Gas stations pose health risk for nearby residents

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According to Spanish researchers from the University of Murcia, people living within 50 metres of a gas station are exposed to airborne organic compounds that pose health hazards.

They recommend not to build houses within that specific radius. Vulnerable places, like hospitals, retirement centres and schools, should be kept another 50 metres away.

One of the lead researchers, Marta Doval, said that "some airborne organic compounds – such as benzene, which increases the risk of cancer – have been recorded at petrol stations at levels above the average levels for urban areas where traffic is the primary source of emission".

It's not necessarily time to panic if you happen to live near a gas station. Heavy traffic reportedly serves to mask the toxic effects of gas stations.


Source: Yahoo France