People living in the immediate vicinity of Tata Steel IJmuiden suffer from cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure significantly more often than people outside the IJmond. This is in any case ‘to a limited extent’ due to fine dust emissions from Tata Steel, the GGD reported today in Health Monitor IJmond 2020. This is a new report about ‘nuisance, concern and chronic disorders in the IJmond’.
Residents in the immediate vicinity of the factory site also have a ‘higher chance of drug use’ and IJmonders feel less healthy than four years ago, while people around the IJmond feel increasingly healthier. In addition, the GGD notes that the air quality in the region is better than ten years ago, but still does not meet the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The findings do not come out of nowhere: a little less than a year ago, RIVM also noted that PAHs and lead from Tata Steel in coarse dust descending in the IJmond forr a higher risk of cancer and brain damage takes care, mespecially in children.
scoop on top
This third edition of the IJmond Health Monitor, of which the first version was published ten years ago, now goes one step further.
Even taking factors such as drinking and smoking behavior and socio-economic status into account, (chronic) cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure are more common among Tata’s immediate neighbors from IJmuiden, Velsen and parts of Beverwijk than among people from outside the IJmond. .
In those places the amount of particulate matter and nitrogen in the air is greatest. These are known causes of heart and lung diseases. The further away from Tata Steel, the better the (perceived) health is.
Completely different finding
This is a completely different finding than the GGD did in 2016. The researchers then concluded that the above-average amount of particulate matter in the air in IJmond was probably not the cause of the above-average number of residents with cardiovascular diseases.
“This may be related to the influence of other factors on these disorders, such as lifestyle,” the service suggested at the time. Now the GGD, following two other, comparable RIVM reports in the past year more clearly to (the emissions of) Tata Steel as the culprit.
Text continues below the Read-here-more.
Read more about the RIVM reports here
There may be something else that is causing heart or blood pressure problems for people living near Tata Steel. These problems are not only more common in IJmuiden, Velsen and Beverwijk-West than in places outside the IJmond. They are also more common in the places around Tata Steel than ten years ago.
The increase in heart problems may be related to IJmonders’ greater concerns about their own living situation and the inconvenience caused by Tata Steel, according to the report. Stress can also cause heart problems and high blood pressure. The researchers believe that the large (media) attention to health issues surrounding Tata Steel could have contributed to this, among other things.
But the GGD cannot say in this study to what extent this stress has an influence on the physical malheur. According to the service, there is no question that the nuisance and concerns are there.
Suffering from dust, smoke and rust
Four out of ten inhabitants of the villages directly next to Tata Steel, such as IJmuiden and Velsen, suffer from dust, smoke and soot emissions from the blast furnaces, and almost as many people are concerned about the living situation when it comes to health. That is more than in the previous measurement in 2016. The element of odor nuisance is the only thing that was judged to be even worse in 2012 than now.
Further on in the IJmond the numbers get a little better: the further people live from Tata Steel, the less the nuisance and worries experienced, and the better people assess their own health.
Only nearly three quarters of the factories’ immediate neighbors are in good health. Ten years ago, that was 78 percent of the people. In the same period, that percentage increased further outside the IJmond from 79 to 81 percent.
Text continues below the image. In area 5, dust, soot and smoke nuisance is highest, concerns are greatest and residents are the least likely to rate their health as good. In area 1 there are almost no worries, or perceived nuisance and health is better.
For the study, the researchers divided Kennemerland into five categories, based on the amount of particulate matter present in the air due to emissions from Tata Steel (see image). Area 5 will be ‘the most heavily loaded with particulate matter in the base metal industry’, area 1 the least.
What seems? In area 5 there are not only more people with cardiovascular diseases and increased blood pressure, but also a larger proportion of those Tata residents are taking medicines for chronic heart and lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD than elsewhere. That is the conclusion of the RIVM, which helped the GGD with that part of the investigation.
These lung diseases do not occur more often within the IJmond than outside it, which the GGD would expect, according to the report, based on the particulate matter in the air. Particulate matter is also a known cause of chronic lung diseases.
Reaction Tata Steel
“The well-being and health of the people in the area, where many of our employees and their families also live, are very important to us. There is no question that a clean living environment is in everyone’s interest. That is why we take our responsibility and work “We are working hard to reduce our impact on the living environment. We have an extensive program of measures (Roadmap Plus) and are investing hundreds of millions of euros in, for example, installing dust screens, filters and roofs. Reducing emissions and nuisance is central to this.”
“In the report published today, looking at the period 2012-2020, the effects of most of the measures we have already taken are not yet visible. Almost all measures should be completed by 2023 and lead to a decrease in emissions of odour, dust and noise. This should ensure, among other things, 65% less dust precipitation, 35% less fine dust emissions and 55% fewer emissions of heavy metals. Together with the choice of hydrogen as an energy source, this should ensure that by 2030 we have a be a green and clean steel company.”