Abstract No:
1327
Abstract Type:
Professional Poster
Authors:
C Poulin1
Institutions:
1Ramboll, Brownsville, TX
Presenter:
Callum Poulin, MPH
Ramboll
Description:
Asbestos related malignancies are considered latent diseases taking years to manifest; therefore, risk assessments need to consider the potential for exposure during a person's whole life. The Republic of South Africa was once the third largest asbestos exporter in the world, following Canada and the USSR. Nearly all the world's supply of amosite was mined in South Africa, with mining operations also producing crocidolite and chrysotile. South Africa produced more than 10 million tons of asbestos over the 20th century with production peaking at 380,000 tons per year in the 1970s. Major mines operated in the Northern Cape Province and the former Transvaal provinces such as Limpopo. This poster will summarize the industrial and environmental potential for exposure in the Republic of South Africa.
Situation / Problem:
In the United States, asbestos litigation under the toxic tort system often neglects to consider asbestos exposures that may have occurred whilst not working or residing in the US. Therefore, the potential for exposure for non-US based companies is often overlooked. Beginning in the early 1970s asbestos began to be regulated federally via OSHA and EPA thus beginning a decline in the consumption of asbestos in the US decreasing the potential for exposure via both the industrial and environmental route. Many countries lagged the US in occupational and environmental regulations. Production of asbestos in South Africa peaked in 1977, with major mines continuing operation until 2001. South Africa did not ban the use of asbestos until 2008.
In the US there are approximately 3,000 mesothelioma cases annually, some of which may be related to asbestos exposure and others may be non-asbestos related issues such as genetics, radiation, etc. This rate equates to approximately 0.93 cases per 100,000. IARC reported 313 new mesothelioma cases in 2022, yielding a rate of 0.52 per 100,000. However, disease reporting and documentation of mine workers is poor in South Africa. Researchers also postulate that many exposed workers are likely to have died of infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis before mesothelioma can develop, and thus that the true hazard in the country is underestimated.
Methods:
The authors of the poster will perform a comprehensive review of the published scientific literature from pubmed.gov (National Library of Medicine database) and Google Scholar. The authors will consider the scientific literature pertaining to industrial and environmental sources of asbestos and other EMPs which have been implicated as causal inducers of asbestos-related diseases. Additionally, the authors will consider only studies that were published (or translated from a credible source) in English.
Results / Conclusions:
This poster will provide a summary of the locations of asbestos in South Africa including naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) locations (including fluoro-edenite locations), former mining and milling sites, former industrial use of asbestos including asbestos pipe and asbestos cement factories, military housing, and shipyards. The poster will also include a maps and keys of these findings with the expectation of allowing risk assessors to understand the nature of these historical uses and environmental locations in the selected countries and the potential impact to immigrants in the United States.
Core Competencies:
Exposure Assessment
Secondary Core Competencies:
Hazard Communication
Work Environments, Occupations, and Industrial Processes
Choose at least one (1), and up to five, (5) keywords from the following list. These selections will optimize your presentation's search results for attendees.
Asbestos, lead, and dust
Consulting
Exposure Assessment
Occupational epidemiology
Based on the selected primary competency area of your proposal, select one group below that would be best suited to serve as a subject matter expert for peer review:
(Select one)
Exposure Assessment Strategies Committee
Based on the information that will be presented during your proposed session, please indicate the targeted audience practice level: (select one)
Professional: Professional is a job title given to persons who have obtained a baccalaureate or graduate degree in IH/OH, public health, safety, environmental sciences, biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering or who have a degree in another area that meets the standards set forth in the next section, Knowledge and Skill Sets of IH/OH Practice Levels, and has had 4 or more years of practice. One significant way of demonstrating professional competence is to achieve certification by a 3rd party whose certification scheme is recognized by the International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) such as the Board of Global EHS Credentialing (BGC).
Was this session organized by an AIHA Technical Committee, Special Interest Group, Working Group, Advisory Group or other AIHA project Team?
No
Are worker exposure data and/or results of worker exposure data analysis presented?
No
How will this help advance the science of IH/OH?
This poster aims to illuminate the potential for asbestos exposure in countries outside the United States, an area often neglected in toxic tort litigation. This will help industry professionals better assess exposure history for subjects who have worked or resided outside the United States.
What level would you consider your presentation content geared towards?
Intermediate: Specific topics within a subject. The participant would have two (2) to ten (10) years experience in industrial hygiene or OEHS and a good understanding of the subject area, but not of the specific topic presented. Prerequisites required: another course, skill, or working knowledge of the general subject.
Have you presented this information before?
No
I have read and agree to these guidelines.
Yes