Malagrotta fire, Sima's alarm:“Huge health risks due to dioxin in the air”

The Italian Society of Environmental Medicine:"Dioxin is a persistent organic pollutant classified by IARC as a certain carcinogen for humans"

ROME – A possible spread of dioxin in the air caused by the fire in Rome at the Malagrotta landfill would pose enormous risks to human health, as the carcinogenic and neurotoxic effects of this substance on the human body are well known.This was stated by the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (Sima) on the occasion of the alarm on the potential consequences for the population.

“Dioxin is a persistent organic pollutant classified by IARC as a certain carcinogen for humans, as well as having neurotoxic effects and being an endocrine disruptor– explained the Sima president, Alessandro Miani – The airborne risk of dioxin is limited to the area affected by the smoke from the fire and, in the case of a toxic cloud, to the entire territory affected by the fallout of the smoke to the ground. In 90% of cases, human exposure to dioxin occurs through food through the complete food cycle:fruit and vegetables, animal fodder, animal breeding, herbivores, carnivores that humans feed on.Dioxin bioaccumulates mainly in human fatty tissues and its half-life is rather long:from 5.8 years to 11.3 years depending on metabolism and abundance of fat mass.Studies carried out in the land of fires have highlighted the presence of dioxin even in breast milk and in greater quantities in older women who have absorbed and accumulated the toxic pollutant for several years".

“The airway of exposure is instead limited to the fire area as dioxin is a chemically heavy substance that tends to precipitate within short distances from the place of emission into the atmosphere - Miani further said - In addition to dioxin, other toxic and carcinogenic substances such as heavy metals and furans can be released from a waste fire and on this the authorities will have to monitor air, soil and water to understand which and how many pollutants affected the fire".
The Italian Society of Environmental Medicine has therefore recommended - also in accordance with what has already been established - to avoid eating agricultural products grown in the areas adjacent to the Malagrotta landfill and meat from animals raised in the same areas. It is best to avoid direct contact with toxic fumes which may also contain other irritating substances for the respiratory tract and exposed mucous membranes.