| Sumario: | Abstract Residents living near one of the largest landfills in the United States expressed longstanding concern about respiratory health within their community. As a result, the authors evaluated the severity and frequency of respiratory symptoms occurring in the past 12 months among self-identified residents with asthma, severe breathing, or respiratory conditions. A telephone survey was performed over a 30-day data collection period to characterize respiratory illness among residents living in two communities on Staten Island.Responses were received from 541 residents of the landfill community and 289 residents of the north-shore community, over 7 miles from the landfill. In addition, 449 persons living elsewhere on Staten Island responded voluntarily. The proportion of respondents who reported having asthma was higher among north-shore residents. Reports from respondents who lived adjacent to the landfill and those who lived in the north-shore community differed primarily with respect to two measures: odors (rotten eggs and garbage) and eye, nose, and throat irritation.In spite of longstanding community health concerns about the landfill, the respiratory health of Staten Island residents had never been investigated in relation to the landfill. The results of this assessment indicate that a fairly large number of Staten Island residents experience respiratory-related symptoms and conditions. It was concluded that further investigation of respiratory illness among this population is warranted.
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