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February 28, 2007

Report: Those diesel fumes can be dangerous

PROVIDENCE – Exposure to diesel fumes during the daily commute in buses, cars, ferries and trains can be dangerous to your health.

That was the conclusion of a report released today by the Clean Air Task Force, an environmental organization based in Boston. The group studied diesel particle levels in commuting vehicles in Boston, New York, Austin and Columbus.

Fine particles in diesel pollution can lead to many respiratory infections and other health problems, including asthma, lung cancer and heart disease. In Rhode Island alone, diesel pollution leads to 50 premature deaths, 80 non-fatal heart attacks and 900 asthma attacks each year, according to the Clean Air Task Force.

Representatives from the American Lung Association of Rhode Island, Clean Water Action, and Environment Rhode Island seized the report as an opportunity to draw attention to local air problems. They held a press conference this afternoon under the State House rotunda.

Molly Clark, the director of environmental health for the American Lung Association, said that air pollution in Rhode Island is a serious concern. “Some people don’t recognize they’re getting pollution,” Clark said. “People who don’t live in congested areas don’t realize how much they’re getting. It’s everybody’s issue.”

-- Journal environment writer Michelle J. Lee

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 7:02 PM | Permalink

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