INDUSTRY-WIDE STUDY OF MORTALITY OF PULP AND PAPER-MILL WORKERS

A study of pulp and paper mill workers indicated low risks of death fr om all causes (standardized mortality ratio (SMR) = 0.74) and all canc ers (SMR = 0.81) compared with U.S. rates. The leukemia death rate in workers was not higher than the U.S. rate but was higher than the rate in county populations surrounding mills. Workers whose last jobs were in the finishing areas of the mills had an elevated SMR for liver can cer An internal comparison of occupational characteristics indicated t hat workers employed in mills using other chemical pulping operations had significantly elevated mortality from all causes, all cancers, hea rt disease, lymphomas, and brain cancers. Lung cancer mortality was el evated in mills using kraft pulping. The internal comparisons confirme d the association between work in finishing and the risk of liver canc er. This study was designed to investigate whether pulp and paper mill workers have any risks that would indicate the need for studies detai ling exposures. (C) 1998 Wiley Liss, Inc.