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EPA Region 10 Asks Washington Residents to Fight #1 Cancer in U.S. with “Don’t Fry Day” (Friday, May 27)

Release Date: 05/23/2011
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[Seattle - May 23, 2011] — Every hour, one American dies from skin cancer – the number one cancer in the U.S. To help people learn easy ways to combat the disease, the U.S. EPA SunWise program has partnered with the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention to designate the Friday before Memorial Day (May 27) as “Don’t Fry Day.” EPA encourages Washington residents to learn about and practice sun-safe behaviors this Don’t Fry Day to reduce overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation – the main cause of skin cancer.

Each Memorial Day weekend, millions of Americans kick off the summer season and begin enjoying the great outdoors. Though skin cancer risks exist all year long, the dangers are even greater during the summer months, when the days are longer, and more people are outside for longer periods of time. The rate of new melanoma diagnoses—responsible for 75% of all skin cancer deaths—was 35% higher in Washington than the national average from 2001-2005 and was the 5th highest in the U.S.

“Even here in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, where it can be cloudy and rainy, it’s important that we protect ourselves from harmful UV rays," said Dennis McLerran, EPA Regional Administrator in Seattle. “Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, are among the top ten states for new melanoma diagnoses, so it is very important that we practice sun-safe behaviors year-round, not just during the spring and summer months.”

For “Don’t Fry Day,” Region 10 encourages Washington residents to practice the Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap safety tips, which include:

• Slip on a shirt, preferably with sleeves;
• Slop on SPF 15+ sunscreen generously;
• Slap on a hat; and
• Wrap on sunglasses.