Air toxins in Southern California decline by half

Carcinogenic toxins in the air have been reduced by more than 50 percent in the last nine years in the Southern California region, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Multiple Air Toxics Study IV showed that the cancer risk caused by air pollution in Southern California decreased from 1,194 in 1 million in 2005 to 418 in 1 million in 2012-2013.

MATES IV discovered that despite the decrease in cancer risk, remaining toxic emissions can still be harmful. The majority of these remaining emissions was caused by diesel from trucks, vehicles and other equipment.

“Air pollution is very much still a threat, especially in specific areas in Los Angeles or California, particularly near roadways and other emission sources,” said David Ginsburg, assistant professor of environmental studies at USC.

Ninety percent of the cancer risk was caused by various other modes of transportation, including cars.

“I know that 418 in a million doesn’t seem that high, but I think that number can still be lowered, especially considering the technology that we have now,” said Allison Apfel, a sophomore majoring in health promotion and disease prevention.

The greatest cancer risk in the region was found to be 1,050 in 1 million around the Los Angeles’s ports. Higher cancer risks were also discovered around freeways and other centers of transportation. Southwest Riverside County, the Coachella Valley and south and central Orange County, however, showed some of the smallest risks.

“Being a California resident, you can see the smog over the city, and it’s a huge concern for me and other Californians,” Apfel said.

In order to determine the cancer risk in various parts of Southern California, MATES IV measured the amounts of 37 different toxins in the air at monitoring stations located throughout some Southern California counties.

“There have been better policies to enforce stricter air emission regulations so I think that has had a major impact on reducing smog,” Ginsburg said.

Even though the cancer risk has gone down over the past nine years, a recent study conducted by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has discovered that the true extent of cancer risk due to pollution and other toxic factors has been underestimated based on the state’s current standards.

This underestimation, however, does not change the fact that the amounts of carcinogenic toxins in the air have gone down by over 50 percent since 2005.

“I think [a further decrease in smog] is yet to be seen,” Ginsburg said. “We have done a very good job at reducing emissions and it could continue to go down but I think we are probably at the lowest point without having a lot of pushback against any new regulations that were to come out.”

South Coast Air Quality Management District works on controlling air pollution in certain parts of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernadino and Riverside Counties.

“We only get one planet and need to be aware of what we are doing to it,” said Tsen-Yin Lin, a sophomore majoring in communication and political science.