Air pollution causes cancer - WHO

Pollutants in the air we breathe have been
classed as a leading environmental cause
of cancer by the World Health Organization.
It said the evidence was clear they cause
lung cancer.
Sources of pollution include car exhausts,
power stations, emissions from agriculture and
industry - as well as heating in people's homes.
The WHO said the classification should act as a
strong message to governments to take action.
The International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC), a part of the WHO, has now
classed air pollution in the same category as
tobacco smoke, UV radiation and plutonium.
It said air pollution had been know to cause
heart and lung diseases, but evidence had now
emerged that it was also causing cancer.
The IARC said the most recent data suggested
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 industrialisation has led to smoggy skies
in cities such as Beijing.
However, it is a global problem and concerns
about air pollution were raised in Europe
again this week.
Data suggests there may also be a link with
bladder cancer.
Dr Kurt Straif, from IARC, said: "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."
Cancer Research UK said it was not a surprise.
Dr Julie Sharp, the head of health information
at the charity, said: "It's important that people
keep the risk from air pollution in perspective.
"Although air pollution increases the risk of
developing lung cancer by a small amount,
other things have a much bigger effect on our
risk, particularly smoking."
Dr Rachel Thompson, head of research
interpretation at the World Cancer Research
Fund International, said: "This latest evidence
confirms the need for government, industry
and multinational bodies to urgently address
environmental causes of cancer.
"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."