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A wide range of environmental causes of cancer, encompassing environmental contaminants or
pollutants, occupationally-related exposures and radiation, together make a signifi cant contribution
to cancer burden (65) and are often modifi able at low cost.
Notable examples of environmental causes of cancer are asbestos, benzene, indoor and outdoor
air pollution and contaminants such as arsenic. Ionizing radiation increases the risk for several
cancer types (66, 67). Diagnostic X-rays were estimated to contribute between 0.5—3% to the
overall cancer burden in high income countries (68). Risk related to radon is high in miners, and
residential radon has been estimated to cause 2% of cancer deaths in Europe (69). Protection
against solar radiation and UV tanning devices are effective cancer prevention strategies in
populations of people with light-coloured skin.
Approximately 50 occupational agents and work-related exposure circumstances are
carcinogenic to humans (65). In the United Kingdom, for example, an overall 5% of cancers
were estimated to be attributable to occupation (70), but this is likely to be higher in countries
with less stringent standards of worker protection, less attention to industrial hygiene or with
child labour.