A case to answer

Studies showing links between incinerators and infant mortality must be addressed by elected representatives and health officials.

In 2004, a Japanese study of 63 incinerators (see note 1, below) and a 2007 Italian study of 27 incinerators (see note 2, below) have both found elevated infant mortality rates around incinerators.

The first sentence of the conclusion in the Japanese study states: "Our study shows a peak-decline in risk with distance from the municipal solid waste incinerators for infant deaths and infant deaths with all congenital malformations combined."

The conclusion of the Italian study is: "Findings call for further insight by analytic epidemiologic studies to confirm possible association between infant mortality and living near incinerators."

Michael Ryan, a researcher from Shrewsbury has examined infant mortality rates at electoral ward level around twenty-eight incinerators and has consistently found high rates in wards which are exposed to PM2.5 emissions from such plants.

A map showing high infant mortality in wards associated with the Bernard Road incinerator at Sheffield can be found at: http://www.ukhr.org/incineration/sheffieldincinerator.pdf

Pooled 2004-2006 infant mortality data for electoral wards in Bolton.
Bolton has two incinerators: The White Rose incinerator at Bolton General Infirmary burns clinical & radioactive waste:

Astley Bridge; 472 live births; 4 infant deaths; 8.5 per 1,000 live births
Bradshaw; 363; 3; 8.3
Breightmet; 533; 5; 9.4
Bromley Cross; 326; 2; 6.1
Crompton; 785; 9; 11.5
Farnworth; 749; 4; 5.3
Great Lever; 901; 14; 15.5 [Municipal incinerator, Raikes Lane]
Halliwell; 639; 5; 7.8
Harper Green; 611; 3; 4.9 [White Rose incinerator at Bolton General Infirmary]
Heaton & Lostock; 334; 1; 3.0
Horwich & Blackrod; 408; 1; 2.5
Horwich North East335; Nil; 0.0
Hulton; 488; 3; 6.1
Kearsley; 496; 2; 4.0
Little Lever & Darcy Lever; 397; 1; 2.5
Rumworth; 860; 4; 4.7
Smithills; 490; 1; 2.0 T
onge with the Haulgh; 519; 4; 7.7
West Haughton North & Chew Moor; 394; Nil; 0.0
West Houghton South; 523; 4; 7.6

Bolton in 2004: 3402 live births, 20 infant deaths; 5.9 per 1,000 live births
Bolton in 2005: 3576 live births, 24 infant deaths; 6.7 per 1,000
Bolton in 2006: 3645 live births, 27 infant deaths; 7.4 per 1,000

Mr Ryan has discovered that the 2002-2006 infant mortality rate in his ward [Bowbrook, where there is a hospital incinerator] is 14.7 per 1,000 live births. An incinerator is planned for north Shrewsbury and elected officials, officers, the incineration companies and supposedly independent environmental consultancies consistently refuse to engage with Mr Ryan’s research into adverse health effects.

Mr Ryan attributes the deaths of two of his four children to the adverse effects of living near an incinerator. He has been carrying out this research to help prevent further loss of life.

Note 1 J Epidemiol. 2004 May;14(3):83-93.Risk of adverse reproductive outcomes associated with proximity to municipal solid waste incinerators with high dioxin emission levels in Japan. Tango T, Fujita T, Tanihata T, Minowa M, Doi Y, Kato N, Kunikane S, Uchiyama I, Tanaka M, Uehata T.
Department of Technology Assessment and Biostatistics, National Institute of Public Health, Wako, Saitama, Japan.

Note 2 Epidemiology: Volume 18(5) SupplSeptember 2007p S125 Infant Mortality in 27 Italian Municipalities With Solid Waste Incinerators (1981-2001) [ISEE 2007 CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS SUPPLEMENT: Abstracts] Bianchi, F; Minichilli, F; Pierini, A; Linzalone, N; Rial, M CNR National Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, Epidemiology Unit, Pisa, Italy.