃圾焚烧发电厂周边儿童体内二噁英负荷水平、分布特征和人群二噁英外暴露水平。方法设距垃圾焚烧发电厂1km S镇为污染点,200km外的L镇为对照点,采集S镇90名及L镇60名10～11岁儿童外周静脉血,另采集两地土壤、鲫鱼和鸡蛋各3份,检测样本中二噁英浓度及计算毒性当量(TEQ)并分析对比。结果污染点儿童血中二噁英浓度与TEQ均显著高于对照组(P<0.05);鸡蛋和鲫鱼中二噁英浓度与TEQ、土壤中二噁英浓度均显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。两地样本的二噁英单体分布类似,其中单体浓度最高的为八氯代二苯并二噁英(OCDD),TEQ贡献最高的为2,3,4,7,8-五氯代二苯并呋喃(2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF)。结论垃圾焚烧发电厂周边土壤中二噁英浓度增高,当地儿童噁恶英外暴露和内负荷水平均显著增高。     

Risk of congenital anomalies around a municipal solid waste incinerator: a GIS-based case-control study

Background  

Waste incineration releases into the environment toxic substances having a teratogenic potential, but little epidemiologic evidence is available on this topic. We aimed at examining the relation between exposure to the emissions from a municipal solid waste incinerator and risk of birth defects in a northern Italy community, using Geographical Information System (GIS) data to estimate exposure and a population-based case-control study design. By modelling the incinerator emissions, we defined in the GIS three areas of increasing exposure according to predicted dioxins concentrations. We mapped the 228 births and induced abortions with diagnosis of congenital anomalies observed during the 1998–2006 period, together with a corresponding series of control births matched for year and hospital of birth/abortion as well as maternal age, using maternal address in the first three months of pregnancy to geocode cases and controls.     

Health survey on workers and residents near the municipal waste and industrial waste incinerators in Korea

Hazardous substances, such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) also have been detected in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) and industrial waste incinerators in Korea. In this study, we estimated the exposure status of these hazardous substances and their heath effects in workers and residents near the MSW incinerators and residents near the industrial waste incinerators. We interviewed 13 workers and 16 residents from the area around the two MSW incinerators, and further 10 residents from the area around one industrial waste incinerator, which is suspected to emit higher hazardous substances. During the interview we collected information including sociodemographic information, personal habits, work history, detailed gynecologic and other medical history. Blood samples from 45 subjects were also collected for analysis of PCDDs and PCDFs, which were analyzed by HRGC-HRMS (High Resolution Gas Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometer). In addition to a questionnaire survey, urinary concentrations of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured as oxidative injury biomarkers. Urinary concentrations of 8-OH-dG were determined by in vitro ELISA (JAICA, Fukuroi, Japan). MDA were determined by HPLC using adduct with TBA (thiobarbituric acid). The PCDD/F concentrations in residents from the area around industrial waste incinerator were higher than those in workers and residents from the area around MSW incinerator. The average toxic equivalency (TEQ) concentrations of PCDD/Fs in residents from the area around industrial waste incinerator were 53.4 pg I-TEQs/g lipid. The average TEQ concentrations of PCDD/Fs in workers and residents near MSW incinerator were 12.2 pg I-TEQs/g lipid. Estimated daily intake (EDI) of each person was calculated, and the EDI of all workers and residents near MSW incinerator were within the tolerable daily intake range. But for only 30% of 10 people near the industrial waste incinerator were the EDI within the tolerable daily intake range (1-4 pg I-TEQ/kg bw/day) suggested by WHO (1997). The oxidative stress of residents near the industrial waste incinerator was higher than that in workers and residents from the area around MSW incinerator. This oxidative stress may have been caused by hazardous substances, such as PCDD/Fs emitted by incinerators. The residents from the area around industrial waste incinerator were exposed to hazardous substances such as PCDD/ Fs. Proper protection strategies against these hazardous chemicals are needed.