A leading oncologist has suggested trying to minimise inhalation of diesel exhaust fumes after World Health Organisation experts said they caused lung cancer.

Our buses are simply too wide and large for Malta’s narrow roads so the end result is increased congestion and still lots of traffic and fumes

Stressing there was no cause for alarm as it was now generally accepted that diesel was carcinogenic, Stephen Brincat said the findings were an appropriate warning that had to be put in context.

“After all, the sun and alcohol, to name just two widely accepted carcinogens, are amply available in our environment,” he said, adding diesel was considered as carcinogenic as second-hand smoke.

While no studies show how much cancer in Malta was caused by diesel, it would take prolonged exposure to heavy pollution to cause the illness, Prof. Brincat said.

Diesel exhaust particles and gases are suspended in the air, so exposure occurs whenever a person breathes air that contains such substances.

The WHO based its findings on research among high-risk workers such as miners, railway workers and truck drivers. It concluded that the exhausts were definitely a cause of lung cancer and could also cause tumours in the bladder.

It also found the risk of getting cancer from diesel fumes was small for ordinary citizens. However, since so many people breathe in the fumes, it raised the status of diesel exhaust from “probable carcinogen” to “carcinogen”.

The WHO’s panel said everyone should try to reduce their exposure.

Agreeing, Prof. Brincat said: “I think the reaction should be to take sensible precautions like get well-sealed doors and windows if you live on a busy street.

“At government level, besides giving financial incentives to introduce newer and cleaner technology, one could consider rerouting traffic from heavily populated areas when possible… We could improve traffic flow to reduce idling engines and encourage cycling.”

Environmentalist George Debono agreed that several measures could be taken to improve the situation, including cutting over-dependence on cars, encouraging purchase of smaller cars and pushing people to walk more or use a bicycle for short trips.

While the public transport reform that forced old, diesel-belching buses off the roads may have improved air quality, Dr Debono felt the situation remained poor.

“Our buses are simply too wide and large for Malta’s narrow roads so that the end result is increased congestion and still lots of traffic and fumes,” he said.

Dr Debono, who has an interest in air quality, said in Malta diesel emissions were responsible for the lar­gest con­tribution of particulate matter – dangerous fine particles that remain trapped in the lungs once inhaled – in the air.

He believed cancer rates were bound to increase in future as today’s children were growing up inhaling such particles.

He pointed out that because of Malta’s small population it would be difficult to statistically prove that it was actually diesel that was causing cancer, as other factors came into play.

Respiratory physician Joseph Cac­ciottolo agreed that Malta’s small size made if difficult to collect data of statis­tical significance.

“As far as I can say, locally, diesel fumes are a nuisance like any pollutant and can make people with respiratory conditions uncomfortable and make the condition worse,” he said.

The Health Ministry said European emission standards defined the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of new vehicles sold in EU member states.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority collects data for the amount of diesel fuel sold but diesel emissions were not measured.

“It is emissions of pollutants such as particulate matter, which originate from the combustion of fossil fuels including diesel, which are measured. A source apportionment, however, cannot be provided,” the spokesman said.

Diesel fuel sales for 2010 in tonnes*

• Power plants: 83,026 tonnes
• Residential: 392.60 tonnes
• Road transport: 83,380 tonnes
• Agriculture: 993 tonnes
• Fisheries: 2,597 tonnes
• Commercial and institutional: 6,908.96 tonnes
• Manufacturing industries: 7,981 tonnes

* Figures, provided by the Health Ministry, do not reflect emissions.

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