Jefferson, Tuscaloosa counties make EPA top 20 list for airborne cancer risk

An Environmental Protection Agency report released this week adds to the mounting evidence about the risk of increased risk of cancer from air pollution in Alabama.

The report utilized the most current national data available (2002 toxic emissions data) to assess risk levels for cancer caused by airborne pollutants and found that Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties were in the top 20 of all the counties in the United States for highest risk levels.

This study marks the fifth of its kind in seven months detailing the unsafe levels of cancer-causing toxics concentrated in Alabama communities.

In December, the Conservation Alabama Foundation released a study that found Alabama residents to be at a much higher risk of exposure to 13 carcinogenic air toxics, as compared to limits set by the EPA.

The modeling data in the EPA report underscores the continuing need for more stringent controls on toxic emissions. The Foundation is discussing such controls with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM).

“We are hopeful that ADEM will have a proposal to reduce toxic emissions by the end of the year,” said Adam Snyder, executive director of the foundation. “However, if ADEM won’t take the lead on this issue, we will ask the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) to adopt rules to reduce toxic emissions.”

Wednesday’s EPA report revealed that Tuscaloosa’s cancer risk rate caused by air pollution was 67 per 100,000 people, while Jefferson County’s air pollution posed a risk of 63 in 100,000. The national average is 3.6 per 100,000 people.

The Conservation Alabama Foundation’s report is available online at
Website.

Links to Other Air Reports

Summary of Results from the EPA National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (Released June 2009)

Toxic Air and America’s Schools (USA Today – December 2008)

Toxic Air Pollution in Alabama – A Threat to Human Health (December 2008)

Birmingham Air Toxics Study (February 2009)

Justice in the Air (April 2009)

Links to Articles

Jefferson and Tuscaloosa Counties make EPA Top 20 List for Cancer Risk from Airborne Pollutants (The Birmingham News – June 25, 2009)

Study: Holt has high risk of cancer from air pollution (The Tuscaloosa News – June 25, 2009)

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Tags: Evidence Mounts for Increased Cancer Risk from Air Toxics, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa counties make EPA top 20 list for airborne cancer risk

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 25th, 2009 at 12:54 pm and is filed under Environment News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.