Nature of Air Pollution in California

Nature of Air Pollution in California

Bart Croes, ChiefResearch Division

[email protected]

Unique, Adverse Meteorology Lowest Per Capita Emission Targets

Onshore circulation pattern, high temperatures, stagnant air masses, and mountain ranges that trap pollutants lead to ...

Population Carrying Capacity (VOC+NOX) (million) (tpd) (lb/person/yr) Los Angeles 16.9 840 36San Joaquin Valley 4.1 630 69Houston 5.5 1360 181

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Air pollution causes premature deathCalifornia estimates

Pollutant Annual Deaths*

PM2.5 7,300 to 11,000

Ozone 300 to 1000

Toxic Air Contaminants <400

*2006-2008 for PM2.5; 2005 for ozone and TACNote: 233,00 total deaths in 2010 3

Cancer risks from airborne toxics* (90% of risk from traffic pollutants)

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* Estimated 400 cases/year in 2005 (dioxins not included). 4

Major California control programs• Smoke controls began in 1945

– Backyard burning, open burning at garbage dumps, industrial smoke• Hydrocarbon controls begin in 1956

– Gasoline storage tanks and trucks• 1970s

– Industrial SOX controls– Lead and RVP limits for gasoline– Three-way catalysts for passenger cars

• 1980s– On-board diagnostics– Low-sulfur gasoline and diesel

• 1990s– Air toxics

• 2000s and beyond– Light trucks meet same standards as cars– Diesel PM and NOX

– Greenhouse gases

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California emission trends

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Ozone trends in Los Angeles

050

100150200250300350

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Days

00.10.20.30.40.50.60.7

Conc

entrat

ion

(ppm

)

Stage 2 Alerts (0.35 ppm)

Stage 1 Alerts (0.20 ppm)

State Standard Exceedances

Peak 1 Hr Ozone

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Ozone trends in California

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

0.30

0.35

1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008

Peak

Con

cent

ratio

n (p

pm)

San Francisco Bay Area

San Diego

San Joaquin Valley

California Standard

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Nitrates and organics dominate California PM2.5 (because of low sulfur emissions)

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PM2.5 exposures across California

1999 20061987

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As PM2.5 declined, has life expectancy increased?

Overall change in U.S. (1980 to 2000)2.7 years improvement (health care, lifestyle, diet)

For every decrease of 10 µg/m3 PM2.50.61 (± 0.20) years improvement

Reductions in PM2.5 accounted for 15% of U.S. life expectancy improvement

Pope et al. (2009) Fine particulate air pollution and life expectancy in the United States, New England Journal of Medicine, 360: 376-386.

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In-vehicle exposures can dominate

• In-Vehicle = Centerline > Roadside >> Ambient• Examples of in-vehicle-to-ambient ratios

– Benzene: 4-8 times higher, 15-20% of total exposure (LA)1

– Diesel: 5-15 times higher, 30 -55% of total exposure (CA)2

– 1,3-Butadiene: 50 to 100 times higher3

• Location of emissions matter– Exhaust high and at front of leading vehicle produces 5

times less in-vehicle impacts than exhaust low and at rear of vehicle

1Rodes, et al. (1998) 2Fruin, et al. (2004) 3Duffy and Nelson (1997)12

Costs of Control0.5% GDP (US 1990-2020)

Benefits of Control$10-95 in health benefits for each $1 of control (US 1970-1990)$30 in health benefits for each $1 of control (US 1990-2020)*

Air pollution control industry – 32,000 jobs and $6.2B (CA 2001)Clean energy industry – 123,000 jobs and $27B (CA 2009)

13U.S. EPA Reports to Congress on The Benefits and Costs of the Clean Air Act (www.epa.gov/air/sect812/index.html)* 1990-2020 uncertainty analysis under development

Summary• California per capita emissions must be lowest in U.S.• Current air pollution health risk

– PM2.5 >> ozone > air toxics• Emissions control focus

– 1950s and 1960s: smoke– 1970s and 1980s: lead, SOX, hydrocarbons and NOX

– 1990s to present: diesel PM and NOX, air toxics, GHG

• Air quality improved 75-90% despite growth• On-road controls have greatest benefits• Benefits much greater than control costs

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Extra slides

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California’s air pollution problem

Unique geography and meteorology confine air pollutants

Over 90% of Californians breathe unhealthy air

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38 M people90 people per km2

24 M gasoline cars1.3 M diesel vehicles1.4 B km per day18 M off-road engines3 large container ports

Air pollution reduced 75-90% despite growth

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50

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150

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CarbonMonoxide

NitrogenDioxide

SulfurDioxide

Population Number of Vehicles

VehicleMiles

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Ozone – Los Angeles peak reduced 70%, hours of exposure by 90%PM10 – annual-average levels reduced 75% Air toxics – lead eliminated, cancer risk reduced 80% (since 1989)Black carbon – reduced 90% (95% by 2020)

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Study of U.S. trucking industryCompared with U.S. population:– All-cause death rate:

• 28% lower

However:– Heart disease death rate:

• Drivers 49% higher• Dockworkers 32% higher

– Lung cancer death rate:• Drivers 10% higher• Dockworkers 10% higherLaden, et al. (2007) Cause-specific mortality in the unionized U.S. trucking industry,

Environmental Health Perspectives, 115:1192-1196. 19