Cancer and Asphalt Study
http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/46/8/582
The cancer mortality was significantly increased in asphalt workers aged 45 or more, when five years' latency from enrolment into the study was allowed for (SMR for cancer: 159, 95% confidence interval: 106-228). Non-significant increases were seen for respiratory, bladder, and digestive cancers but a significant increase was seen for brain cancer (SMR = 500, 95% CI: 103-1461). Components of asphalt fumes may have been important to the observed association between risk of cancer and employment in the asphalt industry.
Harvard School of Public Health:
"An asphalt plant will significantly increase air pollutants," said Dr. Michael Wang, a research scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health, who also lives in Chelmsford. "What worries me most is the particulate matter. The smaller the particle, the more dangerous it is because it can be more easily absorbed into the lungs."
Particulate matter, also known as particle pollution or PM, is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. Particle pollution is made up of a number of components, including acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), organic chemicals, metals, and soil or dust particles. Wang said that according to the Environmental Protection Agency, once inhaled, these particles can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects, including cancer.