Indagini epidemiologiche nei siti di interesse nazionale per le bonifiche delle regioni italiane previste dai Fondi strutturali dell'Unione Europea

Environmental reclamation of polluted sites is part of the activities of the waste management cycle, and it may be funded by European Union structural funds in the frame of Regional Operational Programs. Structural funds are the tool by which the European Union pursues economical and social cohesion among Member States Regions, namely Objective 1 (Obj. 1) regions, those showing a delayed growth, with a per capita gross internal product beneath 75% community average. Seventeen sites of national interest for environmental remediation are located in the seven Italian Obj 1 regions, according to regulation derived from laws 22/1997 and 471/1999. The purpose of the present report is to review scientific issues underlying design, implementation and interpretation of epidemiological studies concerning populations resident in the aforementioned sites. Available epidemiologic evidence shows a wide range of amount of existing knowledge in the various areas. Reconstruction of local health profiles requires an integrated multidisciplinary approach. For this purpose, the following issues are specifically addressed in the report: geographic mortality studies, research on adverse effects on reproduction (namely, congenital malformations), use of hospital discharge files and cancer registries, analytic approach (cohort and case-control studies), contribution of sentinel animal systems and sharing of geographic information. Potential and limitations of environmental health studies with special emphasis on problems concerning sites problems are evaluated in this frame, thus providing foundation for an appropriate process of information and risk communication.