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Carcinogens in the News (CIN) is a monthly digest of media articles, government reports, and academic literature related to the carcinogens CAREX Canada has classified as important for surveillance in Canada. Articles included in this digest are for information purposes only. External studies are not evaluated for scientific merit by CAREX Canada.
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Medical Xpress – August 26, 2024
High levels of traffic-related air pollutants have been linked with elevated risks of developing cancer and other diseases. New research indicates that multiple aspects of structural racism—the ways in which societal laws, policies, and practices systematically disadvantage certain racial or ethnic groups—may contribute to increased exposure to carcinogenic traffic-related air pollution.
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EHN – August 23, 2024
A new study in Environmental Science and Technology found that petrochemical manufacturers and refineries in Texas released higher amounts of toxic contamination during hurricanes. Compared to periods of normal weather, Hurricane Rita (2005) resulted in twice as many contamination releases, while Hurricanes Ike (2008) and Harvey (2017) caused releases to triple. Communities with a higher percentage of renters, higher poverty rates, and more Hispanic residents were more likely to experience an increase in contamination.
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AP – August 15, 2024
As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires around the world, a new study shows that farmworkers are paying a heavy price by being exposed to high levels of air pollution. Authors recommended a series of steps to safeguard the workers’ health, including air quality monitors at work sites, stricter requirements for employers, emergency plans and trainings in various languages, post-exposure health screenings and hazard pay.
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Editor note: Our team was recently awarded a grant to study workers exposed to climate change-related extreme weather events. This work will use CAREX methods to address a novel problem and help protect workers from the effects of the changing climate. Learn more about this research here.
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CTV News – August 12, 2024
Cancer cases and deaths among men are expected to surge by 2050, according to a study published Monday, with large increases among men age 65 and older. The study projects overall cancer cases among men will increase from 10.3 million in 2022 to 19 million in 2050, an increase of 84 per cent. Men are already more likely than women to die from cancer. Men are more likely to smoke and drink alcohol, behaviours that drive many cancer cases, and are more likely to be exposed to carcinogens in the workplace. They’re also less likely to access screening programs.
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Editor note: Use our eWORK Online tool to explore our occupational exposure estimates by sex of exposed workers in Canada here.
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CBC News – August 9, 2024
Ineos Styrolution will start removing benzene from its Sarnia, Ont., plant this weekend, as part of a plan to bring the facility in line with tighter environmental regulations after Aamjiwnaang First Nation sounded the alarm over emissions of the cancer-causing chemical. The company will shortly begin moving benzene by ship to a plant outside of Canada as part of the first phase of the project. Janelle Nahmabin, who has been regular meetings with the Ministry of Environment and Ineos, says part of the plant's second removal phase is causing her great concern, as it's possible benzene levels could rise to around 600 micrograms per cubic metre then.
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The Globe and Mail – August 7, 2024
More than three decades after Indigenous leaders in northern Alberta began asking for funding to better understand if pollution from the oil sands was making their people sick, the federal government is funding a study to do just that. Studies have previously shown higher rates of cancers in the communities along the shores of Lake Athabasca. The lake is fed by the Athabasca River, which runs through the region where most of Canada’s oil sands mines are located.
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The Lancet Planetary Health – August 7, 2024
This review highlights the key health and health systems considerations before, during, and after wildfires, and outlines how a health system should respond to optimise population health outcomes now and into the future. The focus is on the implications of wildfires for air quality, mental health, and emergency management, with elements of international policy and finance also addressed.
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BBC Science Focus – August 6, 2024
Doctors are urging a ban on artificial stone, a popular material for kitchen worktops, following the diagnosis of the first eight cases of artificial stone silicosis in the UK. Artificial stone, also known as engineered or reconstituted stone, has gained popularity over the past two decades due to its aesthetic appeal and durability. However, its high silica content – over 90 per cent compared to just 3 per cent in marble and 30 per cent in granite – poses a severe health risk to workers involved in its manufacture and installation, according to a new report published in the UK journal Thorax.
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Applied Sciences – August 4, 2024
There are a large number of chemicals commercially available, but relatively few have legislated occupational exposure limits. Assessing the hazard and risk posed by most chemicals used in the workplace is therefore challenging, especially for small workplaces. This paper describes the development of an easy-to-use MS Excel spreadsheet-based tool (called CHAP-Risk) designed to assist small businesses to undertake a simple assessment of the health and safety risks posed by the chemicals they use.
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Editor note: Our Principal Investigator Dr. Cheryl Peters was involved in developing this tool alongside various research partners and workplaces. Access and learn more about the CHAP-Risk tool here.
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WHSC – July 30, 2024
Research suggests Ontario paramedics face an elevated risk of developing all cancers compared to other workers but face a particularly high risk for melanoma and prostate cancer. “Paramedics share many of the same exposures as firefighters and police as they respond to calls in private homes, public spaces and emergency incidences such as fires, building collapses, motor vehicle incidents and also natural disasters,” says Dr. Jeavana Sritharan, who led the team of OCRC researchers examining the cancer risk for these groups of emergency service workers.
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About CAREX Canada
CAREX (CARcinogen EXposure) Canada is the country’s leading source of evidence on Canadians’ exposures to workplace and environmental carcinogens. We aim to offer a better understanding of which known and suspected carcinogens Canadians are exposed to and where in Canada such exposures may occur. The ultimate goal of the project is to inform efforts to reduce these exposures and thereby help to prevent cancer. For more information about CAREX Canada resources and tools, visit www.carexcanada.ca. You can also follow us on X @CAREXCanada and LinkedIn.
As a national organization, our work extends across borders into many Indigenous lands throughout Canada. We gratefully acknowledge that our host institution, the University of British Columbia Point Grey campus, is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people.
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