‘Prevention of skin cancer through more green shadow spots’

More green shade areas must be created around parks, playgrounds, squares, streets and sports fields. This is to prevent long-term exposure to the sun and thus reduce the risk of skin cancer. This is stated in the National Skin Cancer Action Plan that the Skin Cancer Care Steering Group presented on Monday.

Every year more people in the Netherlands die from skin cancer than from road accidents and violent crimes combined. The number of new patients with skin cancer is expected to increase enormously in the coming years. This more than doubles the costs for second-line skin cancer care, from € 465 million in 2017 to € 1.35 billion in 2030.

Environmental visions

In the National Skin Cancer Action Plan the steering group calls on municipalities to include safe sun exposure in environmental visions to be drawn up. In this way, locally involved parties can be stimulated to ‘(re) build skin cancer in a friendly manner’. This means, in particular, the creation of green shade spots around places for sports and recreation.

According to the steering group, this not only contributes to health gains in the form of skin cancer prevention, but also to better water drainage during heavy rainfall, lowering the temperature in cities, which can counter heat stress. Municipalities and water boards in particular can play an important role in this, according to the report.

Annual campaigns

Another important measure is to make target groups aware through annual campaigns, for example with the use of influencers. The steering group also wants skin cancer to be recognized as an occupational disease, as is already the case in Germany. Agreements can be made with employers to protect employees in the workplace. Furthermore, good sun protection products should be available in various places.

Employees in the green sector belong because of the frequent work outdoors to a risk group. According to the Netherlands Center for Occupational Diseases (NCvB), outdoor workers run four to five times more risk of skin cancer than people who work indoors.

–