Preventing Illness and Mitigating Climate Change through Clean Construction Policies and other Simple Diesel Pollution Reduction Measures

Many of the issues we work on require complicated and time-consuming approaches, but a solution to one significant health and climate problem is fairly simple. Particulate diesel soot (PM) has been linked to diabetes, stroke, heart attack, cancer and over 21,000 premature deaths in the U.S. annually. As a warming pollutant, the black carbon component (BC) is about 2000 times more potent than CO2. However, we can virtually eliminate this threat with diesel particulate filters (DPFs) that remove over 90% of PM and BC from exhaust, immediately reducing a serious health threat and a potent source of global warming pollution. Filters are required on new vehicles but old dirty diesel engines are not being replaced quickly enough and must be cleaned-up.

• Unregulated prior to 1996, pollution from construction equipment is of special concern because the durability of diesel engines means much construction equipment in use today lack modern PM pollution controls. Adopting Clean Construction practices can protect patients, staff and community members from exposure on site, encourage financial support, and be leveraged for clean air benefits elsewhere. The Diesel Clean-Up Campaign, coordinated by Brooke Suter of the Clean Air Task Force, works on the local, state and national levels.

Endorsed by over 500 organizations across the country, the campaign has a presence in all 50 states and the District of Columbia providing a robust network to leverage any action into more clean air benefits. In addition to legislative initiatives such the introduction of the bi-partisan Clean Construction Act of 2011 in both houses of Congress, the campaign is also providing “Clean Construction” and “Climate” Tool Kits to those interested in taking action locally.