Diesel and Health in America

The report estimates that diesel fine particle pollution causes approximately 21,000 premature deaths annually in the U.S., with significant risks of lung cancer, heart attacks, and asthma. It argues that while EPA regulations for new engines starting in 2007 are positive, the long lifespan of existing diesel vehicles (nearly 30 years) necessitates immediate retrofit actions. The document proposes a reduction target of 50% by 2010, 75% by 2015, and 85% by 2020, which could save nearly 100,000 lives by 2030. Recommended solutions include diesel particulate filters (DPF), Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), and anti-idling ordinances.

• Fine particle pollution from diesel vehicles is estimated to cause nearly 21,000 premature deaths each year in the U.S., including approximately 3,000 deaths from lung cancer.
• Diesel exhaust presents a significantly higher cancer risk than other air toxics; the national average lifetime cancer risk is over 350 times the U.S. EPA's acceptable level of one cancer per million persons.
• Beyond mortality, diesel fine particles are linked to 410,000 asthma attacks, 27,000 heart attacks, and 12,000 cases of chronic bronchitis annually in the U.S.
• The economic cost of health damages resulting from the U.S. diesel fleet's fine particle pollution is estimated at $139 billion for the year 2010.
• Urban populations face a lung cancer risk from diesel exhaust that is three times higher than those in rural areas, with residents of eleven urban counties facing risks exceeding 1,000 cases per million.
• An aggressive program to reduce diesel fine particle emissions by 50% by 2010, 75% by 2015, and 85% by 2020 could save nearly 100,000 lives between 2005 and 2030, over and above EPA's new engine regulations.
• Existing diesel vehicles pose a long-term threat because the median lifetime for a heavy truck is nearly 30 years, meaning old engines will continue to pollute for decades unless retrofitted.
• Retrofit technologies, specifically catalyzed diesel particulate matter filters (DPF) combined with Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD), can reduce fine particle emissions by over 90%.
• Children are particularly vulnerable to diesel exhaust; a study in Chicago, Atlanta, and Ann Arbor found that particulate matter in school bus cabins can exceed outdoor levels by ten times, though retrofits can eliminate these particles.

APA

Schneider, C. G., & Hill, L. B. (2005). Diesel and Health in America. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/21093809/CATF_Pub_Diesel_Health_America.pdf

Chicago

Schneider, Conrad G., and L. Bruce Hill. Diesel and Health in America. Clean Air Task Force, 2005. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/21093809/CATF_Pub_Diesel_Health_America.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Schneider |first1=Conrad G. |last2=Hill |first2=L. Bruce |title=Diesel and Health in America |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=February 2005 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/21093809/CATF_Pub_Diesel_Health_America.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{schneider2005diesel, author = {Schneider, Conrad G. and Hill, L. Bruce}, title = {{Diesel and Health in America}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2005}, month = feb, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/21093809/CATF_Pub_Diesel_Health_America.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }