Mortality in Miners and Millers of Crocidolite in Western Australia: Follow-Up to 1999

Abstract

Follow-up has continued on the cohort of miners and millers of crocidolite from Wittenoom Gorge in Western Australia. Previous analyses had indicated that the incidence of mesothelioma continued to rise exponentially past 40 yr after first exposure, but that fibres were cleared from the lungs with a half-life of ∼7 yr. Success in follow-up has been improved through searches in Italy and in the Australian National Death Index. While the mesothelioma rate is still high, the incidence of the disease appears to have levelled out in this cohort.