07/07/2009
Tobacco, chemicals, asbestos, benzene in fuels, diet - the environment has a “huge” influence on the risks of developing cancer and is behind much of the rise in the incidence of cancers, French Agency for Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Afsset’s spokespersons told a press conference on 2 July.
Afsset has published an opinion on the environmental link with cancers based on a report published in October by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM), supplemented with evidence taken from eminent figures, specialists and voluntary organizations.
“There is a huge number of cancers for which we have no explanation today”, emphasised the Agency's Director General, Martin Guespereau. He argues that few can be put down to a single factor (asbestos, smoking), and that most have “cross-factorial” causes.
Afsset believes that multi-exposures must be measured not just by adding up the impacts on all levels (home, work, leisure) but also looking at the interactions between substances.
Afsset wants suspected carcinogens to be replaced by other less dangerous substances. It also argues that the onus of proving that products are harmless - especially the most recent ones like nanoparticles – should lie on industry and business.
There is also a need to “step up enforcement of the rules” in workplaces. Just last week, Afsset called for an immediate increase in protection for workers exposed to formaldehyde (formol) – something that affects 190 000 French workers in a hundred types of job.
The incidence of cancer in France has almost doubled in men (+93%) and risen sharply in women (+84%) over the past 25 years. Only part of this rise can be put down to population increase (25%) and ageing (20%).
Source: AFP
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