4 February 2016
Top 5 facts about asbestos
Taking place under the tagline ‘We can. I can.’, World Cancer Day 2016-2018 will explore how everyone – as a collective or as individuals – can do their part to reduce the global burden of cancer. World Cancer Day is a chance to reflect on what you can do, make a pledge and take action.
In support World Cancer day 2016, here are our top 5 facts about asbestos:
- Past occupational exposure to known carcinogens is estimated to account for about 5% of cancer deaths and 4% of cancer registrations currently each year in Great Britain. This equates to about 8,000 cancer deaths and 13,500 new cancer registrations.
- Past asbestos exposure is the leading cause of deaths from occupational cancer today. Over 5,000 deaths can be attributed to asbestos exposure. Other major causes include silica, solar radiation, mineral oils and shift work.
- Many asbestos-related diseases take years to develop and so deaths occurring now are largely a result of past workplace conditions. This period of time between exposure and symptoms developing is often referred to as the ‘latency period’.
- The UK has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world with some 17.8 deaths per million of the population.
- There is no known safe threshold of exposure to asbestos fibres. This means that the inhalation of small quantities, even over a short period, can lead to mesothelioma decades after exposure.