Diesel exhaust is costing Oregon billions of dollars each year in health care costs, lost lives and missed work and school.
“In pediatrics, we want to prevent kids from getting sick. We are asking parents to take individual action. But there’s nothing we can do to get them to prevent exposing their kids to air pollution. It’s only good public policy that can help protect kids in that way.” — Dr. Paul Lewis, MD, MPH; Tri-County Health Officer
Diesel exhaust consists of particles and gases including 44 toxic substances. At least 80% of diesel exhaust is microscopic sooty particles so small that, when inhaled, they can enter the bloodstream and lodge in the brain, heart and placenta. Infants and children, elders, and those with health problems are at highest risk of harm.
In a hearing before an Oregon Senate subcommittee on February 23, 2017, Oregon’s health experts weighed in on the importance of reducing exposure to diesel pollution.
“What is it that is special about diesel that warrants additional controls? Well, it penetrates deep into the lung. It goes past the defenses that we all have. What we’re talking about with diesel is a tiny, tiny particle… they actually get into the gas exchange regions [of the lungs]. We can see these particles transferred to the heart tissue…and the brain.”— William Lambert, Epidemiologist, OHSU
“A concern for diesel in particular, where there’s a high emissions rate for nano-particles and ultrafine particles, they can actually reach the brain directly through the olfactory bulb. A study was able to visualize these nano-particles within the brain tissue. This research area is still very much emerging.”— Dr. Perry Hystad, Epidemiologist, OSU
“We worry about pregnancy and exposure to the developing fetus, and children and their developing lungs. Lung growth is less if you live in areas with a lot of particulate pollution. You actually end up growing less lung.”— Dr. Paul Lewis, MD, MpH, Tri-County Health Officer
“Some of the most carcinogenic [elements of diesel exhaust] are not very volatile, so they wouldn’t on their own be airborne. But they can become airborne because they adhere to these particles. So the particle becomes the vehicle to move this more potent [element] into the lung that would not normally get there through inhalation.” — Dr. David Farrer, toxicologist, OHA
Passed by the Oregon Legislature on June 30, 2019, HB 2007 is the 2nd strongest diesel legislation in the nation.
Diesel pollution is one of Oregon’s greatest toxic air pollution problems, costing us billions in lost lives and health care costs across the state. Years ago, Oregon set a goal of reducing diesel pollution to meet the state’s health benchmark. Today, we are only 2% of the way towards achieving our goal.
In the 2019 legislative session, 16 legislators, including ch
Oregon’s path to clearing the air of diesel pollution is a long one, but 2019 is the year to get serious about solutions. Check out our timeline for the policies—and missed deadlines—that have led us to this moment of change.
Why do we need to act now to reduce diesel pollution from heavy-duty engines? Because it’s not only one of Oregon’s biggest air quality problems—it contributes to all of them. According to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s , Oregon’s “air pollutants of greatest concern” are:
Registered nurse Helen Rodman and her team at the Multnomah County Healthy Homes Asthma Program work with low-income families to help them manage childhood asthma. They have a kit of practical tools to reduce asthma triggers in the home: mold and dust mites, pests and harsh cleaning chemicals. But when it comes to outdoor air pollution like diesel exhaust, they don’t have a tool to fix that problem.
“I can tell you that the people I
How do people in Lents experience air pollution as they play soccer, wait for the bus, or simply live near high-traffic routes and industrial sites where diesel engines are used?
To better understand diesel pollution in our daily lives, Lents neighbors worked to locate, observe and sample the tiny particles of black carbon in the air.
This month, Oregon’s cross-agency team of experts made it very clear: None of our current efforts to reduce diesel pollution have worked, or will work, to meet our state’s goals for protecting human and environmental health.
“Diesel emissions impacts to human health and the environment are not being adequately addressed by the DEQ [Department of Environmental Quality] or through Toxics Reduction Strategy planning.”
This matter-of-fact statement, and details about Orego
