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About Us
. AdvisQCiJiQMQ Founded in 1996, the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring clean
. Board of Directors air and healthy environments through scientific research, public education I and legal advocacy. Our unique
. --'~f---~-~----__.___m - , and singular focus on atmospheric iSsues has allowed us to' go deep on the issues, and be persistent and
SJaf & CQn~JtaDJs effectIve.
Made up of 20 senior scientists, lawyers, MBAs, economists, and public outreach professionals, CATF is
headquartered in Boston but located throughout the United States. Our work is augmented by collaboration
with nationally recognized technical and economic consulting organizations s~ch as The Northbridge Group,
Environmental and Energy Analysis, Inc., Abt Associates, and MSB Energy Associates. CATF works with
more than 40 state, local, regional, and national organizations to educate the public, media, industry, and
government officials on the sdence and economics of clean air policies through fact-based and locally
appropriate advocacy. Our advocacy regularly brings attention to the latest, vital work of researchers from
the Harvard School of Public Health, Emory University, New York University, Purdue University, Georgia
Tech, and NASAls Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
CA TF believes that states are important laboratories for clean air policy, and accordingly devotes much of its
effort to advocating model state policies, in addition to participating actively in national administrative
rulemakings and judicial proceedings relating to clean air. CATF's work receives favorable notice from
government, industry, and the media; we are frequently consulted by agencies and elected officials of both
parties. The New Republic calls CATF a "respected" voice on clean air policy.
controliln~}' power plant air pollution has been the
focus of CATF since Its founding. In recent years,
MS taken on related projects to commercialize clean
technology, control power plant solid wastes, reduce
emisSions from large diesel engines, and attack air and
climate polJutJon more broadiy across the globe.
Copyright @2006 Clean Air Task Force. All Rights Reserved.
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Boston, MA 02108
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http://www.catf.us/about_ us/ 5/1/2006
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Exposure to diesel exhaust is concentrated near major roadways. (Artist: Alan Morin)
Children Breathe Hazardous Diesel Particulate Matter on School Buses.
A recent study undertaken by Clean Air Task Force in cooperation with P~due University
researchers investigated cabin air quality on yellow buses in three cities (Chicago, IL, Atlanta, GA,
and Ann Arbor MI). 20 In all three U.S. cities researchers found that diesel exhaust routinely
entered into the bus cabin during typical school bus routes from the tailpipe and the engine
compartment through the front door.
.. At many stops, levels entering the bus exceeded multiple times the level of the daily fine
particle (PM2.5) standard.
. During idling and queuing-where buses are parked closely end-to-end-- rapid build up of
fine particles (PM2.5), ultrafine particles and black carbon occurred.
. Most importantly and as demonstrated by CA TF' s research, installation of a diesel
particulate filter and ultralow sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) along with a closed c~a~case
filtration device eliminated all in-cabin particulate matter self-pollution including PM2.5,
ultrafme particles, black carbon and particle bound P AH..
. A closed crankcase filtration system by itself has major benefits and can provide immediate
and low cost reductions in particulate matter levels on school buses that have crankcase
vents by rerouting the crankcase emissions back into the engine instead of into the engine
compartment where it can blow into the front door of the bus.
For a comprehensive report on the study go to: http://www.catf.us/goto/schoolbusrevortl.
Clean Air Task Force 5
Non-Road and On-Road NOx Emissions Continue to Climb.
. Nitrogen oxides are the key ingredient in ground level ozone and an important source of
nitrate particulate matter.
. Whereas NOx and PM emissions from individual new on-road diesel engines have declined
about 80 and 90 percent, respectively since 197021, the overall tons ofNOx from these
sources have increased dramatically because of increases in vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
. Nationally, diesel NOx emissions have doubled since 1970 from 2.8 million tons to the
present level of6 million tons per'year in 2000 (Figure 1). Since 1980, diesel NOx
increased by 30 percent from 4.6 million tons. Since the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments,
diesel NOx rose by 25 percent from 4.8 million tons.
