Совет по охране окружающей среды штата Айова призвал ужесточить законы из-за роста онкологических заболеваний

Iowa Environmental Council highlights cancer concerns, potential pollution risks in Cedar CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Iowa Environmental Council says Iowa’s cancer rates continue to outpace national rates and is calling for stronger policies aimed at reducing exposure to potential cancer-causing pollution. The independent watchdog group presented findings from a 96-page report Thursday night at the Cedar Rapids Public Library. The council says cancer rates in Iowa have increasingly outpaced national rates since 2012. The group argues that existing state and federal laws and regulations do not provide enough protection from environmental contamination that could contribute to cancer risk. “We also know pretty clearly from our research and from our work that our state and federal laws are not ample to protect our health from these contamination risks,” said Cody Smith, the Iowa Environmental Council’s climate initiatives director. “And so one of the things that we found is that we have a huge gap in laws and policies, regulations that protect our health from cancer-causing pollution.” The council said its research does not establish a direct cause for Iowa’s rising cancer rates. However, the group highlighted Iowa agriculture’s heavy reliance on pesticides and herbicides as one potential factor it believes deserves further attention. The Iowa Environmental Council also criticized what it described as gaps in state and federal policy addressing exposure to cancer-causing pollutants.