Teacher breast cancer as an occupational disease?

Breast cancer as an occupational disease: teacher sued state of North Rhine-Westphalia

17.01.2011

In North Rhine-Westphalia a teacher complains of recognition of her breast cancer as an occupational disease. Before the Administrative Court of Dusseldorf today, the lawsuit of the vocational school teacher against the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is decided.

Breast cancer due to pollution at school?
The former vocational school teacher from Grevenbroich has sued her employer - the state of North Rhine-Westphalia - because she believes that her breast cancer was caused by the significant pollution levels that she was exposed to at the vocational school. The burdens caused by the PVC floor and exhaust fumes from the school auto repair shop were enormous and would ultimately have led to the cancer, according to the argumentation of the teacher.

Several complaints about pollution at school
Because of the pollutant load in the school and the 17-year-old son of the teacher against the state of NRW has sued. He also believes that his diabetes is also due to the pollutants in the classrooms his mother was exposed to during pregnancy and subsequent lactation. The pollutants have been transferred from the mother to him, the claim of the 17-year-olds. In addition, a widower complains against the state of NRW, whose wife was a teacher who also suffered from breast cancer and then died. However, Rhein-Kreis Neuss, as the institution of the school, emphasized that there was no connection between the illnesses and possible pollutant levels in the school - this had been the result of expert reports. The verdict of the Administrative Court of Dusseldorf is expected today.

Health risk in schools due to pollutants
Official estimates suggest that at least 10,000 public buildings and more than 5,000 schools in Germany - mostly built in the 1960s and 1970s - are contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that damage the nervous system and affect the mucous membranes and immune system can and in the long term promote the development of tumors. Also, the softeners in PVC floor coverings, which can cause severe allergic and toxic reactions, are a relatively common health risk in schools. Dr. Frank Bartram, Environmental Physician and board member of the Interdisciplinary Society for Environmental Medicine (IGUMED), said the pollutants in children can lead to concentration and learning disorders: „Sudden performance failures and attention deficits are common consequences.“ Children are particularly affected, „because her nervous system and her detoxification systems are not mature yet“, stressed the expert. „That is unacceptable“, said Bartram, calling on the legislator to finally take action here „to ensure a preventive protection of our children from dangerous chemicals.“ (Fp)

Read about breast cancer:
Breast cancer in men
Breast cancer: help by beta-blockers?
Drastic increase in cancers expected
Breast cancer: Prevent costs better precaution?

Picture: Gerd Altmann, Pixelio