Diesels Are Significant Sources of Mobile Source Air Toxics (MSATs)
. According -to CA TF analysis urban counties are characterized by 3 times the cancer risk of
rural counties in the U.S (see: www.catf.us/2oto/dieselreport). 83 percent of the U.S.
population lives in urban areas.
. Mobile sources contribute a significant percent of the national inventory of air toxics; EP A
has listed diesel particulate matter and diesel exhaust organic gases as well as
formaldehyde, acrolein, and acetaldehyde as 5 of the 21 mobile source air toxiCS.22
. Of mobile sources, diesel engines contribute most significantly to acetaldehyde (47% of
on-road, 73% of non-road), acrolein (29% of on-road, 57% of non road) and formaldehyde
(51 % of on-ro.ad, 68% of non-road).
. Diesel exhaust is a major contributor to ambient levels toxic polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (P AHs) that are associated with significant cancer risks.23, 24 P AH in diesel
fuels has been increasing except in California where it is limited by law.
. Particulate matter is a criteria pollutant, but diesel particulate matter, in part due to its
ability to adsorb toxic gases and metals, is listed by EP A as a motor vehicle air toxic.
. The 1996 National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) determined that formaldehyde (with a
cancer risk of over 10 in a million) affects 100 million people in the U.S.; this is ten times
Clean Air Task Force 6
the one-in-a-million protective level for cancer established by EPA in 1989 for hazardous
air pollutants.. 25
Americans are Exposed to Diesel Exhaust Levels Similar to Some Occupations.
. Most of diesel exposure and health studies have examined the health impacts in
occupational exposure settings (e..g. miners, railroad workers, truckers). Few studies have
assessed the health effects of diesel exhaust in our communities, however those that have
suggest that there may be some overlap between exposure to workers in some occupations . .
and long-term exposures, in our communities (compare tables below..)
. Occupational exposures to diesel particulate matter are typically much higher on a short-
term basis, but when adjusted for annual hours exposed (an "environmental equivalent"
exposure) the dosages may be reasonably close to the range of exposures typical in urban
environments.
Environment f:stinlated DPl\l
:;
Ex osure (uo/m~ )
1~9-
.1.6,
1.9_
':~~~ 1-_,,,
-- 3.0-'--
2.1
3.0
Estimated annual average diesel particulate matter (DPM) exposures in California (Cal
EP A). 26
Occupation En\'ironlnental
Equi\'alent
Ex osure27
Table of environmental "equivalent" exposures to diesel particulate matter (EPA). This is the
calculated equivalent of an occupational exposure spread over 24 hours, 7 days a week. This
data suggests that the greater public is exposed to levels on the lower end of the scale of some
occupational exposures (truckers for example).28 .
Clean Air Task Force 7
References.
1 EPA, Health Assessment Document/or Diesel Exhaust: Office of Research and Development, Sept. 2002. p.2-20.
2 Heavy duty engines emit 95% oftbe pollution from all onroad diesel engines. From: the Projection of Mobile Source
Air Taxies from 1996 to 2007: Emissions and Concentrations August, 2001.
3 Health Effects Institute (1995). Diesel exhaust: a critical analysis of emissions, exposure and health effects.
4 Zhua, Y., Hinds,W., Kimb, S., Shenc, S. and Sioutas, C. (2002). Study ofultrafme particles near a major highway
with heavy-duty diesel traffic Atmospheric Environment 36 (2002) 4323-4335
5 EP A Health Assessment for Diesel Exhaust (2002). EP A declined to assign a unit risk for DPM in the diesel HA,
however EP A has indicated a probable range of 10-3 to 10-5.
6 EP A Health Assessment for Diesel Exhaust (2002) deemed diesel particulate matter a "likely" carcinogen, using yet
to be approved terminology. "Likely" under EPA's proposed terminology is equivalent to "probable" under EPA'g
approved tenninology.
