California's dirty air 'kills 24,000 a year'
Pastor Dale Morgan
California's dirty air 'kills 24,000 a year'*
By Catherine Elsworth in Los Angeles
Last updated: 11:45 PM BST 22/05/2008
Air pollution in California is responsible for as many as 24,000 deaths
a year, nearly triple the previous estimate, according to a study.
Tiny particles from soot, smoke, metal and dust are to blame and
inhaling even small amounts can be harmful. Breathing in the minute
specks produced by diesel engines, agriculture and construction has been
linked to health problems including lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes
as well as asthma and other respiratory diseases.
California is home to five of the eight most polluted metropolitan areas
in America, including Los Angeles, Bakersfield and Fresno, according to
the American Lung Association's new 2008 State of the Air report.
The previous estimated number of deaths linked to particulate pollution
was 8,200.