Vehicle Emission Dangers Well Documented

Some recent research clearly outlines the health dangers of vehicle emissions:

• Almost 16,000 babies arrive early each year due at least in part to air pollution, according to a recent study led by Dr. Leonardo Trasande, an environmental health researcher at New York University School of Medicine. The research concluded that approximately 3 percent of preterm births in the U.S. can be attributed to air pollution, based on data from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Institute of Medicine. A build-up of toxic chemicals in the blood can cause immune system stress that weakens the placenta and shortens the amount of time the baby can remain in the womb. (Reuters, March 29, 2016)

•  A study available from the National Institutes of Health found that urban air with high levels of cancer-causing benzene and ultrafine particulate matter (both found in vehicle emissions) are associated with DNA damage in people living near high-traffic areas.  More HERE. 

• A study by the Environmental Protection Agency found that climate change will likely lead to higher levels of ground-level ozone, which in turn can lead to increased rates of premature death, allergic sensitivity, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease. More HERE. 

• A study conducted by Tufts University School of Medicine and Boston University School of Public Health focused on Boston residents who live or spend a significant amount of time near Interstate 93 and the Massachusetts Turnpike. The study, which included blood sample analysis, found that those living within 1,500 feet of a highway have increased chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke due to increased exposure to microscopic metals and chemicals spewed from vehicles. More HERE.

• According to information from Dr. Michelle Hoffman with the University of Utah Department of Pediatrics, proximity to traffic is a key component in the level of danger posed by vehicle emissions. Much higher exposures to traffic-related air pollutants occur within 30 meters compared to greater than 200 meters. Some 11 percent of U.S. households are located within 100 meters of four-lane highways. Near highway pollutants may pose greater health risks than ambient air pollutants. Because of their common source (vehicle emissions) the levels of ultrafine particulate matter, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and black carbon (soot) are highly correlated. More HERE.

 The American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest (ALAUM) strongly recommends the use of higher blends of American Ethanol as a way to improve air quality and reduce the human health threats posed by toxic vehicle emissions. “Every time you pull up to the pump, you make a choice. So choosing fuel with American Ethanol is a pretty easy way to help reduce air pollution – and make the air cleaner and safer for you and your family,” said Angela Tin, ALAUM vice president for environmental health. “American Ethanol is clearly the clean air choice.”