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May 24—A nationwide study released today grades all 50 states and the District of Columbia on their school bus fleets' pollution and cleanup programs. The School Bus Pollution Report Card 2006, researched by the Union of Concerned Scientists and endorsed by the American Lung Association, found that some strides have been made to reduce school bus emissions but more investments need to be made in replacing polluting old buses and retrofitting more recent models. While school buses are the safest form of transportation for kids, high levels of diesel exhaust and soot from school buses continue to pose significant risks to children's health.
"Toxic emissions from school buses have been reduced more than two percent nationwide, but the average school bus still remains one of the oldest vehicles on the road and releases nearly twice as much soot pollution per mile than a big rig," said Patricia Monahan, author of the study and Senior Clean Vehicles Analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Today's technology can cut harmful soot by over 90 percent, helping kids breathe easier."
The Report Card evaluated every state's school bus soot emissions as reported by state officials, then assigned a grade. An A grade was reserved for those states whose average school bus matched the emissions of a bus equipped with the best technology. No state came close to receiving the top grade, and each was instead given a curved grade of B, C, or D. New York and Connecticut were among the states with the best grade while South Dakota and Arkansas ranked with the worst. The Report Card also rated states on school bus cleanup programs, calculating the percent of school bus soot reduced through pollution control retrofits and use of cleaner fuels such as natural gas and biodiesel. Each state received a rank of Good, Above Average, Average, or Poor. States that failed to conduct any cleanup activities received a score of Incomplete.
Diesel exhaust contains small particles and vapors that can include more than 40 toxic air contaminants, including cancer-causing substances. Children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful impacts of air pollution. In polluted areas, kids are more likely to suffer from asthma and hospitalizations. Air pollution can cause deficits in lung growth similar to second hand smoke exposure.
"Breathing diesel exhaust can contribute to increased asthma attacks, which increases ER visits and hospital admissions among children," said Dr. Paul F. Detjen, American Lung Association of Chicago Board member and a Co-Founder of Mobile C.A.R.E., which delivers free medical care and health education to thousands of children living with asthma in underserved Chicago communities. "We need to do whatever we can to reduce the triggers that are contributing to the epidemic of asthma in this country."
The report found the nation's 505,000 school buses are some of the oldest vehicles on the road—more than one third of the buses have been in use for more than a decade. Diesel fuel powers roughly 95 percent of the nation's fleet, and high levels of diesel exhaust and soot expose children to higher risk of asthma, cancer, and other significant health problems. Action on federal, state, and local levels has reduced national soot emissions by only about two percent.
"The Five Rs"—retrofitting, refueling, replacement, repair, and reduced idling—are ways to reduce emissions and reduce health risks for children. Retrofitting buses with soot traps can cut toxic soot pollution more than 85 percent, and switching to alternative fuels can also cut tailpipe pollution. Compared to today's cleaner alternatives, older conventional diesel buses release 10 to over 100 times more soot pollution.
"Whether states received a B, C, or D, they need help improving their grades on protecting children's health," said study author Monahan. "States need increased funding to retrofit and replace fleets so schools won't have to choose between books and buses."
California and Washington have cleanup programs that are making strides in improving their fleets, and their programs set examples for others to follow. Without a major increase in funding for state cleanup programs and bus replacements, however, school buses will continue to pollute more than big rigs. Several federal programs, including EPA's Clean School Bus USA, have played a large role in the improvements that have already been made, but federal programs need to be funded at substantially higher levels to help school districts protect children's health by replacing and retrofitting their school bus fleets. |
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