MAYOR BILL WHITE POINTS TO A UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH STUDY AS FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE NEED TO REDUCE HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS IN HOUSTON
January 18, 2007 --Houston Mayor Bill White today joined researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health to highlight a study that suggests a link between the incidence of certain types of cancer in children and how closely they live to the Houston Ship Channel and elevated 1,3-butadiene levels in the air. Researchers from the UT Health Science Center: Houston School of Public Health conducted the study.
In preliminary analysis researchers found that living within two miles of the elevated levels of the Houston Ship Channel was associated with a 56% increased incidence of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia compared with those living more than ten miles away.
"The science supports our claim that reducing these hazardous air pollutants must be a high priority for Houston," said Mayor White. "The city has hired environmental experts and legal counsel and has aggressively negotiated with local industry, resulting in a reduction in 1,3-butadiene, a known carcinogen, from our air. But we must do more."
The city of Houston entered into negotiations with some Ship Channel industry refineries in 2005. Between 2004 and 2006, three monitoring stations have indicated significant reductions in ambient butadiene levels (68% at Milby station, 54% at Chavez station, and 58% at Clinton station).
"As a life-long resident of the Ship Channel area and the representative of District I, I take this very seriously," said Council Member Carol Alvarado. "I am encouraged by the progress we are making to cut these harmful emissions and protect our citizens, but we have a lot more work to do."
Researchers collected data on cancer cases from the Texas Cancer Registry dating from 1995 to 2003, and included adult and childhood leukemia and lymphoma. Monitoring data from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regarding levels of 1,3-butadiene and benzene in the air was collected and correlated with leukemia and lymphoma incidence rates based on census tract data. The study took into consideration population density and disparity in rates of cancer between people of different gender, age and socio-economic status.
Specifically, the study found increased rates of all childhood leukemias, childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia and childhood acute myeloid leukemia in census tracts with the highest estimated 1,3-butadiene levels (greater than equal to 1.15 parts per billion) compared to census tracts with the lowest estimated 1,3-butadiene levels (less than 0.266 parts per billion).
Although these findings suggest an association between hazardous air pollution and childhood leukemia, additional research is needed to establish a cause and effect associated between 1,3 butadiene and childhood leukemia. However, the research strongly suggests the need for continued study, while we take action to reduce the levels of these pollutants.
The City and the University of Texas School of Public health requested funding through the Centers For Disease Control Public Health Environmental Tracking Network grant for the research. This grant assists Federal and local authorities in determining correlations between environmental conditions and possible impacts on health.
