Harmful emissions from diesel cars remain the largest problem to surmount in California's attempts to cut its dangerously high levels of pollution and reduce its inhabitants' risk of contracting cancer, it has been claimed.

Emissions from diesel cars were identified as the principal cause of the high pollution in the US's most populous state in a report from the Air Quality Management District.

The study also showed that despite a 17 per cent decline in air pollution in Southern California over the last seven years, air standards remain dangerously high across the area.

William Burke, Chairman of the AQMD Governing Board, told the Los Angeles Times: "This reduction in cancer risk shows that we are on the right track in tackling toxic air pollution.

"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 neighbourhoods that may be heavily impacted by cancer-causing air pollution."

News of the study comes as it was last week confirmed that California intends to pursue legal action after the federal government forbad the state from cutting by emissions exhaust levels.

Under the plans, the auto industry would have been required to cut emissions by one-third in all vehicles by 2016 - in turn improving fuel efficiency to around 36.8 mpg.

Source:

Cancer risk from toxic air drops by 17% in Southland, 05/01/08
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-aqmd5jan05,0,1913116.story?coll=la-home-center

California sues EPA over greenhouse gas regulations, 03/01/08
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/michigan/index.ssf?/base/business-14/119936305211590.xml&storylist=michigannews

Our view on....The impact of carbon dioxide legislation on pgm demand in autocatalysts
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