The Kuwait Cancer Awareness National Campaign (CAN) says it is high time to adopt the recommendations of the International Agency for Research on Cancer to ward off the risks of environmental pollution saying it is strongly linked to lung cancer.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CAN campaign, Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh, the government must carry work to reduce air pollution in coordination with the private sector to develop advanced plan for the country’s afforestation process, especially after scientific reports linked the lack of greening and the increase in air pollutants and diseases, especially cancer.
Dr Al-Saleh stressed that greening and the green patch purify the atmosphere, as trees act as filters to purify the air from impurities and suspended matter, such as dust and smoke, and greening reduces global warming, adding that interest in afforestation operations in Kuwait is limited, as the country suffers from vast areas devoid of greenery, as well. There is a clear lack of interest in preserving the agricultural environment, especially on roadsides and around cities and governorates.
He explained after a comprehensive review of the latest available scientific literature, the campaign concluded that there is sufficient evidence that exposure to air pollution causes lung cancer, and that there is also a positive relationship between pollutants and the risk of bladder cancer, pointing out that research revealed that particles, which constitute a major component In outdoor pollution, it contains substances that are carcinogenic to humans, especially those particles that are suspended in the air as a result of dust and vehicle exhaust fumes.
He stated that the evaluation showed an increased risk of lung cancer with increased levels of exposure to particulate matter and air pollution, indicating that the academic studies program, which is called the “Encyclopedia of Carcinogens”, provides a reliable source of scientific evidence about carcinogenic substances and exposure to them, and evaluated the program Lots of individual chemicals and specific reactions occur in outdoor pollution including diesel engine exhaust, metals, and dust.
He pointed out that the results of the reviewed studies point in the same direction, as the risk of lung cancer increases significantly in people exposed to air pollution.
