To assess the relation between air pollution with airway irritants, including sulfuric acid and lung cancer, a case-control study was performed near an industry producing sulfuric acid and fertilizers in Kėdainiai county, central Lithuania. Smoking levels appeared more pronounced among study controls than in the rest of the country. Our study could not confirm earlier evidence of an association between exposure to airway irritants, such as sulfuric acid and lung cancer. Smoking is the major determinant of the risk of lung cancer in men in Kėdainiai county. It is probable that higher smoking rates constitute the main reason for the increased lung cancer risk among men in this area.