Mining up the truth

A long-awaited study by the National Cancer Institute has finally been released after 20 years of research on more than 12,000 miners, and more than 10 years of lobbying by the Miners Awareness Research Group, which tried to stop or stall the publication of findings. The results indicate that those miners directly exposed to diesel emissions (ever-underground workers) were some 3 times more likely to die of lung cancer than those exposed to low doses (surface workers), and 7 times more likely for miners who were also non-smokers.  An even clearer relationship was discovered by segregating those miners who had worked underground at some point with surface workers and comparing them, which revealed increasing risk with increasing direct exposure; however, even low exposure increased the risk for lung cancer 50% over the general public. The study began in the interest of building on similar studies that have insinuated a link between diesel exhaust and cancer.  Other entities have already made the connection, such as the state of California, which labelled diesel engine exhaust (DEE) a human carcinogen over a decade ago and has been acting accordingly ever since, with a huge diesel cleanup programprojected to reduce soot by 90% in three years.   In cities like Los Angeles, New York and Beijing, the average levels of respirable carbon in the air can often mirror the levels tested in the workers’ conditions in the study, which logically progresses to urban residents experiencing the same risk for lung cancer.  As one of the study authors, Debra Silverman states, “if the diesel exhaust/lung cancer relation is causal, the public health burden of the carcinogenicity of inhaled diesel exhaust in workers and in populations of urban areas with high levels of diesel exposure may be substantial.”

An editorial released along with the study suggests that although the results seem dismal, the best approach is to focus on the future, which can be changed by implementing the various engineering controls and upgrades to equipment, improved ventilation and education for better worker practices that have been refined in recent years. Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum, recently issued a statement that boasts, “Advancements in diesel technology have consistently contributed to clean air progress around the country. …For example, over the last 10 years alone, emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks and buses have been reduced by 99 percent for nitrogen oxides (NOx) – an ozone precursor – and 98 percent for particulate emissions.”

You can read the full journal articles on the study here and here.

UPMC Shows Strong Initiative In Limiting Emissions

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, with its multiple campuses and nearly four million admits per year (not including statistics from their satellite hospital in Sicily!), is well-known as one of the United State’s leading health care systems.  A recent action taken by UPMC policymakers proves that the organization’s commitment to its patrons is total – encompassing their well-being even after they exit their room and pass through the hospital doors on their way home.  In summary, UPMC requires that any construction equipment greater than 25 horsepower used on any UPMC property must meet the new federal Clean Air Act standards, regardless of whether the equipment is new or old, and regardless of when the standards go into effect on the national scale.  Construction equipment makes up a considerable portion of our region’s diesel particulate emissions and thus is an important sector to focus on cleaning up. A large construction site can create a public health risk for the surrounding community by consistently emitting large amounts of soot into the air. Hospitals have an obligation to promote healthy lifestyles and communities and to safeguard patients’ health, making UPMC’s announcement that much more significant.

More details can be found on UPMC’s website.

Harvard University Study Links Diabetes Epidemic to Airborne Soot

Over the past 15 years diabetes prevalence has more than doubled in the U.S. A major new study conducted by Harvard University researchers has established for the first time that particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air, a major component of diesel emissions, is linked to diabetes. Hundreds of medical studies have linked exposure to particulate matter to lung and heart disease and premature death, but this is the first nationwide study to quantitatively link diabetes to particulate matter exposure in U.S. cities.

Read the Allegheny County Partnership to Reduce Diesel Pollution’s press release here.

Also, check out the Post Gazette editorial, The dirt on diesel

ACHd approves $800,000 for diesel cleanup projects

The Diesel Partnership held a press conference near the dramtic backdrop of the old Children’s Hospital demolition site Thursday to announce The Allegheny County Health Department’s approval of $800,000 of Clean Air Fund money to be used to retrofit or repower construction equipment from small companies to make them much cleaner. GASP and Clean Water Action initiated this request and saw it through all the way to this victory. Applicants will be judged on criteria such as the amount of pollution they can reduce and the amount of business they do within the county. This pot of funding helps address industry concerns about a pending City Council bill which would require cleaner construction vehicles on large publicly-funded projects. Kudos to ACHD for approving this swiftly, and stay tuned for updates! Click here to see footage from the press conference.

EPA Grant to Help Green the Port of Pittsburgh Diesel emissions will be significantly reduced

Release date: 07/28/2010

Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543, smith.bonnie@epa.gov & Mary Anne Bucci, 412-201-7331, mary_ann@port.pittsburgh.pa.us
 

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (July 28, 2010) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today awarded a $1,156,838 grant to the Port of Pittsburgh Commission to oversee extensive repowering of four marine towing vessels with new, more efficient diesel engines and generators that will reduce air pollution, improve air quality and lessen overall environmental impacts. The grant was awarded under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act.

“Putting clean diesel engines in these hard-working marine vessels will bring cleaner, healthier air for communities along the Port’s 200-miles of navigable waterways,” said EPA mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “EPA is pleased to support the Port of Pittsburgh in sustaining its operations while doing what’s necessary to protect people’s health and the environment.

EPA and the Port were joined by the Allegheny County Health Department, the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), Clean Water Action Network, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and representatives from the three cooperating companies – – Campbell Transportation Company, Consol Energy and River Salvage, Inc.

“This grant, and the actions of these companies, will take the greenest, least polluting mode of surface transportation, and make it even greener. Each tow of 15 barges moves the equivalent of over 1,000 trucks. This industry is very proud of the contribution we make to reducing congestion and air pollution. Just by taking trucks off of the roads, we serve industries that could not be located here without the waterways. Today we can be even prouder,” said James McCarville, Executive Director of the Port of Pittsburgh Commission.

In addition to EPA’s grant, the Pittsburgh Port Commission and three participating private companies will spend $1.97 million for a total of more than $3 million to repower the four vessels with cleaner burning engines. Each year, the engines will eliminate over 112 tons of nitrous oxide, 15 tons of carbon monoxide, five tons of particulate matter and two tons of hydrocarbons from the local air.

Clean diesel projects help address health issues including asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments.

The Port of Pittsburgh is the second busiest inland port in the U.S., moving 30 to 40 million tons of cargo a year worth $6.6 billion. The Port provides an annual benefit to the region of $873 million and provides 45,000 jobs. For more information on the Port see: http://www.port.pittsburgh.pa.us.

Following this morning’s media event at the Port, a workshop will be held at Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Southwest Regional office to encourage additional diesel emission reduction projects throughout the region.

Visit EPA’s National Clean Diesel Campaign at http://www.epa.gov/diesel/.
EPA’s website at Clean Ports USA at http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/ports/index.htm.
EPA’s regional diesel website at http://www.epa.gov/reg3artd/diesel/index.htm.

For additional local information visit: the Allegheny County Partnership to Reduce Diesel Pollution at https://pghdieselcleanup.wordpress.com/diesel-facts/.