A new survey reveals the exposure to airborne toxins at work may cause one case in five of chronic lung disease.
Within the next 15 years, it is estimated that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will become the third most common form of death worldwide. It's therefore a growing public health issue.

Smoking is often cited as the main cause of COPD, but we should not overlook other causes. Researchers at the University of California have been investigating the link between exposure to airborne toxins at work and COPD in a group of 2,000 adults around the USA

They find that occupational exposure could account for one case in five of COPD. The disease is actually twice as common among those who are exposed to toxins during the course of their job - such as miners, metalworkers, bakers, firefighters or farmers. Those who also smoked were even more at risk. A smoker who was exposed to toxins at work had 18 times the risk of COPD compared to a non-smoker not exposed to occupational toxins. This study suggests that employers should perhaps try to do more to reduce exposure to health hazards at work.