(The Guardian) — Regular use of bleach and other common disinfectants has been linked to a higher risk of developing fatal lung disease, researchers have found.

The use of disinfectants is linked to a higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to research looking at incidence of the disease in more than 55,000 nurses in the US.

The 30-year study by Harvard University and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) found that those who used the products just once a week had as high as a 32% increased chance of developing the condition.

COPD, which affects an estimated 1.2 million people in the UK, describes a group of lung conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis that make it difficult to move air in and out of the lungs because the airways have been narrowed.

Nearly 25,000 people per year die from the disease in England, which is the third highest death rate in Europe. (…)