Firefighter classified by WHO as Group 1 carcinogenic profession - Firefighting foam may be to blame.
In 2022, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization's cancer agency, confirmed that occupational exposure as a firefighter is a Group 1 carcinogen. The WHO’s confirmation suggests there is evidence demonstrating an occupational link to cancer exposure for humans.
This fact confirms the urgent need for more regulations and funding to protect firefighters who have protected each of us. However, it's also important to dig into why firefighters are more likely to have cancers than other occupational groups and potentially address the problem from the root.
One possible reason is the commonly used firefighting foam, Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF). This foam has been adopted by firefighters, military bases, and airports in the US since the 1960s. Unfortunately, it contains PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemical, which has been revealed to cause cancer in humans by multiple health organizations such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the American Cancer Society.
PFAS are useful in making products that resist things like oils, stains, water, and heat. However, they don't break down easily and can stay in the environment and our bodies for a long time. This is why they're called 'forever chemicals'. Studies have found them in almost everyone's blood, with higher levels in areas with contaminated water supplies or workplaces that use PFAS.
So, what kinds of cancers can PFAS in AFFF cause? Results from different studies may vary a little, but there are 9 diseases that are commonly recognized to have been linked to firefighting foam exposure, including pancreatic cancer, testicular cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, thyroid cancer, liver cancer, thyroid disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Firefighters are a group of respected heroes who protect people every day. It is important for us to take action to protect them now. If you are a firefighter, or know someone who is and may be affected by this issue, be an advocate for firefighting foam and cancer awareness.
Reference:
https://www.cancer.org/healthy/cancer-causes/chemicals/teflon-and-perfluorooctanoic-acid-pfoa.html
https://www.iarc.who.int/news-events/iarc-monographs-evaluate-the-carcinogenicity-of-occupational-exposure-as-a-firefighter/
https://www.firerescue1.com/cancer/articles/who-cancer-division-reclassifies-firefighting-as-a-group-1-carcinogenic-profession-mNdZjQ91UkVoIpMq/
https://dceg.cancer.gov/research/what-we-study/pfas#:~:text=Higher%20kidney%20cancer%20incidence%20and,community%20with%20contaminated%20drinking%20water
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