EPA: 2.2M Have Increased Cancer Risk Because of Where They Live
Wednesday June 24, 2009
Toxic air quality in over 600 U.S. counties, puts over 2.2. million people (285 million people to be exact) at an increased risk of cancer, according to the EPA. The National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA), released today by the EPA, shows results from 2002 emissions research. Of course, cities like New York and Los Angeles topped the list of area with toxic air quality -- this comes as no surprise. But, cities in rural areas of the country surprisingly topped the list, too. Areas of Los Angeles and Madison County, IL topped the list with the most toxic air, while Golden Valley County, Montana Kalawao County, Hawaii have the least toxic.
What causes the increased toxicity? Automobiles, factories, power plants, and airplanes all are major contributors to pollution, releasing toxins into the air we breathe. We typically see these variables that cause pollution in larger cities, but this obviously is not the case any longer. I was truly surprised to see cities in Kentucky on the list with high levels of toxic air. The good news is that the cancer risk has decreased on average since the prior report released in 2006, detailing the air condition in 1999.
So, how did your county measure up? Check out how your state and county fared in the report.
What causes the increased toxicity? Automobiles, factories, power plants, and airplanes all are major contributors to pollution, releasing toxins into the air we breathe. We typically see these variables that cause pollution in larger cities, but this obviously is not the case any longer. I was truly surprised to see cities in Kentucky on the list with high levels of toxic air. The good news is that the cancer risk has decreased on average since the prior report released in 2006, detailing the air condition in 1999.
So, how did your county measure up? Check out how your state and county fared in the report.
Comments
Lots of black in NJ for such a little State, isn’t there? Illinois, too. And this is where our new EPA director was drafted from, as well as our President. If they have not even taken an interest to clean up her own filthy back yards before they left, how is it people now believe they will help clean up the Nation’s environment? I mean, doesn’t anyone take a trip to the Cities and States these people come from and just have a look?
If you hire a builder, you go look at the houses he’s built. You hire an artist, you go look at the paintings he’s done. You hire a landscaper, you go look at the landscaping jobs he’s completed. But hire a President from Chicago and an EPA director from NJ and take them at face value? HAHAHAHAHA!
Again, you want cheese with than whine, those of you that voted them into office without looking at the areas they oversaw for years? And you expect change for the better? What the heck were you thinking?