Blood lead and lung function in Danish solid-waste incineration workers: A cross-sectional study

Danish solid-waste incineration workers may be exposed to dust, containing metals including lead. While negative implications of higher levels of lead and dust exposure are well established, the health effects of contemporary low-level exposure remain unclear. This cross-sectional biomonitoring study among 55 male incineration workers compared blood lead levels and FEV₁ between 31 dusty-task workers and 24 controls using multivariable regression. None of the participants had blood lead exceeding the Danish upper reference value (<0.53 µmol/L). Workers exposed to dusty tasks (n = 31) had higher blood lead and a 2.1-fold higher prevalence of blood lead ≥ 0.1 µmol/L compared to controls. FEV₁ was lower in exposed workers (3.5 L; 90% predicted) compared to controls (4.2 L; 102% predicted), but this difference was non-significant after adjustment for confounders. Findings indicate persistent low-level lead exposure in Danish solid-waste incineration settings, underscoring the need for continued exposure controls and proper use of personal protective equipment.