Short-term adverse health effects in a community exposed to a large polyvinylchloride plastics fire

The purpose of this study was the documentation of the short-term morbidity and mortality experiences of an urban community exposed to the airborne by products of a large polyvinylchloride plastics fire. The authors administer ed a survey to representatives of each household who had lived in an area e vacuated during the fire; A time-series analysis was per; formed on emergen cy room visits and admissions for all hospitals in the city. Chloracne surv eillance was instituted. Sixty-two percent of the individuals surveyed from the evacuation area reported no health concerns or symptoms related to the fire. Thirty-eight percent of the residents reported symptoms, and less th an 2% of those surveyed reported that they sought medical attention for the ir health concerns. There was no evidence of increased hospital admissions or emergency room use during and immediately following the fire. No cases o f chloracne were reported, and:no deaths or serious injuries occurred durin g the fire. Polyvinylchloride plastics recycling plants pose potential heal th hazards to civilian populations. Public health authorities should be pre pared to assess population health status rapidly and to disseminate relevan t health information in a timely way during a crisis.