The U.N. health agency has classified diesel engine exhaust as
carcinogenic to humans. The International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization
(WHO), announced the re-classification on Tuesday, after a week-
long meeting of international experts in the French city of
Lyon. Nearly a quarter-of-a-century after it was classified as
'probably carcinogenic to humans,' IARC based its decision on
sufficient evidence that exposure is associated with an
increased risk for lung cancer. "The scientific evidence was
compelling and the working group's conclusion was unanimous:
diesel engine exhaust causes lung cancer in humans," said Dr.
Christopher Portier in a news release. Dr. Portier, who is the
chairperson of the IARC working group which reviewed the
evidence, added that "given the additional health impacts from
diesel particulates, exposure to this mixture of chemicals
should be reduced worldwide." According to IARC, large
populations are exposed to diesel exhaust in eve