What exactly are the environmental risks of developing cancer ?
The risks to human health can be broken down into different categories , according to the EEA .
Air pollution ( both indoor and outdoor ) alone is linked to around 1 per cent of all cancer cases in Europe , and causes around 2 per cent of all cancer deaths . For lung cancers alone , this rises to 9 per cent of deaths . Recent studies have detected associations between long-term exposure to particulate matter , a key air pollutant , and leukaemia in adults and children .
Radon and ultraviolet radiation also contribute significantly to cancer in Europe . Radon is a colourless , odourless gas . It is formed by the radioactive decay of the small amounts of uranium that occur naturally in rock and soil . People can be exposed to radon by breathing in air that comes through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes .
People can be exposed to radon by breathing in air that comes through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes .
Indoor exposure to radon is linked to up to 2 per cent of all cancer cases and one in ten lung cancer cases in Europe . Natural ultraviolet radiation may be responsible for up to 4 per cent of European cancer cases . In particular , the rising cases of melanoma , a serious form of skin cancer .
Sarajevo , capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the most polluted city in Europe . Canva
Exposure to secondhand smoke may increase the overall risk for all cancers by up to 16 per cent in people who have themselves never been smokers . Around 31 per cent of Europeans are exposed to