Air has elevated cancer risk in 600 neighborhoods

By DINA CAPPIELLO, Associated Press Writer Dina Cappiello, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 52 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Millions of people living in 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 in these areas exceed a 100 in 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 in 1 million, according to the National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment, which will be released by the EPA on Wednesday.

That's a decline from the 41.5 in 1 million cancer risk the EPA found when it released the last analysis in 2006. That data covered 1999 emissions.

"If we are in between 10 in 1 million and 100 in 1 million we want to look more deeply at that. If the risk is greater than 100 in 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, in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Parts of Los Angeles, Calif., and Madison County, Ill., had the highest cancer risks in the nation — 1200 in 1 million and 1100 in 1 million, according to the EPA data. They were followed by two neighborhoods in Allegheny County, Pa., and one in Tuscaloosa County, Ala.

People living in parts of Coconino County, Ariz., and Lyon County, Nev., had the lowest cancer risk from air toxics. The counties with the least toxic air are Kalawao County, Hawaii, and Golden Valley County, Mont.

"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 in the Rocky Mountains, you are going to be closer to 2 in a million. If you are in an industrial area with a lot of traffic, you are going to be closer to 1100 in 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 in 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 in need of more monitoring and attention.

The data to be released Wednesday covers pollution released in 2002.

Madison County, Illinois, is just across the river (Mississippi) from me. The steel plant in Granite City is located there.

The pollution from that plant will eat the paint off of cars. When I drive by it, I close my windows and turn off the vents in my car. My child still gets an asthma attack when we drive past it.

Pollution is caused by Global Warming

MirrorMirror is caused by the tidal forces of the Moon and the Sun acting on the oceans.

You know there is a very cheap alternative to this polution situation.

If our government were serious about solving this issue there is a paint, that lasts over 1000 years, that actually nuetralizes many toxins and gases that lead to "global warming" when the sun hits it.

It was actually a paint used in ancient China, hence why they know it lasts so long. It is relatively cheap, and would help the problem a lot. Maybe the "cheap" part is why no one wants to use it...

global warming is a myth...

if you tax it....they will come. TAX IT TAX IT ALL

Then if we tax you . . .

I disagree. I think it's part of what's going on here.

So what do we do with this information...besides get depressed?

too true

Yes and no. Do i believe that there is a change in climate here on earth?, yes. There is significant evidence that points to this conclusion.

Do i believe that man's machinery is contributing to this shift in climate?, yes, to a very small degree.

While i am no expert, i do realize that the earth has shifted it's climate drastically at least 180 times since it's formation. We have had mutiple ice ages that makes the famous one look like a mild winter, and we've had severe droubts. Temperatures have risen to the point where even in the arctic regions, it could reach the hundreds.

One thing i find interesting given all this information, humans were not around to experience much of this, and all this happened before were had these polution expelling machines.

I believe that the polutants we put into the air, and genetically altering crops, and putting artificial hormones in our livestock is more a danger to the long term health in humans than it is a danger to the earth itself.

Whatever you want to do with it.

I found it interesting because the 2nd highest area is close to me.

But but you would remove planned obsolescence? Can't have that. I think we have known for many years how to fix things, but we don't because of .... oh never mind, you get my drift.

I just realized who your picture reminds me of, Gio. The leader of North Korea. Shiver!!

Well it would not be dangerous for the earth if what we do as you describe causes our death before that of the earth.

I think it's irresponsible to run around saying that global warming is a myth, when most of the people saying it have no real clue and don't take other things into account either.

I don't give a hoot what it's called but I do care that what man does is so obviously distructive and all for the almighty dollar.