The Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday that residents of certain states face noticeably higher cancer risks than those in other states because they breathe in more toxic chemicals.
Now, keep in mind that even though this is a new assessment, the data it’s based on is seven years old.
The Associated Press summarized the EPA’s assessment, saying:
“Parts of Los Angeles, California and Madison County, Illinois had the highest cancer risks in the nation — 1200 in 1 million and 1100 in 1 million, according to the EPA data. They were followed by two neighborhoods in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and one in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.
“People living in parts of Coconino County, Arizona and Lyon County, Nevada had the lowest cancer risk from air toxics. The counties with the least toxic air are Kalawao County, Hawaii and Golden Valley County in Montana.
“‘Air toxic risks are local. They are a function of the sources nearest to you,’ said Dave Guinnup, who leads the groups that perform the risk assessments for toxic air pollutants at EPA. ‘If you are out in the Rocky Mountains, you are going to be closer to 2 in a million. If you are in an industrial area with a lot of traffic, you are going to be closer to 1100 in 1 million.'”
Additional resources
See how USA Today broke down the information.
Look up emissions data for your area.
Take a closer look at your state using this county-by-county cancer risk map.
