The authors, exploring “new” hazards in Taiwan’s developing economy, looked at 4,962 shipbreaking workers over a 24 year period and found standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for lung cancer almost twice the expected rate (1 .91). The report notes: “Those employed in shipbreaking industries experienced an increase in mortality from all causes. The increased SMR for lung cancer was probably related to asbestos, metals, and welding fume exposure.”

Wei-te Wu, Yao-Hua Lu, Yu-Jen Lin and others. Mortality among shipbreaking workers in Taiwan: A retrospective cohort study from 1985 to 2008, American Journal of Industrial Medicine, volume 56.6, 701-708, June 2013.