![]() ![]() The present publication is a collection of contribution of this group of experts, supported by the following projects: Evaluation of environmental health impact and estimation of economic costs at of National Interest Remediation Sites coordinated by the Italian National Institute of Health on behalf of the Ministry for the Environment and Technical Assistance of WHO Health and Environment Centre to the Sicilian Region to develop plans for environmental remediation. In 2007 a Multidisciplinary Working Group has been established, to analyze the existing data on pollution-exposure-effect and to complete current knowledge on the cycle of pollutants, from migration in the environment to health impact. Nevertheless, since several years different epidemiological studies have provided evidence of the occurrence of health outcomes significantly higher than in neighbouring areas and compared to regional data. Prior to the studies described in the present publication, their use in order to identify environmental pressures on health has been limited. Many relevant environmental and health data are available. Extremely high levels of toxic, persistent and bio-accumulating chemical pollutants have been documented. Over the years, these industrial activities have been a major source of environmental pollution. From the beginning the workforces decreased from 7,000 to the current 3,000 units. Close to the city of Gela, the industrial area, operating since 1962, includes chemical production plants, a power station and an oil refinery plant, one of the larger in Europe, refining 5 millions tons of crude per year. Populations are respectively 26,541 and 5,063. Niscemi and Butera are located border to Gela. Grid reference: 37 degrees 4' 0" N, 14 degrees 15' 0" E. The site includes a private industrial area, public and marine areas, for a total of 51 km(2). In 2000 part of it was designated as Gela Reclamation Site of National Interest, RSNI. In 1990 it was declared Area at High Risk of Environmental Crisis. ![]() The study area includes the Municipalities of Gela, Niscemi and Butera located in the South of Sicily, Italy. ![]()
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