Birth outcomes related to informal e-waste recycling in Guiyu, China

To assess the impact of exposure to informal e-waste recycling on birth outcomes. We compared record-based birth outcomes (n = 24,493) and levels of cord blood lead (CBPb) (n = 531) in Guiyu and a control area in Xiamen. Guiyu births showed significantly higher rates of adverse birth outcomes including stillbirth (4.72% vs. 1.03%), low birth weight (6.12% vs. 4.12%), term low birth weight (3.40% vs. 1.57%), and lower Apgar scores (9.6 vs. 9.9) and mean birth weight (3168 g vs. 3258 g) than did births from the control site, all P < 0.01. Regression analysis showed Guiyu had about four times higher risk of stillbirth compared with Xiamen. The median level of CBPb was much higher in neonates of Guiyu than those in the control group (10.78 μg/dL vs. 2.25 μg/dL). Prenatal exposure to informal e-waste recycling related to high rate of adverse birth outcomes, lower Apgar scores and unsafe lead level in cord blood.

► Informal e-waste recycling related to unsafe lead levels in neonate cord blood.
► Adverse birth outcomes of this prenatal exposure were demonstrated in this study.
► Informal e-waste recycling associated with lower Apgar scores of neonate in Guiyu.