No aluminium cancer hike in Norway—expert

Published: 4 Mar 2010
Sascha Wilson

A Norwegian doctor says his country’s medical surveys have shown that there is no increased risk of cancer in communities living close to Norway’s aluminium smelters. Based on cancer statistics over a 30-year period, “cancer as a whole, in both men and women, has been lower in aluminium municipalities than in the rest of the country,” said Dr Bjoin Erik Dahlberg, former senior vice president of Organisation, Environment, Health and Safety, Hydro Aluminium. Dahlberg and his colleague, Jai O Yttredal, former general manager of Soral Huses in Norway, were guest speakers yesterday at the South Trinidad Chamber of Industry and Commerce energy luncheon at Cara Suites Hotel, Claxton Bay.

They were invited to share their 50-year experience with the industry and health effects in light of strong opposition against the construction of Alutrint aluminium smelter plant in La Brea, said Alutrint CEO Phillip Jullien. Jullien, who chaired the proceedings, hoped in the near future they would be able to put the health issue to rest and move forward. Dahlberg admitted that when they first ventured into the aluminium industry they did pollute the environment and cause cancer. But even with some of the plants operating with technology older than the one proposed for this country, he said they have made a complete turnaround. Norway’s countryside has seven plants, four of which were close to communities. “We found that actually there was less cancer in the communities than the average of Norway,” he said. He added that those people were living longer and happier lives. “If you want to be happy that is the place to live,” he added. His colleague, Yttredal, in his presentation, also noted that one of the plants have a golf course, another a salmon breeding area and vegetation strives close to them. Admitting that people in the industry suffered from asthma-like symptoms, he said: “Today we accept it as ordinary occupational asthma.” Source: http://guardian.co.tt/news/general/2010/03/04/no-aluminium-cancer-hike-norway-expert