Date Published: 02/21/2020 [Source]
According to the National Foundation for Cancer Research, there are approximately 1,700,000 new diagnosed cancer cases each year in the United States alone. A large percentage of these cancers, some researchers believe the figure is as high as 50%, can be attributed to preventable causes.
To help raise awareness of the fight against cancer, the month of February is designated as National Cancer Prevention Month. It is an annual opportunity to educate the public about the many ways they can lower their chances of developing cancer through healthy living and by avoiding exposure to carcinogens in the home or on the job.
"A carcinogen is a substance known to cause cancer," said Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President of Marketing at EMSL Analytical, Inc. "Exposure alone doesn't mean one will develop a form of cancer, but even in the sanctuary of many people's homes there are potential exposures to known carcinogens. These could include everything from breathing tobacco smoke and asbestos fibers to radon gas seeping into homes. In the work environment, the list of known carcinogens is quite large. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provides a list of substances the agency considers to be potential occupational carcinogens. The list contains well over 100 substances and includes everything from diesel exhaust and wood dust to gasoline, formaldehyde and silica. Millions of workers are exposed to these dusts, fumes, fibers, gases and materials on a daily basis."
The industrial hygiene and IEQ experts at EMSL Analytical, Inc. are dedicated to identifying indoor and outdoor exposure risks to environmental and occupational carcinogens. With testing laboratories across North America, EMSL offers chemical and microbial testing of air, water, soil, dust, surface and bulk materials for many known and suspected environmental and occupational carcinogens. They also provide air monitoring instruments, easy-to-use test kits and personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard against exposure hazards.