Pollution inc. ILVA and Gela killed 12,000 in 8 yrs

(ANSA) - Rome, June 12 - Pollution from 45 toxic-waste-producing plants including the oil refinery at Gela in Sicily and the ILVA steel plant at Taranto in Puglia has killed over 12,000 people in eight years and the incidence of malign tumours in children and teenagers has been 9% above the national average, the Higher Health Institute (ISS) said Tuesday.
    The report said those living in areas polluted by asbestos, refineries, and chemical and metal industries have a death risk 4-5% higher than the general population. Over the eight-year period, the report said, there was an excess mortality of 11,992 people, of which 5,285 for tumours and 3,632 for cardio-circulatory diseases.
    Living in contaminated sites brings a 9% rise in malign tumours between the ages of 0 and 24, the report said.
    The excess of incidence is 62% for carcinomas of soft tissues, 66% for acute mieloid leukemia, and 50% for non-Hogkins lymphomas, it said.
    The data comes from only 28 sites of the 45, where the tumour registry is present, and refer to the 2006-13 period.