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Diesel Can Cause Cancer, UN Body Says
Governments will have to begin sourcing ways of cutting diesel usage because the petroleum product can cause lung cancer, scientists have said.
Folowing a period of research study, an affiliate of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has said that Diesel which is used by vehicles and machines, can cause lung cancer.
The IARC said people exposed to diesel fumes risk lung cancer.
Their report states:“After a week-long meeting of international experts, the IARC has classified diesel engine exhaust as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on sufficient evidence that exposure is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer,” the report said, while also labelling the gasoline (petrol) exhaust as possible carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).
Chairman of the IARC Working Group Dr Christopher Portier, said: That “the scientific evidence was compelling and the Working Group’s conclusion was unanimous: diesel engine exhaust causes lung cancer in humans. Given the additional health impacts from diesel particulates, exposure to this mixture of chemicals should be reduced worldwide.”
“For diesel engines, this requires changes in the fuel such as marked decreases in sulphur content, changes in engine design to burn diesel fuel more efficiently and reductions in emissions through exhaust control technology.”
The IARC said governments and other decision-makers have a valuable evidence-base on which to consider environmental standards for diesel exhaust emissions and to continue to work with the engine and fuel manufacturers towards those goals.
However, the group is concerned that implementing needed policies and regulations will take many years “particularly in less developed countries, where regulatory measures are currently also less stringent.”
Director, IARC, Dr Christopher Wild, said : “The conclusion sends a strong signal that public health action is warranted. This emphasis is needed globally, including among the more vulnerable populations in developing countries where new technology and protective measures may otherwise take many years to be adopted.”
Reacting, the Executive Director of Environmental Law Research Institute, Prof Lanre Fagbohun, advised the government to take emissions from diesel vehicles seriously, because developing nations can barely provide comprehensive healthcare for their citizens.
“I do not expect that a state like Lagos, which is known for proactive interventions, will fold its arms in the face of this report,” he said in an interview with The Nation.
“Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), the Ministries of Transport and Environment have to work together more effectively to achieve safe vehicular emission. By now, we should be getting nearer to being able to measure vehicular emission in Lagos State.”
Posted by Editor
on June 19, 2012. Filed under INTERNATIONAL NEWS.
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kakolwe
June 19, 2012 at 6:43 pm
now. Now. How many lungs have been exposed to diesel exhaust since the discovery of the diesel engine in 18chakuti? If it is in Zambia where some fumes are so crude. ngatwalifwa kaleeee. Mostly science alarms than inform. May be we have evolved to respire with the fumes. Anyway, TOYOTA LUCIDA DIESEL For sale! 100 pin!! Very neat (to avoid cancer)
Wanu Ngwee
June 19, 2012 at 6:58 pm
It HAS also caused alot of WARS…
Subira kuzipa
June 20, 2012 at 5:30 am
It is nt only lung cancer there is more 2 this
The Dude
June 20, 2012 at 8:14 am
Just as eggs cause high blood pressure, these guys should just leave us alone instead of making us panick.
The Dude
June 20, 2012 at 8:16 am
To think of it, why haven’t all the Arabs died of lung cancer??? They’ve been producing this stuff for ages.
nandipak
June 20, 2012 at 9:22 am
next thing u wil be told is that nshima causes mouth cancer!!
MUNYELO PWETE!
June 20, 2012 at 10:40 am
Bloggers let me digress a bit! These people from the so called Barotseland, have they gone back to south africa where they came from? The area is so quiet! Even one blue ball Ngambela Wainyelawila is zeeeeeee! Nichani? When are they going to sound the drums of war? We are tired of waiting mwee?
MUNYELO PWETE!
June 20, 2012 at 11:04 am
Gentlemen and ladies, iam told by kiswapako that too much nshima causes epilepsy! chipumputu badala!
kakolwe
June 20, 2012 at 11:25 am
@nandipak & the dude, you are cracking me up! LOL! Just give them more time, biologists will soon announce that doing it in missionery position causes clitorimyelitis & cancer of the glans-dick
GunnerME
June 20, 2012 at 1:35 pm
@MUNYELELO PWETELE, you monkey you are at it again! Whats wrong with your kolwestan brain???
kakolwe
June 20, 2012 at 3:10 pm
@GunnerME. Waste not your precious time & money responding to humans with pockets of stupidity in them my brother. They enjoy it when you respond to anuthing that come from their rear orifice. Leave them to wallow in it themselves.
Thief Justice
June 20, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Zambians are a funny people. e.g. because this story is about something important and educative, the number comments will not exceed 20. if it’s about BS however……
just saying
Anel S
June 20, 2012 at 3:58 pm
MULIFUNTIDWE BASANKWA
Jomoka
June 20, 2012 at 4:13 pm
you people you can’t beleved,the End of the world is near.Diesel that we are always used,today it now the causer of cancer!!!
Faraday
June 20, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Fyabufi..next they wil say mealie meal causes cancer!
GunnerME
June 20, 2012 at 5:11 pm
@kakolwe, that muppet pisses me off, he’s an absolute lunatic! But you are damn right he just needs to be ignored.
SAWA2PIN
June 20, 2012 at 5:12 pm
@nandipak,ala wandepula na laughing. I’m just from having Nshima. You rock Dear
Kamuzo
June 20, 2012 at 5:33 pm
But I used to sniff diesel, petrol, jenkem and yet I am a 100 years healthy man
Kk
June 20, 2012 at 8:28 pm
Please where a we heading.
Umusambashi
June 20, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Fyabufi…obviously un is tryng to get back at the arabs….why have they discovered it now…since diesel and petrol aint good fr humans,wht do thy expect us to use, in our machines,vehicles,gen sets,etc…wht r thy sayng???ths pipo ve issues…thr r better ways of settlng oil disputes thn ths new found method…nigeria,wake up,un intends to halt ur thriivng,yet war filled oil business…as slowly nigeria is becoming a super power…black in power doesnt work for th white…
MUNYELO PWETE!
June 20, 2012 at 10:54 pm
@ GunnerME
Iwe musula obe what is your problem? Ignore my comments chapwa! Wanunka pamputi bukala bobe! Ulebeyako nefimaso swine!
MUNYELO PWETE!
June 20, 2012 at 10:59 pm
@ GunnerME
Bwamba bwesabi iwe you are biting more than you can chew!careful!
GunnerME
June 21, 2012 at 2:37 am
@MUNYELELO PWETELE, its quite apparent that you are a very dull chap! I guess thats just you living up to your shit name. You are a freak & you seriously need a place in some rehab facility!
lasford musonda
June 21, 2012 at 6:00 am
very true.ths emmissions z goin 2 finish us zambians.wen i ws doin cummins couse in sauth africa our instructor tokd abt ths seriously.am dispoted u ar making funny of it.most of zambians ar awys behind.
milton siatontola
June 21, 2012 at 10:22 am
un also came to make money through their efforts and are on a mission you all can’t see
Umusambashi
June 21, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Th emissions,we undrstnd and we knw th effects,hwevr,we dnt wnt a mere alert message…give us a solution to th problem…e.g legalise and internationalize hydrotech vehicles and machines….or anythng tht is safe to humans and th environment…a mere alert has many interpretations. Tatulefwaya our panick buttons turnd on whn solution is far fetchd…