The health effects that can be caused by exposure to asphalt fumes depend upon:

1. how much has entered your body

2. how long you are exposed to asphalt fumes

3. how your body responds to asphalt fumes

Fumes created from heating asphalt can be inhaled into the lungs or can condense onto exposed areas of the skin.

People who work in asphalt plants have the greatest exposure to asphalt fumes. Symptoms reported by workers include irritation of the upper respiratory tract, headache, fatigue, wheezing and shortness of breath dizziness, and nausea.

Residents living near an asphalt plant also would be more likely to breathe low levels of asphalt fumes for a long period of time. In this setting, exposure to asphalt fumes would depend on the asphalt plant emissions and the prevailing winds. Based on sampling conducted near asphalt plants in several states, residents could experience irritation from the odors from asphalt production, but the potential for adverse health effects is expected to be very low. Children may be more sensitive than adults to certain chemicals. No studies have linked residential exposure to asphalt fumes with the development of cancer.