Assessing exposure and health in children near the WEEE recycling industry through self-administered blood microsampling

Waste from electronic and electric equipment (i.e., WEEE), is one of the fastest-growing waste streams. The EU`s initiative towards green energy transition and a circular economy will increase the need for metals and consequently WEEE recycling. WEEE recycling processes may lead to the release of hazardous metals and chemicals into the environment and pose exposure and health risks (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and child development effects) to local communities. However, no data on such risks exists for European communities.

The project aims to assess the exposure and health risks of Swedish 7-10-year-old schoolchildren living in the vicinity of two large WEEE recycling sites compared to those living in the WEEE-recycling-free areas. The participatory research approach including repeated at-home self-administered sampling (blood microsampling, urine, tap water and wristbands) will be used to assess the
I) risk for individual and mixed exposure to metals and chemicals such as PFAS,
II) symptoms and early effect biomarkers linked to chemical-induced disease, and
III) spatial and temporal patterns of chemical exposure.
The project uniquely addresses the EU and Swedish authorities' emerging concerns about the environmental and public health impacts of WEEE recycling.