Diesel Exhaust: A Current Health Issue - Assignment Example

Download file to see previous pages The decisions comes after a research by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that gives sufficient evidence that exposure to fumes is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer. In addition to the fumes, the panel noted that exposure to diesel engine exhaust increases the risk of bladder cancer. The article is well researched because it includes other scientists who have researched on the same issue. For instance, it quotes the Journal of the national cancer institute (JNCI) to provide evidence on increased risk of death from lung cancer to exposed workers. The article note the extent of exposure of diesel fumes to all lifestyles and suggests that proper policies should be put in place now that there is proof that diesel fumes has carcinogen elements.
WHO has been able to link diesel fumes to increased risk for lung and cancer of the bladder. Cancer is one of the incurable diseases that affect humanity drains a huge amount of economy resources through medication. Initially, diesel fumes were assumed as a probable source of carcinogens causing lung cancer but this article proves that diesel fumes actually cause lung cancer and contributes to cancer of the lungs. A public health issue affects health of the public either through sickness or through injury. WHO brings awareness through this article that diesel fumes are dangerous and contain cancer-causing carcinogens. Apparently, there are so many vehicles and industries exhuming dangerous diesel exhaust affecting an appreciable size number of people especially in heavily industrialised towns. Persons affected include children, adults, rich, and poor, developed and developing countries. Therefore, this is a public health issue, which can be corrected through government policies. Cause and Severity of the Issue Industrialisation has come up with development of many diesel powered machines. More notably, almost half of the vehicles on the planet use diesel engines and the number of these vehicles increases considerably as more people become economically empowered. With the advancement in technology, efforts to manufacture electric and hybrid automobiles are slowly yielding results but at a very slow rate. More sadly is the fact that urbanisation increases the risk of inhaling fumes since buildings have replaced the natural environment that purifies the air after exhaustion of fumes. According to Kamal, atmospheric particulate and gaseous polycyclic hydrocarbons samples from an urban cities was found to pose potential health risk. Increased number of machines emitting diesel fumes makes the scenario worse. According to Constance, persons who breathe in motor exhaust often are at a higher risk of cancer. This is because such fumes only cause cancer after inhaling them over a given period damaging the lungs (Constance, 1995). According to Paddock, if an initial study shows a risk in heavily exposed occupational groups this is followed by positive findings from the general public” (Paddock, 2012). Therefore as much as heavily exposed groups are at risk, the rest of the public is. Intervention It is possible to lessen severalty of this health issue through innovation of non-diesel vehicles. Most developed countries in North America have been tightening emission standards for diesel, gasoline, and petrol standards. This goes a long way to beef up technology and come up with better diesel free machines and engines. Now, current standards have enabled manufacturing of more efficient engines that emits less fumes. Additionally, ...Download file to see next pagesRead More