In The News

Does exposure really matter?

By L. H. Gray - Truckers Connection
Posted May 26th 2008 4:42AM

If youâ€™ve ever driven through Lancaster, Pennsylvania, you know it certainly doesnâ€™t classify as a big city. Itâ€™s a strange conglomeration of farms and fields, housing developments, shopping centers, industrial parks, and downtown areas. In the midst of it all, Amish horse and buggies are not uncommon.

It was surprising to find Lancaster listed by the American Lung Association as one of the most polluted areas in the country. Los Angeles, sure. But Lancaster? Perhaps all the cows and tractors contribute.

So what does a high pollution ranking mean? Does air quality really matter to our health? What if weâ€™re just passing through, or picking up or delivering a load in a polluted area? (See a list of the worst cities at the end of the article.) Is there anything to be concerned about?

Cancer Risk

Youâ€™ve probably heard the stories of the drivers who pick up and deliver cargo at the Port of Oakland, California. They can spend a half an hour or more waiting with 100-plus other trucks, idling in long lines, breathing in a toxic mixture of pollutants from the many trucks, ships and cargo equipment.

A report from the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports released a report saying the amount of particulate exposure at the port is double the level considered safe by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Truck drivers serving the Port of Oakland have an increased risk of cancer because of the emissions of diesel fuel.

What is the danger of these emissions?

Diesel engines give off a mixture of air pollutants, both solids and gases. Tiny particles, called fine particulate matter, are emitted in diesel exhaust. These tiny particles are so small they can be inhaled deeply, penetrating into the lungs and bloodstream, where they can cause respiratory diseases, and may cause cancer. Diesel emissions also include over 40 other cancer-causing substances.

Brainiac

A new study shows that diesel fumes may do more than just smell bad. Tiny particles of soot, or nanoparticles, are able to travel from the nose and lodge in the brain. Inhaling diesel exhaust triggers a stress response in the brain and causes changes in brain wave activity. Long-term exposure could result in negative effects on brain function.

"We can only speculate what these effects may mean for the chronic exposure to air pollution encountered in busy cities where the levels of such soot particles can be very high," said lead researcher Paul Borm from Zuyd University. "It is conceivable that the long-term effects of exposure to traffic nanoparticles may interfere with normal brain function and information processing."

The stress response in the brain has also been linked to Alzheimerâ€™s and Parkinsonâ€™s diseases.

Tick-Tick

A scientific study by the University of California, Los Angeles, found that diesel fuel is dangerous to human arteries. The fine particulate matter and the fatty acids in LDL (bad) cholesterol interact, causing inflammation in blood vessels.

This speeds up the process of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. This can lead to blocked arteries, which can result in heart attack and stroke.

People who have cardiovascular risk factors, like high cholesterol, can increase the damage to their cardiovascular system by exposure to diesel pollution. Exposure can cause irregular heartbeats as well as thickened arteries.

The Good News

As studies clarify the health risks associated with air pollution and exposure to diesel emissions, more and more people are working toward better conditions.

Several states offer incentive funding programs to aid truckers and trucking companies in the purchases of bunk heaters, auxiliary power units, and tailpipe emission control devices.

Truck stop electrification is on the rise, which allows truckers to turn off their engines and plug into electrical outlets mounted on pedestals at the parking space. This provides the power to operate heating/cooling systems, televisions, microwaves and refrigerators, and other electrical devices.

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agencyâ€™s SmartWay Transport Partnership provides information on lenders that offer loans to help pay for the fuel saving technologies in their â€œupgrade kit.â€ These upgrade kits are highly fuel-efficient technologies bundled with emission-control devices, which reduce fuel consumption and air pollution. According to the EPA, most truckers will save more money each month in lower fuel costs than the cost of loan repayment.

California ports are working toward change, too. The Port of Oakland Truck Replacement Project will fund upgrades for 80 trucks serving the Port to 1999 or newer model years. The Clean Trucks Program, proposed by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, would replace or retrofit 16,000 harbor trucks over five years.

Many people are recognizing that reduced Idling benefits everyone. Considering that one gallon of diesel fuel is burned for every hour a truck idles, reducing idling time saves on fuel cost. It also saves wear-and-tear on the engine. And reduced idling improves air quality.

Air Quality Index

Air pollution can occur in both the city and the country. Traffic, industries, construction, farm work and fires can cause air pollution. These gases and particles reduce the air quality. With heat and sunlight, they react and cause ground-level ozone, which is harmful for living things. Exposure to ground-level ozone can cause health problems, such as asthma, bronchitis and reduced lung capacity.

During the months of May through October, ground-level ozone is at its highest. Ozone reports are given over the television or radio using the Air Quality Index (AQI). These reports tell how clean or polluted the air is and what health risks may occur with exposure. If the AQI is over 100, the ground-level ozone is at an unhealthy level.

Persons with heart or lung conditions, the elderly, outdoor workers or exercisers are most affected. Even when ground-level ozone is inhaled at low levels, health problems may be triggered.

Pollution Protection

When ground-level ozone levels are high, protect yourself by taking a few simple measures.

1. Stay indoors. As much as possible, avoid spending time outdoors when pollution is high.

2. Go out early or late. Because sunlight increases ozone levels, do your outdoor activities early in the morning or late in the evening, and

3. Donâ€™t exert yourself. When ozone levels are high, donâ€™t exercise or exert yourself outdoors. When your breathing increases and becomes faster with activity, you pull more pollution into your lungs.

During high ozone days, whether you have to work outside for any length of time, or if you are dealing with a health issue, be aware of any symptoms from the effects of air pollution.

â€¢ Chest tightness or pain

â€¢ Coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath

â€¢ Burning eyes or irritated throat

â€¢ Asthma-like symptoms

â€¢ Headache or nausea, and

â€¢ Tiredness or impaired physical performance

Be careful on hot, hazy, sunny days when the AQI is over 100. Donâ€™t dismiss the effects of pollution on your health and take measures to limit your outdoor exposure.

Future Outlook

Who knows where or how far the future will take us in pollution control and improved air quality. Hopefully, with the many emerging technologies for reducing diesel emissions and idling time, and cleaning up our ports and industries, many of the cities listed below will drop in rank on the â€œmost pollutedâ€ list. Including Lancaster, Pennsylvaniaâ€”Red Rose City, and Amish capitol of the world.

Source: The American Lung Association

Metropolitan Areas Most Polluted by Year-Round Particle Pollution:

2007 Rank Metropolitan Statistical Areas

1 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA

2 Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA

3 Bakersfield, CA

4 Birmingham-Hoover-Cullman, AL

4 Detroit-Warren-Flint, MI

6 Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH

7 Visalia-Porterville, CA

8 Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN

9 Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, IN