Susan Shaw, State University of New York-Albany and Marine and Environmental Research Institute, described studies on cancer and firefighters, opening with the statement that cancer is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths amongst fire fighters, accounting for approximately 60% of all deaths.
The proportion of cancer deaths had been growing steadily from the 1970s to the present, in tandem with the increase in synthetics and plastics in homes and buildings. Studies were needed to assess the broad range of chemicals that may accumulate in firefighters, many of which have not been analysed. Structure fires today are a ‘toxic soup” containing numerous carcinogens. Her study of California firefighters showed higher levels of PBDE fire retardants, brominated dioxins/furans and perfluorooctanoaic acid (PFOA) in firefighters’ blood than the general population. These levels were similar to those in workers recycling furniture foam and e-waste, who were subject to constant occupational exposure. Moreover, toxics’ absorption through skin increases by a factor of four with every 5 °C rise in temperature.