§ Lord Stoddart of Swindonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are investigating the lung cancer risk to people living and working in densely trafficked neighbourhoods from benzo(a)pyrene produced by motor vehicles.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Cumberlege)Benzo(a)pyrene is one of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, many of which have been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as probable human carcinogens. The Department of Health is currently reviewing the data on a range of these.
The department's expert advisory Committee on Carcinogenicity and IARC have concluded that diesel exhaust, a major source of benzo(a)pyrene, is a probable human carcinogen. Epidemiological studies of workers exposed to high concentrations have shown an increased risk of lung cancer. However, these studies, like others in the field, were retrospective and did not control for tobacco smoking, which is the major influence on the development of lung cancer. The exposures to benzo(a)pyrene produced by diesel and petrol vehicle exhaust fumes are very low by comparison with those produced by industrial processes.