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Home My WebLink AboutNo Idling No Idling: Protect Children From Diesel Fumes Page 1 of3 ) Protect Children From Diesel Fumes .... Downloadable resources .." More information Schools educate on Minnesota's fIno idling" law and links ... Press release In May 2002" Minnesota adopted legislation The U~ S. Environmental (October 2002) to protect the health and safe~ of children Protection Agency has from harm:fuI diesel bus, emissions~ This law determined that diesel fumes calls for schools to reduce the unnecessary contain 40 toxic chemicals, The OEA is committed idling of school buses in front of schools:t including 15 carcinogens. to helping schools reduce diesel bus and reroute bus parking zones away from . _ .: _~, _ . _, ,. ~." .. ~ . _ ,. _ , r. , fumes that put children o".;-! J . , , \ ~< - ., ." ~:o- air-intake vents (or if necessary, relocate the r. ,~ . ' . at risk and harm air-intake ~ents)~ '. : ' , . .... ." . ~ ~ ' r _._. _ . -. .. - ~ , . Minnesota's - . ~ . - ,. - ~ - ..,. ~ .. 1_ . < ' -, ; :'<~! - .._':."...':'.~.:.:'.~;~.._.;~...,\..~...._'.._~ I environment We must . -, . ~ -,. . , - . -. . ,. - - ~, '..", -. - The Minnesota Office of Environmental .,fcC......;;'..' work together to Assistance is working with the Sierra Club implement the new no and other health-based organizations to idling law and cut down provide resources to help your school protect on diesel emissions. students from diesel emissions.. We have sample letters to help explain the new -Sherry Enzler, law, posters and camera-ready signs for Clean Air Zones.. We also have Director Minnesota gathered information on private~ federal and state funds to help your school Office of Environmental reduce students' exposure to diesel emissioDS. Assistance Toxic chemicals in diesel emissions increase the risk of asthma, lung and heart disease, and are responsible for as many as 125,000 cancers nationwide. Yale University's Dr. JOM Wargo recently found that students on school buses are exposed to 5 to 15 times the levels of particulate pollution than at nearby monitoring sites. Bus idling and bus queuing (back-to-front line-up of buses) increases the concentrations of harmful particulate pollution inside school buses~ It is with this knowledge that the state of Minnesota took action in the interest of students and communities.. Take action: Simple steps for schools Schools can begin with these simple steps to minimize children's exposure to harmful diesel emissions~ By adopting a no-idling policy and redesigning bus parking zones, schools can protect the health of students... 1. Implement a no-idling policy. Post "no idling" signs and alert bus drivers, parents and administrators that engines should be turned off when a bus (or any vehicle) is waiting, or parked.. Buses generally do not need to idle, except in cold weather. 2. Redesign bus parking zones. Move bus parking area away from school air intake vents and park buses at a diagonal to avoid front-to- back passing of emissions to help reduce students' exposure to emissions. Beyond the mandate of the new law, your school can reduce students' exposure to diesel emissions by good maintenance of your current bus fleet and investment in cleaner fuels and technologies, such as exhaust pipe retrofits for current buses, use ofbiodieseL and the purchase of newer, cleaner buses, over the long term~ http:/ /www.moea. state~mn.. us/ee/noidle..cfm 4/28/2006 No Idling: Protect Children From Diesel Fumes Page 2 of 3 ! . Downloadable resources for schools Handout I "No Idling: Young Lungs at Work" Turn off .:1=>.- S~mple y. oureng. ine mSlngle m 4 on a page ("4-up") Posters mNo Idling: Young Lungs at Work mTurn Off Your Engine: Clean Air Zone ~. No Idling: Children Breathing mTurn Off Your Engine: Kids Breathe Here Sample "No Idling" Policy ~ Sample School Board Policy (December 2002) Sample newsletter article m School Idling Policy Notification: Sample Article for Parents/School Newsletters (January 2003) Curricula and lesson plans The Sierra Club North Star Student Group's curriculum on air quality and school bus idling is designed for students in grades 3- 8. Their web site also includes detailed information for additionaJ projects and activities. For more information ....:"...:'- P. ","\ To. . obtain information" resources and assistance in taking ..-.~"'.'.' steps to become a Cleaner Bus School and/or to report . ..,' , steps you have already taken to reduce exposure to diesel S"" .. '^'.'.' emissions, log on to' " J E RRA http://northstar . si errac lub. org/ c am paigns/ air/schoo 1 bus/ind ex. h t C Lll B and complete the online enrollment form. '~"~ol;~iiid';~;;:i'"'" If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Rosier, Sierra Club, at 612- 659-9124~ http://www~moeawstate.mn.us/ee/noidle~cfm 4/28/2006 No Idling: Protect Children From Diesel Fumes Page 3 of3 _, '.1.. Links Clean School Bus USA (U..S. EPA) I www.epa.9 ov lele anschoolbusl The goal of Clean School Bus USA is to reduce both children's exposure to diesel exhaust and the amount of air poDution created by diesel school buses~ This initiative brings together partners ~ from busi.ness, education, transportation, , ~ -.Y ~. , " and public health organizations to work toward these goals: encouraging policies and practices to eliminate unnecessary pubHc school bus idling; upgrading buses that will remain in the fleet with better emission control technologies and/or fueling them with cleaner fuels; replacing the oldest buses in the fleet with new, less polluting buses.. Diesel Exhaust (U..S.. EPA, Region 1) I www.epa.gov/neleco/diesel/ The New England region has provided some very interesting resources on the growing concern about pollution from diesel engines, including a special focus on school buses.. They have some downloadable resources and useful links.. Idling Reduction (U.S~ EPA) I www.epa.gov/smartway/idling.htm The EPA is working with the trucking industry, manufacturers of idle control technologies, various states, and other partners to help save fuel and reduce air pollution from idling trucks. Diesel Exhaust and Children (Environment and Human Health, Ine..) I www.ehhi.org/diesel/ Research by EHHIJ published in the report Children's Exposure to Diesel Exhaust on Schoof Buses (February 2002) strongly supports reducing the amount of idling by school buses as a way to protect children's respiratory heath.. Clean School Bus campaign (Union of Concerned Scientists) I http://cleanschoolbus.org Another campaign focusing on emissions from school buses. Included on their site is, research, state rankings related to school bus emissions, and materials for organizing campaigns to reduce childrens' exposure to diesel exhaust. Motor Vehicle Pollution (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) I www.pca .state. mn. us/ai r/mvpollution .html The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency works with the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce air quality standards, and reduce motor vehicle pollution. Car Talk web site I http://www.cartalk.com/content/eco/tips.html The hosts of Car Talk, the Tappet brothers (aka "Click and Clack") offer a series of tips for making driving more environmentally acceptable.. One of them is "stop your idling.." Last update August 2005 I October 2002 Email questions or comments for OEA's Environmental Education unit http://www..moea..state.mn.us/ee/noidle.cfm 4/28/2006