The curing agent methylene-bis-orthochloroaniline (MBOCA) has been the subject of much speculation about health risks. But a study just released by the British Rubber and Polyurethane Products Association should help straighten out the issue.
BRPPA researchers studied a cohort of 308 male production workers from seven factories. All of the workers had a minimum of 12 months employment and were first employed at one of the participating factories between 1973 and 2000.
The mortality and cancer incidence data for those workers were compared with expected values based on national rates. There was a single death related to bladder cancer in the study group, with two cancer registrants. These figures were only slightly higher than national rates. And because there was no information available about whether the cancer sufferers smoked or had other risk factors, the findings were statistically insignificant, according to the report—meaning the study found no link between exposure to MBOCA and cancer risk.
For all companies and people working with MBOCA, this news comes as a relief. However, MBOCA remains under intensive study—including some research now under way by PMA, which we plan to release in the fall. In the meantime, you can access the full BRPPA study here as a PDF or Word Doc.