7 Findings of the California Air Resources Board Scientific Review Panel on The Report on Diesel Exhaust as adopted
at the Panel's April 22, 1998, meeting. http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/dieseltac/de-fnds.pdf. See also,
http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/diesItac/diesltac.htm.
8 15 ug/m3
9 Lloyd, A.C., and Cackette, T.A. (2001). Diesel engines: environmental impa~ts and controL Journal of the Air and
Waste Management Association, v. 51, p. 809-847~ June 2001.
10 Lloyd, A.C., and Cackette, T.A. (2001). Diesel engines: environmental impacts and control. Journal of the Air and
Waste Management Association, v. 51, p. 809-847. June 2001.
11 Rodes et al (1998). Measuring concentrations of selected air pollutants inside California vehicles. Report 93U-6786-
000, California Air Resources Board and South Coast Air Quality Management District by Research Triangle Institute,
research Triangle Park, Ne.
12 Fruin et al (2000). Fine particle and black carbon concentrations inside vehicles. lOth Annual Conference of the
International Society of Exposure Analysis, Oct, 2000.
13 See, e.g.:
For summary of occupational studies: Cohen, A.I and Higgins, M.W.P. (1995). Health effects of diesel
exhaust: epidemiology~ In Diesel Exhaust: A critical analysis of emissions, exposure and health effects. p. 251-292.
Health Effects Institute, Cambridge MA, April 1995;
For most comprehensive and recent u.s. study: Railroad study: Garshick, E., Laden, F., Hart, J., Rosner, B~,
Smith, T., Dockery, D. and Speizer, F. (2004). Lung cancer in railroad workers exposed to diesel exhaust.
Environmental Health Perspectives, v. 122, no. 15, p. 1539-1543. November 2004.
For nervous system effects: Kilburn, K.H~ (2000). Effects of diesel exhaust on neurobehavioral and
pulmonary functions. Archives of Environmental Health, v. 55, no. 1, p. 11-17.
14 EPA. Analysis of the Impacts of Control Programs on Motor Vehicle Toxies Emissions and Exposure in Urban
Areas and Nationwide: Volume 1, EPA420-R-99-029, November 1999, Table 10-2~
15 C,alifornia Air Resources Board (2004) Staff report: initial statement of reasons for proposed rulemaking. Proposed
Regulatory Amendments Extending the California Standards for Motor Vehicle Diesel Fuel to Diesel Fuel Used in
Harborcraft and Intrastate Locomotives. October 2004. Available at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/regactlcarblohc/isor.pdf
16 The number per million is the chance in a population of a million people who might be expected to get cancer over a
70-year lifetime. A potential cancer risk of lOin a million means if one million people were exposed to a certain level
of a pollutant or chemical there is a chance that 10 of them may develop cancer over their 70-year lifetime. This would
be 10 new cases of cancer above the expected rate of cancer in the population. Accrording to CARR expected rate of
cancer for all causes, including smoking, is about 200,000 to 250,000 chances in a million (one in four to five people).
17 See e.g.,
Finkelstein, M. Jerrett, M., and Sears, M. (2004) Traffic air pollution and mortality rate advancement periods.
American Journal of Epidemiology, v. 160,p. 173-177.
Peters, A., Von KIot, S, Heier, A., Trentinaglia, I., Hormann, A., Wichma~ E., Lowel, H. (2004)~ Exposure
to traffic and the onset of myocardial infarction. NEJM, v~ 351, no 17, October 15,2004.
Hoek, G., Brunekreef, B., Goldbohm, S., Fischer, P. and van den Brandt, P. (2002). Association between
mortality and indicators of traffic-related air pollution in the Netherlands: a cohort study. The Lancet vol. 360, p.
1203-1209. December 19, 2002.
