The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially classified diesel engine exhaust as a carcinogen, at the same level as asbestos, arsenic (commonly known as arsenic trioxide), and mustard gas.
According to a report in the Sing Tao Daily, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced on Tuesday (12th) that it has officially upgraded diesel engine exhaust from Group 2 (possibly carcinogenic to humans) to Group 1 (definitely carcinogenic to humans). Experts from around the world within the IARC unanimously concluded that diesel exhaust is one of the causes of lung cancer. Furthermore, limited evidence suggests a link between inhaling diesel engine exhaust and developing bladder cancer.
Dr. Christopher Portier, president of the IARC Research Unit, pointed out that experts have reached a consensus, confirming that diesel engine exhaust can cause lung cancer in humans. The Research Unit stated that many people are exposed to diesel engine exhaust from various sources in their daily lives, including cars, trains, ships, and generators, and hopes that this reclassification will encourage countries to reduce diesel emissions.
The relevant research report will be published in The Lancet Oncology journal.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies carcinogenic hazards into four categories: Category 1: carcinogenic to humans (e.g., asbestos, mustard gas, cigarette smoke, and alcohol); Category 2: probably or likely to be carcinogenic to humans; Category 3: insufficient evidence to determine whether it is carcinogenic to humans; and Category 4: probably not carcinogenic to humans.
Choi Shuk-yee, executive director of the Hong Kong environmental group Action for Healthy Air (CAN), pointed out that there are as many as 130,000 commercial diesel vehicles in Hong Kong, and more than 80% of them still use old engines from before the Euro IV emission standard. These engines account for 88% and 76% of the total emissions of inhalable particulate matter and nitrogen oxides from vehicles in Hong Kong, respectively. Although the government has previously launched a "Subsidy Scheme for Replacing Euro IV and Euro I Diesel Commercial Vehicles," the number of applications is only about 30%. The scheme to install catalytic converters on diesel buses is also only experimental and has not effectively reduced diesel exhaust emissions. She urged the government to implement measures such as establishing low-emission zones, legislating to accelerate the phasing out of old diesel vehicles, and regulating the use of low-sulfur diesel fuel by vessels when berthing.
According to a report in Hong Kong's Wen Wei Po, specialist physician Lam Bing pointed out that many non-smokers in Hong Kong are diagnosed with lung cancer each year, which he suspects is related to air pollution, such as secondhand smoke and vehicle exhaust. Chen Jingming, associate professor of chemistry at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, stated that diesel engine emissions contain various carcinogenic chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, and zinc oxide. He believes the authorities should take a multi-pronged approach, including low-tax incentives to encourage the use of low-pollution fuels and improvements in road planning.
Hong Kong environmental group Friends of the Earth is demanding that the government take measures to phase out all high-polluting commercial diesel vehicles and buses, including those from the EU's early, Phase I, and Phase II phases, in accordance with the recommendations made in the 2009 Public Consultation Paper on the Review of Air Quality Indicators.
Sources: WHOJuheng.com (2012-06-14)
