The development of cancer in childhood is strongly linked to pollution from engine exhausts, a British researcher has claimed.
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A report in the Evening Standard and a number of other UK newspapers on Thursday said that Professor George Knox, from the University of Birmingham, had said youngsters were at higher risk of cancer if they lived near emissions hotspots, such as transport depots, but experts said the public should not be alarmed by the claims and stressed much more research was needed to show what level of exposure posed a threat.
The Evening Standard report said Prof Knox looked at data on 22,500 children who died from cancer in Britain between 1955 and 1980, taking into account where they lived and nearby emissions hotspots for specific chemicals. These hotspots were identified from published maps of atmospheric pollution levels and included chemicals such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, 1,3-butadiene and benzene dioxins.
The report said the researcher also located emissions sources including bus and train stations, transport hubs, oil installations and hospitals, and then compared the number of deaths from childhood cancer that would be expected in a particular area with the actual number of deaths that occurred.
Prof Knox reportedly said that children had a higher risk of cancer if they lived within 0.3 kilometres of a chemical emissions hotspot. Youngsters also faced an increased risk if they lived within 1km of an emissions source, such as a transport hub.
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By GlobalDataAccording to the paper, the researcher suggested that 1,3-butadiene and carbon monoxide – both produced by vehicle exhausts and particularly diesel engines – were among the biggest culprits.
He reportedly said that when combined with living close to an emissions source, such as a bus or coach station, a child had a 12 times higher risk of dying from cancer than other youngsters.
According to the Evening Standard, Professor Knox concluded: “Childhood cancers are strongly determined by prenatal or early postnatal exposures to oil based combustion gases, especially from engine exhausts. 1,3 butadiene, a known carcinogen, may be directly causal.”
The paper noted that, earlier this year Professor Knox published research saying that most childhood cancers are “probably” caused by exposure to pollutants while babies are still in the womb.
Catalytic converters, which reduce carbon monoxide emissions, were not made compulsory for petrol-powered cars in the UK until 1992.
