Living close to dry cleaners can increase the likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease, a new study reports.
Published in npj Parkinson’s Disease, the research found people living within 500 feet of a dry-cleaning business had a 14% greater risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to those who lived farther away.
The linkage weakened as distance from a dry cleaner increased. The nationwide study examined data on nearly 19 million U.S. older adults, including about 181,000 people newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Dry cleaners have long used chlorinated solvents that can contaminate nearby soil and groundwater. Trichloroethylene, known as TCE, was widely used by the industry beginning in the 1920s before largely being replaced by perchloroethylene, or PCE, in the 1950s. PCE can break down underground to form TCE, allowing contamination to persist long after chemicals are released. The chemicals can move through groundwater and form vapours that enter buildings above contaminated areas.
Dry cleaners are often located in densely populated neighbourhoods, including buildings with housing, potentially exposing nearby residents. Previous research found an estimated 75% of dry-cleaning sites may have some contamination.
Associations between dry-cleaning sites and Parkinson’s varied by region, the study found. Some of the strongest were found in southern Illinois, along the Tennessee-Kentucky border and in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Other clusters were detected in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Southern California and the New York City region.
Researchers suggested the regional differences could be related to factors such as local geology, population density and aging infrastructure that may make it easier for contaminants from dry cleaners to reach housing.
Source:
Original article by Michele Late
