Objectives: the purpose of this study is to assess the potential health impact of the start-up of a new incinerator in general population living near the facility in Modugno, province of Bari (Puglia Region, Italy), in combination with the existent Combined-Cycle combustion Gas Turbine (CCGT) power generation facility.
Design: an algorithm was used to calculate the number of cases (deaths and hospital admissions) associated with a given concentrations of PM10, the exposed population, the specific mortality/morbidity rate. For every health end-point, an estimate of RR was obtained from the literature. Using PM10 as tracer, simulations were made of incinerator emissions fallout. Residents within 2 km radius from the plants were considered.
Results: with the reduction of the average concentration of PM10 to 40 μg/m(3), 0.12% of natural causes of death could be prevented. Proportionally, the increment in PM10 concentration of 1 μg/m(3) could be associated to 0.02% of deaths.
Conclusions: the estimated health impact of the incinerator emissions doesn't modify the epidemiological profile for the population living nearby.