IARC Monograph Volume 103 article published
Updated 22 May 2013.
The Lancet article provides some background to the data used during the IARC review process and provides a better understanding of how the conclusions of the monograph were derived. This Monograph 103 replaces that carried out in 1985 (Monograph 35) and its review of exposure to emissions was separated according to the type of use of bitumen.
The Lancet article highlighted that there was “inadequate evidence” from the large number of animal studies evaluated for the carcinogenicity of straight run bitumen and fume condensates. Moreover, there was also “inadequate evidence” in humans for the carcinogenicity of occupational exposures to straight run bitumen and bitumen emissions, based on review of extensive studies in exposed workers during road paving. These are important conclusions for exposure during paving as this application represent as much as 90 per cent of bitumen used commercially across Europe.
The emphasis IARC has placed on the effect of the temperature at which bitumen is applied supports the industry’s long-standing efforts to encourage the lowering of application temperature across all areas of use. The consequence of this, which has become a growing trend over several years, has been a reduction in occupational exposure to bitumen emissions. Eurobitume welcomes the exposure reduction achieved over the last decades and encourages users of bitumen to continue working to reduce the temperature of bitumen during application and associated exposure to emissions.
Based on the information published by IARC in 2011, the European bitumen manufacturing industry saw no immediate need to update existing health and safety documentation. However, the industry will continue to evaluate further information as it becomes available and update the advice on health and safety hazards and safe handling as appropriate. We will continue to review safety guidelines based on industry-wide research and health and safety expertise to ensure that they remain relevant to the latest available information.
The full report of IARC’s Monograph Volume 103 was published online on 17 May 2013 (with printed copies expected to be available soon), and is now being reviewed in detail by Eurobitume’s health and safety experts.