According to a new study published in Environment International, the frequency of several arsenic-related cancers in Taiwan decreased significantly once the nation began treating their tap water supply to reduce arsenic contamination.
In short:
- Water treatment was associated with reduced occurrences of 5 types of cancers, including certain forms of lung, bladder, and skin cancer.
- For three of those cancers, the frequency quickly dropped to rates comparable to those in regions with much lower levels of arsenic exposure.
- For other cancers, the decrease took decades and only dropped to the lowest rates in individuals born after treatment began.
Key quote:
“The study substantiates the positive impact of arsenic mitigation on reducing the burden of arsenic-related cancers… shedding light on the significance of environmental interventions in public health enhancement.”
Why this matters:
Arsenic is a toxic pollutant that causes many adverse health effects, including increased rates of cancer and mortality. Arsenic contamination of groundwater has been a global public health crisis for decades, with tens of millions of people still exposed to high levels of arsenic. The results of this study affirm that policy interventions to reduce exposures are an effective and impactful tool for protecting individuals from toxic pollution and reducing negative health outcomes.
Related EHN coverage:
- Policy is an effective tool in reducing chemical exposure, study confirms
- Kevin Patterson on Indigenous communities’ heavy metal exposure
- Former coal plant near Pittsburgh is poisoning groundwater: Report
More resources:
Jhuang, Jing-Rong et al. for Environment International vol. 185. Mar. 10, 2024
Science summaries are produced by the EHS science team, including HEEDS.
