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Air Pollution and Cancer Risk

THERE’S HOPE IN THE AIR IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: A RECENT STUDY OF TOXIC AIR POLLUTION SHOWS A REDUCTION IN RESIDENTS’ RISK OF CANCER.  LEARN MORE ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

ACCORDING TO BARRY WALLERSTEIN OF THE SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT, THE STUDY WAS A FOLLOW-UP TO RESEARCH DONE IN THE LATE NINETIES. 

MORE THAN EIGHTEEN-THOUSAND AIR SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED, AND THE AVERAGE CANCER RISK WAS ESTIMATED TO BE TWELVE-HUNDRED IN A MILLION.  IT’S AN ENCOURAGING FIFTEEN PERCENT DECREASE, BUT WALLERSTEIN SAYS THAT’S NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH, SO MORE WORK IS NEEDED.

WALLERSTEIN: THAT’S CLEARLY AN UNACCEPTABLY HIGH LEVEL OF RISK AND WE BELIEVE AMONGST THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN THE NATION, IF NOT THE HIGHEST LEVEL.

WALLERSTEIN SAYS DIESEL EXHAUST ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN EIGHTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL RISK, SO ENSURING THAT EVERY DIESEL ENGINE HAS A PARTICULATE FILTER IS A CRITICAL STEP.

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Learn more about the South Coast AQMD Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study.

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