New Haven Independent

The risk remains small, but significant, because it affects a large number of people in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and portions of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey, federal regulators said.

The report emphasizes the need to curb air pollution caused by idling vehicles, said clean-air advocate Nancy Alderman.

An anti-idling bill was approved in the state House, but was not raised in the Senate, Alderman said.

Every two minutes idling uses about as much gasoline as it takes to travel a mile, she said. The EPA estimates that 40 percent of toxic air emissions emanate from cars, trucks and other mobile sources.

The average American has a 36 in 1 million cancer risk associated with airborne chemicals and soot. Residents of Connecticut and the other close-by states face a 25 to 50 in 1 million chance, based on information issued Wednesday by the EPA.
The EPA considers levels above 100 in 1 million to be unacceptable.

Sections of Los Angeles had the highest air pollution risk in the country, at 1,200 in 1 million, EPA data shows.

A one in one million risk is the likelihood that one person out of 1 million, exposed continuously to the pollutants or chemicals in question for 70 years, would develop cancer above and beyond the normal risk.

Mobile emissions are responsible for about 30 percent of the overall cancer risk, mostly from benzene. Other emissions such as dry-cleaning chemicals, constitute another 25 percent, and “background” chemicals and unknown factors account for the remaining 45 percent, according to the EPA.

Wednesday’s figures are based on 2002 data and represent the third assessment made under the National Air Toxics Assessment program. Susan Lancey, spokeswoman for the EPA region 1, in Boston, said 2002 represents the most recent data collected.

The previous report, based on 1999 information, was released in 2006. The EPA is currently complying measurements taken in 2005, she said. “It takes time to put together a comprehensive assessment. Modeling takes time,” she said.

Alderman said that cutting back on idling is one of the simplest ways to reduce air pollution.

“[Legislators] claim to care about global warming. Idling is a real health issue. Exhaust is carcinogenic, and worsens asthma,” she said.

The National Air Toxics Assessment takes 181 chemicals and soot into consideration, including chlorinated organic compounds, benzene, chemicals in gasoline, and auto and truck exhaust. Levels tend to be highest near highways.