Cancer Incidence in the vicinity of a waste incineration plant in the Nice area between 2005 and 2014

Abstract Introduction Few studies on cancer incidence have been conducted since the adoption of the EU 2000/76/EC waste incineration directive which aimed to limit cut dioxin emission levels to less than 0.1ng TEQ/m3 before 31/12/2005. Objective To measure cancer incidence among the population exposed to atmospheric emissions from the waste incineration plant near the town of Nice (southeastern France), compared to the unexposed population of the Alpes-Maritimes department. Methods All primary invasive cancers and hematological malignancies diagnosed among AM residents between 2005 and 2014 were recorded. The exposed surface was modeled on an average dioxin deposition model ≥4.25 ng/m2/year. Each case was geolocated and assigned to one of 36 predefined geographic units of exposed area, or one of 462 units in the unexposed area. The adjusted incidence rate, the standardized incidence ratio and the Comparative Morbidity Figure were calculated for two periods: 2005-2009/2010-2014. Results We recorded 80,865 new cancers in the AM population. Between 2005-2009, we observed a higher incidence, among exposed women of acute myeloid leukaemia, myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloma and, among exposed men, of soft tissue sarcomas, myeloma and lung cancer. Between 2010-2014, there was no excess incidence among women, while among men incidence of myeloma and lung cancer remained higher. Conclusion Only among men, the incidence of myeloma and lung cancer remained higher in the exposed area during the second period. The EU directive resulting in the limitation of atmospheric emissions from incinerators could explain the decrease in incidence of cancers with protracted latency. Consideration of other risk factors and further data collection will be necessary to validate this hypothesis.