Cancer-Causing Arsenic Is Building Up in the World's Rice

Rice is the worldâs second largest dietary source of inorganic arsenic, and climate change appears to be increasing the amount of the highly toxic chemical that is in it.

The authors conclude that communities with rice-heavy diets could begin confronting increased risks of cancer and disease as soon as 2050 .

Inorganic arsenic is the most significant chemical contaminant in drinking water globally.

The World Health Organization classifies it as a confirmed carcinogen.

Exposure has been linked to lung, bladder, skin cancers, heart disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy, neurodevelopmental issues, among other health impacts.

Rice production accounts for roughly 8 percent of all emissions from rice.

âBut I will tell you quite honestly that it will have the greatest effect in terms of humanity, because we all eat.â This article originally appeared in Grist at https://grist.org/food-and-agriculture/the-king-of-poisons-arsenic-is-building-up-in-rice/. Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at Grist.org .