European Code Against Cancer issues first-ever government directive to tackle air pollution as a carcinogen

European scientists urge governments to meet WHO air quality guidelines to prevent 28,000 annual lung cancer cases and improve survival rates.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 6, 2026, 10:08 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from the Irish Examiner and the European Code Against Cancer

A shift from individual to state responsibility

Since its inception in 1987, the European Code Against Cancer has primarily provided advice for individuals to lower their personal risk. However, for the first time in nearly 40 years, the expert group has pivoted to direct government intervention. Dr. Sylvia Jochems of Utrecht University emphasized that cutting cancer rates requires structural changes at the EU, national, and local levels rather than just individual precautions.

The lethal impact of particle pollution

While tobacco remains the primary driver of lung cancer, particle pollution is responsible for approximately 28,000 cases per year across Europe. Scientists estimate that if EU member states were to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) global air quality guidelines, lung cancer deaths could be reduced by more than 10%. Furthermore, new research highlights that poor air quality not only causes cancer but significantly lowers the survival rates of those already diagnosed.

Targeting domestic and industrial combustion

A major focus of the new code is the elimination of solid fuel combustion. With home woodburning on the rise, the group is calling for: