Stop Cancer |
What is ‘Stop Cancer Where it Starts’?
This Breast Cancer Network project works towards measures that will reduce breast cancer risk in New Zealand. Action includes sharing information about what women can do to make beneficial lifestyle changes for themselves and the next generations.
However individuals cannot easily change the wider environment. Carcinogenic and oestrogen-disrupting chemicals are widespread so that action is needed from governments to adequately assess their impact and reduce exposure.
Activities have included a petition to Government to reduce the impact of environmental chemicals on breast cancer risk, submissions to the Health Committee and ERMA. We continue to inform the public about reducing exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals.
The BCN booklet Reduce your risk – everyday actions for New Zealand Women, is particularly relevant for younger women and those working with young women. Contact us for a copy, or download from Resources
In Recent News
Expert Panel and Seminar
Breast Cancer Network is pleased to announce a one day seminar to be held on 21 July 2012 that will address the significance to breast cancer risk of increased exposure to endocrine-disrupting substances in the environment. Read more
State of the Evidence – the Connection between Breast Cancer and the Environment 6th edition, 2010
The latest edition of the well known review from the American Breast Cancer Fund is available now on line.
Presidents Cancer Panel Report 2008-2009, Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk published April 2010
Read more about these 2 reports.....
Endosulfan to be banned globally - at last!
April 2011 - Endosulfan has finally been brought under Annex A of the Stockholm Convention, with exemptions, which means that Endosulfan will be banned globally.
All production and use should stop within 5 years (possibly extended to 10 years in some cases). Only India, China and Uganda have asked for exemptions and these are for particular pests on particular crops. For the majority of countries, those not asking for exemptions, the ban takes place in 1 year.
In December 2008 ERMA announced a complete ban on the use of Endosulfan in New Zealand. This chemical is acutely toxic and has hormone-mimicking qualities that are of great concern to BCN. Early exposure of children and young people to endocrine-disrupting compounds may play a role in New Zealand’s high incidence of breast cancer. Endosulfan is a contaminant of animal tissues worldwide. Breast Cancer Network sent a submission to ERMA and is delighted with the long-awaited global ban.
China to ban plastic bottles to feed babies
"Baby feeding bottles containing Bisphenol A (BPA) are to be banned, China's Ministry of Health said yesterday. The ministry has drafted a regulation which is published on the ministry's official website, www.moh.gov.cn, for public comment but it didn't say when the draft will come into force. The regulation bans BPA from anything used to contain food or drink for children.
A European Union ban on the use of BPA in plastic baby bottles came into effect earlier this week. China National Radio reported yesterday that the ministry had admitted at a press conference that BPA could disturb human metabolism, affect babies' immune systems and even induce cancer.
And it said that BPA could be released if a polycarbonate (PC) bottle was heated and could leach into its contents."
Shanghai Daily 5 March 2011
Canada declares bisphenol A dangerous for babies - watch those baby bottles, toys and teething rings
Following news that Canada has declared bisphenol A dangerous for baby items, BCN wrote to the NZ College of Midwives and Plunket asking them to incorporate the information into training courses. Upfront U Kaiora has repeatedely featured the risks of bisphenol A and other plastic additives, and similar articles by BCN have appeared in other publications.
Low key Government response to BCN petition disappoints but Network will continue to press for change
Government eventually reported back on the Health Committee’s recommendations relating to the 2006 BCN petition. Three recommendations were referred to the Cancer Control Council. We will continue to pursue these matters.
Progress with conference recommendations
BCN passed on information to Plunket and the College of Midwives about the oestrogenic properties of bis-phenol A in plastic baby articles. Both organisations have assisted with distribution of our leaflets. Upfront U Kaiora has featured information about the likely harmful effects of plastic additives on breast cell development.
BCN has prepared guidelines to use in approaching local councils to reduce their use of toxic chemicals. Download here
BCN has brought the challenging question of “pinkwashing” into the public arena by way of an article in Upfront U Kaiora and discussion amongst breast cancer groups.
We have reviewed the books Pesticides and Breast Cancer – a Wake Up Call by Meriel Watts, and Breast Care, by surgeon, Trevor Smith. We have written about prevention in Upfront U Kaiora and sent submissions to ERMA about Endosulfan and Dichlorvos. We have featured safer cosmetics and household cleaners in Upfront U Kaiora. We recommend the following websites for safety checks of skin care products and household cleaners http://www.ewg.org/skindeep and http://lesstoxicguide.ca
Background to 'Stop Cancer
Where it Starts'
This Breast Cancer Network project works towards measures to reduce breast cancer incidence in New Zealand. Even with the best of efforts, individuals cannot easily change the wider environment. Synthetic and oestrogen-mimicking chemicals are very widespread so that action is needed from governments to adequately assess their impact and reduce exposure. Our project has a focus both for the individual and for government.
There are examples of overseas local bodies and governments tackling the problem of cancer-causing and hormone-disrupting chemicals. In Canada more than 80 cities and towns banned "cosmetic" spraying of lawns, in an effort to reduce their citizens' exposure to toxic chemicals.
In Europe the REACH programme is designed to protect people from harmful chemicals and those which have not been fully tested. The European Cosmetics Directive is working to reduce harmful chemicals in cosmetics. In UK there is an informative website at www.nomorebreastcancer.org.uk. In USA, two large breast cancer organisations are raising awareness of the environmental links to breast cancer, and taking long-term action to get the risk reduced. The Breast Cancer Fund website can be accessed at www.breastcancerfund.org and Breast Cancer Action at www.bcaction.org These groups have funded a major report called State of the Evidence, latest edition published 2010, available on the Breast Cancer Fund website. The report is thorough, well-referenced and up-to-date.
Underlying ‘Stop Cancer Where it Starts’ is the knowledge that less than 10% of breast cancers can be attributed to faulty inherited genes. Researchers have stated that environmental factors are probably responsible for well over half the incidence of breast cancer. Modern industrialised nations have the highest incidence. While people can reduce their risk by making personal life-style changes, they cannot easily control their exposure to carcinogens (cancer-causing materials) and oestrogen-disrupting chemicals in the modern, industrialised environment. Stopping cancer where it starts involves a precautionary approach. If early evidence indicates a factor is harmful, action is needed now, rather than waiting years for fully documented evidence to accumulate.
In San Francisco, an area of high breast cancer incidence, women from Breast Cancer Action decided to take on a new slogan for breast cancer awareness month - "We're already aware, it's time to act - Stop Cancer Where it Starts." Working first with the Berkeley City Council the group was instrumental in a resolution being passed, endorsing many clean-up guidelines for the city. The Council also resolved to develop fact sheets outlining the links between cancer and the environment, promoting alternatives, and raising awareness by signage of pesticide-free zones. Breast Cancer Action successfully took the project to other councils following the initial success at Berkeley. Read about the project on their website at www.bcaction.org.