People living near an industrial area appear to be at greater risk of developing respiratory problems, particularly asthma in children, according to a study published on December 4 by the French public health agency. There are " an increased risk of childhood asthma and chronic respiratory morbidity in adults aged 40 and over in municipalities located near a large industrial area compared to municipalities far from any type of industry", summarizes in a press release Public Health France (SpF), on the occasion of the publication of the first study carried out in France on the subject.
International scientific literature already highlights that living near industrial areas—that is, zones with multiple industrial sites—contributes to the development of certain health problems, primarily respiratory issues. To conduct its study, SpF (SpF) mapped French municipalities using several types of indicators. One of these measures direct proximity to an industrial area, while others go into more detail by assessing exposure to various pollutants. This information was then cross-referenced with data on the health status of residents in the different municipalities.
Caution is advised when analyzing these results.
They conclude that »a portion of the results (are) in favor of a link "between industrial proximity and the health of local residents. The public health agency, however, calls for caution in analyzing these results, emphasizing that they are different depending on the data sources used and the indicators considered“.
She concluded that it was necessary to develop better indicators regarding the exposure of residents to industrial sites in order to conduct more comprehensive studies and more thorough monitoring of the risks involved, in addition to…Actions to protect populations living near industrial sites, particularly through the regulation and control of industrial emissions.“.
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