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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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The Globe and Mail – May 26, 2023
As large wildfires have become regular occurrences in Canada, some scientists warn that repeated exposure to the air pollution they produce could pose long-term health risks, potentially leading to a higher incidence of illness such as cancer and dementia. Wildfires have burned through more than one million hectares in Alberta this spring. Saskatchewan, Manitoba, B.C. and the Northwest Territories are also battling active fires. The website Firesmoke.ca, maintained by the University of British Columbia’s Weather Forecast Research Team, shows these fires are contributing to a wide ribbon of air pollution, snaking across much of the country.
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Government of British Columbia – May 23, 2023
BC Building Code changes are open to public review before they are finalized. Changes adopted from National Codes are open to public review through the National Codes public review process. Feedback will help inform any needed changes before finalization. Feedback for BC-specific changes, including radon, will be accepted until June 16, 2023. Public feedback on the following proposed changes are also being sought: Accessibility; Combustible penetrations; Earthquake design; Overheating; Steel storage racking; Ventilation; Windows, doors, skylights. To provide input, complete the online survey, complete the Word survey and email it to BSSB.public.review@gov.bc.ca, or call 250-387-3133.
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BMC Public Health – May 19, 2023
This study’s aim was twofold: to investigate predictors of radon testing and mitigation using the Precaution Adoption Process Model and Health Belief Model; and to access the impact on beliefs of receiving radon results above health guidelines. A convenience sample within Southeastern Ontario households was recruited to test their homes for radon (N = 1,566). Prior to testing, participants were surveyed on risk factors and Health Belief Model constructs. All participants whose homes tested above the World Health Organization’s radon guideline (N = 527) were surveyed after receiving their results and followed for up to 2 years after. Perceived benefits from mitigating was associated with progressing through all stages in the study’s scope. Public health interventions should target specific radon beliefs and stages to ensure households test and mitigate for radon.
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Safety+Health – May 15, 2023
Heat exposure and heat-related illness cause the vast majority of exertion-related injuries and deaths in the workplace, according to researchers from the University of Connecticut. The researchers examined data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on reports of severe injuries, categorizing nearly 59,000 reported injuries and fatalities as exertional or non-exertional. Heat-related cases comprised 91% of exertional injuries from 2015-2020, as well as 87% of exertion-related fatalities from 2017-2020. Exertion-related injuries and fatalities most often were reported in the Southeast United States and in the construction and excavation industries, and typically involved non-union workers. The data employers report to OSHA is limited to events that occur on the job site, and therefore may exclude cases in which a worker suffers an injury or fatality related to workplace heat stress elsewhere.
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The Guardian – May 6, 2023
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking unprecedented enforcement action over PFAS, a class of about 15,000 chemicals often used to make thousands of products, in water pollution. The order compels the chemical giant Chemours’ Parkersburg, West Virginia, plant to stop discharging extremely high levels of toxic PFAS waste into the Ohio River. The river is a drinking water source for 5 million people, and the EPA’s Clean Water Act violation order cites 71 instances between September 2018 to March 2023 in which Chemours’ Washington Works facility discharged more PFAS waste than its pollution permit allowed. The agency also noted damaged facilities and equipment that appeared to be leaking PFAS waste on to the ground.
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The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences– May 5, 2023
A meaningful portion of online misinformation sharing is likely attributable to Internet users failing to consider accuracy when deciding what to share. The authors discuss the importance of accuracy and describe a limited-attention utility model that is based on a theory about inattention to accuracy on social media. They review research that shows how a simple nudge or prompt that shifts attention to accuracy increases the quality of news that people share, and discuss outstanding questions relating to accuracy nudges. Several recommendations for policy-makers and social media companies for how to implement accuracy nudges are also discussed.
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The Tyee – May 3, 2023
The dangers of asbestos have been known for decades, but it remains the number one killer of workers in British Columbia (BC). Since 2002, BC has recorded nearly 1,200 work-related deaths linked to asbestos. For many people, asbestos is a thing of the past, but advocates say workers in BC are still regularly exposed to asbestos on the job. The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades in BC says a mix of uninformed and unscrupulous construction contractors are routinely putting workers in close contact with asbestos, sometimes without knowing it. Next year, the BC government is set to become the first in Canada to require companies that work in asbestos removal to be licensed by the government, part of a bid to eliminate bad actors and keep workers safe.
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Canada's National Observer – May 3, 2023
Liberal MP Jenica Atwin tabled a petition signed by 18,385 people and environmental organizations calling for a ban on glyphosate, and asked the auditor general to evaluate what the government is doing to reduce pesticide use, which Canada pledged to do at the COP15 Biodiversity Conference. In 2017, the federal government reapproved the use of glyphosate until at least 2032, even as some European countries like Germany have plans to ban it or severely restrict its use. In early 2021, federal officials proposed to increase how much glyphosate residue was allowed on commodities like lentils, peas, and beans, but these plans were put on hold following public outcry.
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The Lancet Oncology – May 2023
Differences in access to cancer control across and within European countries have long been reported and further amplified by recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Resolving these inequalities is a moral, socioeconomic, and systemic duty, for the benefit of every European citizen. To address this key issue, robust data intelligence capturing both the nature and degree of cancer inequalities is required. Unfortunately, extreme fragmentation of information and the frequent paucity of relevant data have hampered timely evidence-based action. To address these deficits, the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) launched the European Cancer Pulse, a data intelligence resource that helps track cancer inequalities across Europe.
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European Commission – April 28, 2023
Stakeholders in the healthcare sector have often stressed the need to better protect staff exposed to hazardous medicinal products. These products are used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, including cancer, but can cause unintended effects in people other than patients themselves, such as the workers exposed to them. To address stakeholders’ concerns, the Commission has put forward a concrete action in the EU strategic framework on health and safety at work 2021-2027 - the preparation of a guidance for safe management of hazardous medicinal products. The guidance, issued by the European Commission with the involvement of many stakeholders in the healthcare sector, provides an overview of existing good practice and practical advice aimed at reducing workers’ exposure to hazardous medicinal products.
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The Guardian – April 27, 2023
California has passed stringent new rules to limit emissions from diesel-fueled locomotive engines, putting the state on track to implement the most ambitious regulations on high-polluting railways in the country. The California Air Resources Board (CARB), which regulates California’s air quality, requires the phase-out of inefficient locomotive engines more than 23 years old by 2030 and an increase in the use of zero-emissions technology to transport freight from ports and throughout rail yards, and bans diesel-spewing engines from idling for longer than 30 minutes. The rule would also drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions from locomotives by an amount akin to removing all heavy-duty trucks from the state by 2030.
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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 Twitter @CAREXCanada.
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