Good News, Southern California: The Smog Is Going Away

1 minute read
Snow covered San Gabriel Mountains rise behind the downtown Los Angeles skyline on Dec. 27, 2012.
Snow covered San Gabriel Mountains rise behind the downtown Los Angeles skyline on Dec. 27, 2012.Nick Ut—AP
By Eliana Dockterman

Southern California’s air quality is getting better, according to a study released Thursday. Cancer-causing pollutants have dropped over 50% on average since 2005, the last time the South Coast Air Quality Management District checked air quality extensively.

Efforts to reduce emissions from diesel trucks and other vehicles can account for a great deal of the drop. California residents may have noticed the positive effects of such endeavors in the sky: smog rarely browns out the mountains in the region now.

Though the air is getting healthier overall, small pockets in the region still contain many toxic pollutants, including the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and areas near freeways. And the risks for cancer because of pollutants in the air are still some of the highest in the nation, according to the Associated Press.

[AP]

More Must-Reads from TIME

Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com