Health risks associated with residence near a primary copper smelter: a preliminary report

Mortality for three groups of ICD codes covering acute, chronic, and malignant respiratory diseases were studied for adult white women in communities near or adjacent to primary copper smelting facilities in the United States between 1968 and 1975, a period when women had not as yet entered the industrial work force. A previous comprehensive survey, sponsored by the EPA, of all U.S. counties used multiple regression analysis as a method of statistical surveillance to assess the association of mortality with industrial activity. This preliminary study suggested an excess mortality from nonmalignant respiratory diseases in copper mining and smelting counties. We directly examined town mortality rates for white female residents, aged 35 to 74, in eight U.S. copper smelting communities and compared them to demographically and geographically matched communities without industries likely to produce significant air pollution, using death certificates obtained from state sources. Site-specific air quality data were also obtained for these communities. Our direct examination of community death rates for copper smelting towns confirmed the preliminary observation at the county level of an excess risk from acute respiratory diseases but did not detect evidence of an elevated mortality from chronic respiratory diseases or cancer of the respiratory tract.