The inhabitants of Saint-Nazaire are dying more and younger: this is the result of the two surveys conducted by the LRA and the RHA (regional health agencies and observatories). The study found out of 22 municipalities in the agglomeration an excess mortality of 28% compared to the national average among the inhabitants of 65 years.
Figures considered "anxiety" or "alarming" by the sub-prefect of Saint-Nazaire, Michel Bergue. The rate rises to 38% among men of this age. In 41% of cases, death is due to cancer, especially that of the lung.
A region where many industrial activities are concentrated
Both surveys also highlight an excess of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The causes are multiple, according to the health authorities. They include alcohol and tobacco, without denying the environmental risk.
The associations are worried about the quality of the air in this area where many industrial activities are developing (the Total refinery, the Airbus factory, the Atlantic shipyards). Pollutant releases pose a question. The national association for the defense of asbestos victims (Adeva) notes a significant increase in cancers of the esophagus, pharynx and stomach, often related to products inhaled for many years and generally called "diseases professional ". Other studies are mentioned to refine the findings.