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High air pollution from idling construction vehicles

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A no idling sign (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

A no idling sign (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

New Jersey has linked high levels of air pollution to idling construction vehicles and equipment and says it "will be taking action" to protect air quality.

It is illegal to idle for more than three minutes if a vehicle isn't moving or equipment is not in use, according to a Department of Environmental Protection compliance advisory.

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High levels of nitrogen dioxide have been recorded at air monitors several times in the last 10 months, the advisory says. Nitrogen dioxide contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone and particle pollution.

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DEP investigations determined that the high levels were caused by emissions from idling construction vehicles/equipment near the air monitors, the advisory says.

Nitrogen dioxide is emitted by cars, trucks, buses and off-road equipment. Still, New Jersey meets the federal standard for nitrogen oxide pollution on a statewide basis, according to the advisory.

Breathing ozone can trigger various health problems, including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation and congestion. It can worsen bronchitis, emphysema and asthma, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Particles can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems, even death.

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Ground-level ozone can reduce lung function and inflame lung linings. Repeated exposure may permanently scar lung tissue, the EPA says. Children, people with lung disease, older adults and people who are active outdoors, including workers, may be particularly sensitive to the gas.

But children are at greatest risk because their lungs are still developing and they're more likely to be active outdoors, when ozone levels are high. Children are also more likely to have asthma than adults, according to the EPA.

Many scientific studies have linked particle pollution to various problems, including: premature death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function and increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing, according to the EPA.

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People with heart or lung diseases, children and older adults are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure. Yet even healthy people may experience temporary symptoms from exposure to elevated levels of particles, according to the EPA.

The DEP says it will continue to respond to citizen complaints and perform periodic idling enforcement sweeps. The agency says people can call the DEP 24-hour hotline (1-877-WARN-DEP) to report suspected violations of the idling standards. Local police can also issue penalties for idling infractions. Failing to follow idling standards may lead to enforcement actions and civil fines, starting at $250 per day, for the property owner and the vehicle/equipment operator, according to the advisory.

The advisory also offers these tips:

- Ensure that construction vehicles and equipment don't idle for more than three consecutive minutes if they're not in motion or not in use.

- Adopt a no-idling policy for your vehicle and equipment operators and encourage them to follow it. It will save you money and protect their health.

- Explore the use of automatic shut-down devices for vehicles and equipment.

- Check the rules for more detail: Subchapter 14: Control and Prohibition of Air Pollution from Diesel-Powered Motor Vehicles: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/aqm/Sub14_Rule.pdf. Subchapter 15: Control and Prohibition of Air Pollution from Gasoline-Fueled Motor Vehicles at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/aqm/Sub15v2002-12-26.pdf

 


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