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Breathe Easy Angelenos! Air Quality Is Improving

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Jan 4, 2008 12:29 pm US/Pacific

Breathe Easy Angelenos! Air Quality Is Improving

LOS ANGELES (CBS) ― Southland residents are less likely to develop cancer from air pollution than they were almost a decade ago, according to a report released Friday by the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

But while the risk of developing cancer from air pollution is 15 percent lower than it was in 1998-1999, Southland residents still face one of the highest risks in the country, according to the air quality agency.

"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. 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."

Diesel exhaust from cars, trucks, ships, trains, aircraft and construction equipment is responsible for nearly all of the risk, 94 percent, according to the Multiple Air Toxics Exposure Study.

Residents in Burbank, downtown Los Angeles, Fontana, Huntington Park and Wilmington were found to have the highest risk of cancer associated with air pollution. The lowest risk was found in Anaheim.

AQMD staff will solicit public comments on the report for the next 90 days. Staff will then update the report with strategies for reducing air pollution and present the study to AQMD board members this summer.

AQMD is the air pollution control agency for Orange County and parts of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.