US Edition
New Report Finds Environmental Risks Fuel Rising Cancer Rates in Iowa
Iowa’s cancer rate is 10% above the national average, linked to pesticides, PFAS, nitrates, and radon, with 80% of affected counties being rural, report says.
- Today, the Iowa Environmental Council and The Harkin Institute released a report linking rising cancer rates to environmental pollutants, concluding 13 of 16 cancer types linked to pesticides, PFAS, nitrates and radon afflict Iowans at much higher rates than the U.S. population.
- The state's second-highest cancer rate nationally and status as one of only three states where cancer is rising prompted the investigation, with Governor Kim Reynolds, a Republican, noting more than 20,000 Iowans diagnosed annually during her January speech.
- Prostate cancer affects 129 per 100,000 Iowans versus 116 nationally; breast cancer strikes 137 per 100,000 compared to 131 nationally. Iowa farms apply more than 60 million pounds of pesticides yearly, while Des Moines and Raccoon rivers rank in the top 1% for nitrate concentration, with 80% from agriculture.
- Adam Shriver, director of wellness and nutrition policy at the Harkin Institute and lead author, stated environmental risks 'are being imposed on the citizens of Iowa, really, without their input,' calling it 'a basic fairness issue.' The report recommends stronger water standards and expanded monitoring networks.
- The report frames Iowa's cancer crisis as systemic, with Dr. Johannsen describing environmental risks as floors in a 'skyscraper' individuals cannot control. Among Iowans under 50, six of ten environment-linked cancer types are increasing, while critics note state funding cuts two years ago undermined necessary monitoring.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Study: Nitrates, radon, pesticides play role in Iowa's cancer rate
A new report looks at how environmental factors in Iowa could affect cancer rates, which rank second-worst in the nation. The report from the Iowa Environmental Council and the Harkin Institute summarizes peer-reviewed scientific research surrounding cancer risk and environmental factors, like nitrate, PFAS, radon and pesticides. Michael Schmidt, with the Iowa Environmental Council, says […]
Researchers connect environmental issues with cancer rates in new report
Researchers and public health experts are urging lawmakers to turn knowledge of Iowa’s cancer crisis into action, with a new report detailing Iowans’ risks of exposure to different carcinogens and offering first and future steps to mitigating dangers.
Iowa Environmental Council releases cancer risk report
DES MOINES, Iowa -- On Wednesday, the Iowa Environmental Council and The Harkin Institute released a new research report, “Environmental Risk Factors and Iowa’s Cancer Crisis.” According to the report, well-established peer-reviewed research demonstrates that environmental risk factors, including pesticides, PFAS, nitrate, and radon, are associated with increased cancer incidence and risk for numerous cancer [...]
thenewlede.org
ecotopical.comIowa cancer rates surge — farm chemicals are a key risk, new report finds
Iowans are suffering from higher rates of more than a dozen types of cancers linked to pesticides and pollutants than the rest of the country, with researchers saying the risk of pesticide exposure alone may rival that of smoking, according to a new report. Iowa has the second-highest rate of cancer in the nation and is only one of three states where cancer is rising, according to the National Institutes of Health. For many types of cancer, the …
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