Occupational Health
Scope of the health reporting
This review focuses on specific issues relevant to the company. The reported data and information have been collected by the sites specified in this review. Umicore has integrated specific occupational health and industrial hygiene data in its central EHS database.
2007 review
All sites are required to further reduce the health risks related to exposure to hazardous substances (such as platinum salts, lead, cobalt, cadmium) and physical health risks (such as noise and radiation). In order to better understand and define these occupational health hazards and risks, Umicore is involved in a number of scientific studies via industry associations (e.g. the Cobalt Development Institute, the Nickel Institute) or universities. Some of these studies are briefly mentioned in the relevant sections. This section further reports on two potential occupational health issues: Indium Tin Oxide and nano-materials.
Lead
Occupational exposure to lead is still a potential health risk at the site in Hoboken (Belgium). The results of the biological monitoring show a continuous decrease of the presence of lead in blood: the level dropped to 15.5 microgrammes per decilitre of blood compared to 17.1 in 2006 and 30 in 1997 (figure 1). Only 5.2% of the readings exceed the level of 30 microgrammes per decilitre of blood, which is seen as the future EU standard, compared to 8% in 2006. The readings are below the current Belgian standard (70 microgrammes per decilitre of blood). Values exceeding the level of 30 microgrammes of lead per decilitre of blood are mainly found among workers in the lead smelting department.
Cadmium
In January 2006, the Lancet Oncology published a study associating the development of lung cancer with environmental exposure to cadmium among the people living close to the former Umicore plants in Balen and Overpelt (Belgium). As a result, the company committed to evaluate the feasibility of a cancer mortality study amongst its workers who had previously been exposed to cadmium.
This study, part of the action plan issued by the Flemish regional government, was finalized in September 2007. The study made clear that sufficient information was available to conduct a comprehensive cancer study at the sites in Balen and Overpelt. Umicore will communicate the outcome of the feasibility study to the Flemish authorities. Umicore and Nyrstar, the current owner of both the sites of Balen and Overpelt, are jointly evaluating further steps.
During 2007, two Umicore sites were confronted with higher cadmium levels at the workplace: Due to a high dust load in the building, two workers at the newly acquired site in Glens Falls (USA) were found to have increased levels of cadmium present in their blood. A thorough cleaning programme reduced the cadmium level well below the safe level of five microgrammes per litre of blood.
Two workers needed to be moved to a cadmium-free working environment at the Umicore site in Changsha (China). Control measures, including reducing cadmium presence in incoming material and improving industrial hygiene measures are being implemented to decrease the exposure to cadmium in the workplace.
Platinum salts
Twelve sites where platinum salts are handled (Burlington, Canada; South Plainfield, USA; Americana and Guarulhos, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Hoboken, Belgium; Hanau and Pforzheim, Germany; Vienna, Austria; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Ibaraki, Japan and Port Elizabeth, South Africa) have implemented a sensitization screening programme based on the guidelines of the occupational health working group of the International Platinum Association (“Guidance for the medical surveillance of workers exposed to complex platinum salts”, 2002). In 2007, two new cases of platinum salt sensitization were diagnosed: one at the site in Pforzheim (Germany), and one at the site in Port Elizabeth (South Africa).
Cobalt
All production sites involved in handling and producing cobalt have implemented a biological monitoring programme (Arab, USA; Chungnam, South-Korea; Fort Saskatchewan, Canada; Olen, Belgium; Shanghai, China; Subic, Philippines). The average cobalt in urine concentration in 2007 was 21.0 microgrammes per gramme of creatinine, down from 26.0 in 2006. The results differ very much from site to site with averages as low as 3 microgrammes per gramme of creatinine or as high as more than 50 microgrammes per gramme of creatinine. Nevertheless all sites show reduced cobalt in urine levels over the past three years. Further dust reduction actions in the workplace will however be needed to bring all cobalt biological monitoring results to an acceptable level.
At the initiative of the Cobalt Development Institute, the Umicore site in Olen will conduct an epidemiological study to evaluate a possible relationship between cobalt exposure and the development of myocardial changes. The results of the study will be available in 2009.
Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)
Global production of ITO has increased, due to the increased manufacturing of liquid-crystal display panels. Two publicly available epidemiological studies (Chonan 2006, Hamaguchi 2007) confirmed the findings of two earlier case reports (Homma 2005, Tanaka 2002) which had associated occupational exposure to ITO with the development of severe respiratory problems. Umicore initiated an experimental study at the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) (Belgium) that showed an increased ITO cell toxicity, comparable with crystalline silica (Professor Lison, UCL, personal communication). Umicore has adopted specific measures at its ITO production site in Providence (USA) to reduce exposure levels in the workplace. These include enclosed systems for scrap-crushing, sawing and grinding as well as improved ventilation systems at critical sections. Besides the information available in the material safety data sheet (MSDS), additional efforts are being made to inform the customers about the potential health effects of ITO.
Nano materials
Nano-materials offer significant commercial opportunities in a wide array of applications ranging from catalysts and fuel cells to diagnosis and drug delivery. Umicore is active in the development, production and sale of specific nano-materials (ZnO, TiO2, CeO2). A full size production facility for nano-materials is operational at the Olen site (Belgium).
Very little is known about the physiological responses to nanomaterials. Although some conventional toxicity, eco-toxicity and exposure monitoring tests have been shown to be useful, existing methodologies need to be validated in order to be able to evaluate the hazards and exposure levels of nano-materials.
Umicore is working with two expert groups (BGIA, Sankt Augustin, Germany and VITO, Mol, Belgium) to conduct specialized nano particle concentration measurements in the workplace. While overall results showed low concentrations compared to other settings (e.g. welding, grinding, airport fields), the sampling methodology and strategy need to be validated further before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
In line with Umicore’s EHS policy, the company actively participates in two EU research consortia (NanoIinteract, NanoSafe2) to clarify the outstanding issues concerning the impact of nanomaterials on human health and the environment. In the absence of any clear answers today, the company aims to achieve zero exposure at its nano-material production facility.