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EPA: TOXIC AIR IN 600 U.S. NEIGHBORHOODS By AP / DINA CAPPIELLO Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2009 http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1906717,00.html
WASHINGTON — Millions of people living ∈ nearly 600 neighborhoods across the country are breathing concentrations of toxic air pollutants that put them at a much greater risk of contracting cancer, according to new data from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The levels of 80 cancer-causing substances released by automobiles, factories, and other sources ∈ these areas exceed a100∈1 million cancer risk. That means that if 1 million people breathed air with similar concentrations over their lifetime, about 100 additional people would be expected to develop cancer because of their exposure to the pollution.
The average cancer risk across the country is 36∈1 million, according to the National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment, which will be released by the EPA on Wednesday.
Since the last update ∈2006, which covered 1999 emissions, cancer risk nationwide has declined from 41.5 people ∈1 million to 36 people ∈1 million. "If we are ∈ between 10∈1 million and 100∈1 million we want to look more deeply at that. If the risk is greater than 100∈1 million, we don't like that at all ... we want to investigate that risk and do something about it," said Kelly Rimer, an environmental scientist with the EPA, ∈ an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Parts of Los Angeles, California and Madison County, Illinois had the highest cancer risks ∈ the nation — 1200∈1 million and 1100∈1 million, according to the EPA data. They were followed by two neighborhoods ∈Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and one ∈Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.
People living ∈ parts of Coconino County, Arizona and Lyon County, Nevada had the lowest cancer risk from air toxics. The counties with the least toxic air are Kalawao County, Hawaii and Golden Valley County ∈Montana. "Air toxic risks are local. They are a function of the sources nearest to you," said Dave Guinnup, who leads the groups that perform the risk assessments for toxic air pollutants at EPA. "If you are out ∈ the Rocky Mountains, you are going to be closer to 2∈a million. If you are ∈ an industrial area with a lot of traffic, you are going to be closer to 1100∈1 million."
The analysis predicts the concentrations of 124 different hazardous air pollutants, which are known to cause cancer, respiratory problems and other health effects by coupling estimates of emissions from a variety of sources with models that attempt to simulate how the pollution will disperse ∈ the air. Only 80 of the chemicals evaluated are known to cause cancer, EPA officials said.
The information is used by federal, state and local agencies to identify areas ∈ need of more monitoring and attention.
The data to be released Wednesday covers pollution released ∈2002.
Parts of Los Angeles, California and Madison County, Illinois had the highest cancer risks ∈ the nation — 1200∈1 million and 1100∈1 million, according to the EPA data. They were followed by two neighborhoods ∈Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and one ∈Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.
People living ∈ parts of Coconino County, Arizona and Lyon County, Nevada had the lowest cancer risk from air toxics. The counties with the least toxic air are Kalawao County, Hawaii and Golden Valley County ∈Montana. "Air toxic risks are local. They are a function of the sources nearest to you," said Dave Guinnup, who leads the groups that perform the risk assessments for toxic air pollutants at EPA. "If you are out ∈ the Rocky Mountains, you are going to be closer to 2∈a million. If you are ∈ an industrial area with a lot of traffic, you are going to be closer to 1100∈1 million."
The analysis predicts the concentrations of 124 different hazardous air pollutants, which are known to cause cancer, respiratory problems and other health effects by coupling estimates of emissions from a variety of sources with models that attempt to simulate how the pollution will disperse ∈ the air. Only 80 of the chemicals evaluated are known to cause cancer, EPA officials said.
The information is used by federal, state and local agencies to identify areas ∈ need of more monitoring and attention.
The data to be released Wednesday covers pollution released ∈2002.
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