Residents in Southern California are less likely to develop cancer from air pollution than they were almost a decade ago, according to a report released on Friday.
The risk of developing cancer from air pollution is 15 percent lower than it was in 1998-1999, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) said in the report.
But the report noted that residents in the region still face one of the highest risks in the country.
"This reduction in cancer risk shows that we are on the right track in tackling toxic air pollution," said AQMD Chairman William Burke.
"However, the remaining cancer risk is completely unacceptable. Thousands of residents are getting sick and dying from toxic air pollution. Some of them live in low-income, minority neighborhoods that may be heavily impacted by cancer-causing air pollution." he said.
"We must continue to fight for cleaner ships, locomotives, trucks and other sources of toxic air pollution to improve the health of all Southern California residents." he added.
Diesel exhaust from cars, trucks, ships, trains, aircraft and construction equipment is responsible for 94 percent of the risk, according to the Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study.
Source: Xinhua
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