TEMPO.CO, London - The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized air pollutants as the main environmental cause of lung cancer, and added that evidence on this matter was clear. The WHO said the classification should act as a strong message to governments to take action.
Sources of pollution include car exhausts, power stations, emissions from agriculture and industry, as well as heating in people's homes.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a part of the WHO, has now put air pollution in the same category as tobacco smoke, UV radiation and plutonium.
Recently updated data from the IARC reveals that 223,000 deaths from lung cancer around the world were caused by air pollution. More than half of the deaths were thought to be in China and other East Asian countries. Rapid industrialization has led to smoggy skies in cities such as Beijing.
"The air we breathe has become polluted with a mixture of cancer-causing substances. We now know that outdoor air pollution is not only a major risk to health in general, but also a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths," said IARC’s Dr Kurt Straif.
Dr Rachel Thompson, head of research interpretation at the World Cancer Research Fund International, said this recent piece of evidence confirms the need for governments, industries and multinational bodies to urgently address cancer causes in the environment.
"But there's also a lot we can do as individuals to lower our chances of developing the disease such as being more physically active and adopting a healthier diet," she added.
BBC | ERWIN Z
