Diesel Fumes Called Carcinogenic

The WHO has upgraded exhaust fumes from diesel engines from a “probable” carcinogen to a toxin that does cause cancer.

Written byJef Akst

| 1 min read

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WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, ZAKYSANT

Diesel engines not only pollute the environment, they also release carcinogenic fumes, according to a panel of experts working for the International Agency for Research on Cancer at the World Health Organization (WHO). Specifically, the exhaust carries toxins that are “definitely a cause of lung cancer,” BBC News reported, and possibly a cause of bladder tumors as well, warranting the move from “probably carcinogenic” to definitely so.

The panel drew its evidence from research in miners, railway workers, truck drivers, and other “high-risk” workers, though it emphasized that its findings do not apply only to this group of people, but also to those exposed at lower levels of diesel fumes.

“The scientific evidence was compelling and the Working Group's conclusion was unanimous, diesel engine exhaust ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
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Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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