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ANP Productions | Bron: ANP
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beverwijk
People who live close to the Tata Steel steel factory are more often given medicines for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes than people outside the IJmond region, RIVM concludes after research.
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According to the health institute, residents of Beverwijk and Velsen are prescribed these drugs 11 to 16 percent more often. This is 5 to 10 percent more often for respiratory diseases in adults. Medicines for respiratory diseases are not more often prescribed for children, according to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in a report.
The institute conducted research into the influence of air quality in the IJmond on the health of residents in this region. In addition, we looked at how often residents between 2008 and 2019 received medication for certain conditions for the first time. These are diseases that may be related to particulate matter and nitrogen oxides in the air.
Reduce impact
Tata Steel states in a response that hard work is being done to reduce the impact of the factory on the living environment. The company also says that the effects of most of the measures that have already been taken to reduce emissions are not yet visible in the report. “Almost all measures must be completed by 2023 and lead to a decrease in the emission of odors, dust and noise,” says Tata. This should result in 65 percent less dust precipitation, 35 percent less emissions of particulate matter and 55 percent less emissions of heavy metals. “Together with the choice of hydrogen as an energy source, this should ensure that we are a green and clean steel company by 2030,” the company continues.
In previous studies, RIVM showed, among other things, that people in the vicinity of Tata Steel are more often exposed to harmful substances. These include PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) and metals. It can cause diseases such as cancer.
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In another report, the GGD noted that residents of Beverwijk get lung cancer more than a quarter more often than the average in the Netherlands. The cause of this was not clearly identified, but air pollution was mentioned as one of the factors. In December, Tata Steel announced that the steel company wants to reduce the emission of harmful substances more quickly.
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