Calculating cancer risks

The cancer risk to human from carcinogens in the air, water or soil would be assessed under a bill approved by the House Health and Human Services Committee March 10.

Sponsored by Rep. Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul), HF3333 would require the health commissioner to identify the risk of known and probable carcinogens. This would be established by a formula whereby no more than one person in one million people exposed to a substance or chemical over a lifetime would be estimated to develop cancer from exposure.

Substances categorized as known and probable carcinogens would be defined by at least one of the following agencies: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Health and Human Services National Toxicology Program or the World Health Organization International Agency for Research and Cancer.

The bill now goes to the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee. A Senate companion, SF2944, sponsored by Sen. Sandy Rummel (DFL-White Bear Lake), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.

Samuel Yamin, a public health scientist with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, said seven states apply “the more protective end of the United States Environmental Protection Agency range.” There are hundreds of substances listed as carcinogens that have been studied and are known to cause cancer, he said.

Rep. Steve Gottwalt (R-St. Cloud) said he respects the effort, but the bill would cause sweeping changes that could be costly to state businesses. The “cost impact is untold” and would be an important factor in whether businesses choose Minnesota as their home, he said.

Yamin said people should consider the health costs, averaging about $20,000 annually, to community and hospitals when a person is diagnosed with cancer. When ranked with other states, Minnesota has higher rates of breast and prostate cancer, he said.