Have you ever driven behind a bus or some other diesel powered vehicle that was belching black smoke? I would expect that more than nine chances out of ten the answer is “Yes”. Over the years there has been a mild and intermittent lobby against pollution from vehicles that has never really gotten off the ground. However, the news coming out of the World Health Organization (WHO) might give renewed vigour to the campaign against vehicles spewing out noxious fumes.
The New York Times reported on June 12, 2012 that the World Health Organization has declared that there is a clear causal link between diesel fumes and lung cancer. WHO also said that diesel fumes was a possible cause of bladder cancer. Additionally, there is research which suggests that occupational diesel exposure was a far greater lung cancer risk than passive cigarette smoking.
Most likely, you would have suspected that diesel fumes were harmful, but now a reputable international agency has confirmed your worst fears. With this information, where do we go from here? It is possible but not practicable to simply ban the use of diesel to eliminate this newly identified death threat. But it is possible to minimise the harm that could result from using diesel for vehicles and power generation. Spare a thought for Transport Board Supervisors who work in bus stands where buses park and do not turn off the engines. Also this country has a fairly reliable electricity supply, but what about the persons who work in the plants that use cheap bunker C fuel. How many of those workers die from unexplained lung cancer?
Barbados does not have many options, but as a first step, Government should follow the Unites States example and mandate the use of ultra-low-sulphur diesel in vehicles. Very often we hear complaints from consumers who use diesel about its quality which result in damage or underperforming engines.
So far, judging from the clouds of thick black soot which pour out of vehicle exhaust pipes on our roads on a daily basis; it seems that little has been done to source a better quality product. Suppliers must now import a better grade of diesel or it must be made mandatory by Government in light of WHO’s declaration that diesel fumes are carcinogenic. The focus must also change from protecting vehicle engines to protecting our health. Accordingly, I am looking forward to the day when I can drive behind a diesel powered vehicle and not choke.
If I had the option I would rather die from natural causes than from lung cancer caused by ingesting diesel fumes.