Clean Air Task Force 8
Brauer, M., Hoek, G., Van Vliet, P, et al (2002 ). Air Pollution from Traffic and the Development of
Respiratory Infections and Asthmatic and Allergic Symptoms in Children. American Journal of Respiratory and
Critical Care Medicine, v.166, p. 1092-1098.
Lin, S., Munsie, J., Hwang, S., Fitzgerald, E and Cayo, M. (2002) Childhood Asthma Hospitalization and
Residential Exposure to State Route Traffic. Environmental Research Section A 88, p. 73-81.
18 See, e.g.:
Kinney, P., Aggarwal, M., Northridge, M., Janssen, N. and Shepard, P. (2000). Airborne Concentrations of
PM2.5 and Diesel Exhaust Particles on Harlem Sidewalks: A Community-Based Pilot Study. Environmental Health
Perspectives, vol 108, no.3.
Lena, S., Ochieng, V., Carter, M., Holguin-Veras, J., and Kinney, P.. (2002) Elemental Carbon and PM2.5
Levels in an Urban Community Heavily Impacted by Truck Traffic. Environmental Health Perspectives, vol 110,
no.10.
19See, e.g.
Weinhold, B. (2001) Pollutants lurk inside vehicles: Don't breathe and drive? Environmental Health
Perspectives, vol. 109, no. 9, September 2001
Riediker, M., Cascio" W., Griggs, T., Herbst, M., Bromberg, P., Neas, L., Williams, R., and,
Devlin, R., (2004). Particulate Matter Exposure in Cars Is Associated with Cardiovascular Effects in Healthy Young
Men. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol 169. pp. 934-940, (2004)Marr, L.C., Grogan,
L.A., Wohrnschimmel, H., Molina, L, Molina, M., Smith, To, Garshick, E. (2004). Vehicle traffic as a source of
particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in the Mexico City metropolitan area. Environmental Science
and Technology, v. 38, no. 9, p. 2584-2592.
Fruin et al (2000). Fine particle and black carbon concentrations inside vehicles. 10th Annual Conference of
the International Society of Exposure Analysis, Oct. ,2000.
20 See the full school bus report at: http://www.catf:us/publications/reports/CATF-Purdue Multi City Bus Study.php
21 Lloyd, A. C., and Cackette, T.A. (2001). Diesel engines: Environmental Impact and ControL Journal of Air and
Waste Management Association, v. 51, p~ 809-847, June 2001.
, 2240 CFR Part 80 & 86, Fed.Reg. Mar. 29,2001 Final Rule. Control of Emissions of Hazardous Air Pollutants from
Mobile Sources, p.17230-17273.
23 www .epa. gOY Ittnlatw Inatalrcharts/figure 18. pdf
24 Lloyd, A.C., and Cackette, T.A. (2001). Diesel engines: environmental impacts and control. Journal of the Air and
Waste Management Association, v. 51, p. 809-847. June 2001.
25 A 1985 court decision that said EP A had to determine that a certain level was safe or that a chosen level would
provide an ample margin of safety. In 1989 EP A published its response to the court protecting the greatest n~ber of
persons possible to an individual lifetime risk level no higher than approximately one in a million. US EP A 1989k.
National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants. 54 FR 38073. Sept. 14, 1989.
26 California Environmental Protection Agency (1998a). Report to the California Air Resources Board on the proposed
identification of diesel exhaust as a toxic air contaminant. Appendix ill, part A: Exposure assessment. April 1998.
27EPA calculates "environmental equivalent" exposure as an occupational exposure * 0.21. The factor assumes 5 day
a week daily exposure, 48 weeks per year over a 45-year career/70 year lifetime.
28 EP A, Health Assessment Document for Diesel Exhaust: Office of Research and Development, September 2002.
Prepared by L.B. Hill Ph.D., Senior Scientist. Revised 2-2005. Assistance was provided by
Barbara Warren.
v. 2 Revised 2-2005
Clean Air Task Force 9