Regulations governing diesel exhaust
emissions have reduced air pollution in Tokyo significantly, according to a
Tokyo metropolitan government survey.
The level of suspended particulate matter cleared the national environmental
standard at 97 percent of checkpoints in fiscal 2004.
This is a drastic improvement from the previous fiscal year, when SPM levels
made the standard at only 12 percent of checkpoints. The figure also surpassed
the national average of 77 percent in fiscal 2003.
The latest results show Tokyo's air attained the level considered clean for the
first time since fiscal 1984, when the metropolitan government began measuring
SPM.
SPM is emitted by diesel-powered vehicles and is thought to be a cause of
asthma, lung cancer and hay fever.
The metropolitan government measures particulate levels at 34 checkpoints
located along national highways and crossings and announces at how many of these
sites the figure clears the national standard, which is a maximum of 0.1
milligram per cubic meter of air.
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Source: Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News