Helena Joyce
Air pollution is a pressing issue in the United States, with nearly half of the population exposed to unhealthy levels of pollution, according to the American Lung Association's State of the Air report. While there has been a general reduction in common air pollutants since 1980, the problem of pollution is worsening for many Americans. This is due to a variety of factors, including extreme weather events, wildfires, and the continued use of fossil fuels such as gasoline. Gasoline-powered vehicles, in particular, contribute to air pollution through the emission of harmful substances such as nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter, which have detrimental effects on human health and the environment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Air pollutants that pose severe health risks | Mercury, lead, dioxins, and benzene |
| Most common sources of smog and soot | Cars, trucks, factories, power plants, incinerators, engines, and fossil fuel combustion |
| Effects of smog on human health | Eye and throat irritation, lung damage, worsening of asthma and allergies, bronchitis, heart attacks |
| Groups vulnerable to air pollution | People of color, Hispanic individuals, children, senior citizens, outdoor workers, people with asthma or allergies |
| Progress in air quality improvement | EPA estimates a 78% decrease in total emissions of six principal air pollutants between 1970 and 2023 |
| Recent trends in emissions | CO2 emissions from the industrial sector decreased by 1% in 2024, residential sector emissions decreased by 3% in 2024, transportation sector emissions remained unchanged in 2024 |
| Largest source of direct greenhouse gas emissions | Transportation sector, with over 94% of fuel used being petroleum-based, including gasoline and diesel |
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What You'll Learn
Gasoline vapors and smog
Gasoline is a highly toxic and flammable liquid that is primarily used as fuel for cars, light trucks, motorcycles, small aircraft, boats, and landscaping and construction equipment. The vapors released when gasoline evaporates, as well as the substances produced when it is burned (such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and unburned hydrocarbons), contribute to air pollution.
The Clean Air Act, first passed in 1970, aims to reduce air pollution in the United States by requiring engines and fuels to produce fewer emissions. As a result of this legislation, leaded gasoline was phased out, and emissions-control devices and cleaner-burning engines were mandated. These efforts have led to a substantial reduction in airborne lead concentrations and overall improvements in air quality since 1980.
However, despite these improvements, air pollution remains a significant issue. Smog, a type of intense air pollution, is closely associated with the combustion of fossil fuels, including gasoline. It occurs when emissions from burning gasoline react with sunlight, forming secondary pollutants that combine with primary emissions to create photochemical smog. This type of pollution is particularly prevalent in large cities and during the summer months when there is more sunlight.
The health risks associated with gasoline vapors and smog are significant. Short-term exposure to smog can irritate the eyes, throat, and lungs, especially for children, seniors, and those with asthma or allergies. Prolonged exposure to smog can lead to severe sickness, a shortened lifespan, and even premature death. Similarly, extended exposure to gasoline vapors can cause serious health complications, and ingestion of even small quantities can be fatal. Animal studies have also linked continuous exposure to gasoline vapors to liver and kidney cancer, although more research is needed to confirm this link in humans.
To address the issues of gasoline vapors and smog, a transition to cleaner fuels and industrial processes is necessary. This includes adopting renewable energy sources, improving fuel efficiency, and replacing gasoline-powered vehicles with electric alternatives. Such measures not only reduce air pollution but also mitigate the global warming that exacerbates its health impacts.
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Health risks and environmental justice
Gasoline is a toxic and highly flammable liquid that poses significant health risks. When gasoline evaporates, it releases vapors that contain harmful substances such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and unburned hydrocarbons. These vapors, as well as the substances produced when gasoline is burned, contribute to air pollution. Inhalation of small amounts of gasoline vapors can cause nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and breathing difficulties.
The combustion of gasoline also produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. While emissions of common air pollutants in the United States have decreased since 1980, the changing climate is making it more challenging to maintain and improve air quality. Extreme heat, drought, and wildfires are exacerbating air pollution, particularly in the western states, and putting millions of people at risk.
Environmental justice studies have revealed racial and ethnic disparities in air pollution exposure across the United States. Despite overall reductions in air pollution emissions, communities of color are disproportionately affected by unhealthy air quality and are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions that increase their vulnerability to air pollution, such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. Hispanic individuals, for example, are nearly three times as likely as white individuals to live in communities with failing air quality grades.
To address air pollution and environmental justice issues, the Clean Air Act (CAA) was enacted in 1970. The CAA seeks to reduce air pollution by requiring engines and fuels to produce fewer emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented various measures to reduce pollution from gasoline use, including requiring emissions-control devices, cleaner-burning engines, and reformulated gasoline with lower sulfur content. These efforts have led to significant reductions in airborne lead concentrations and air toxics emissions.
Despite these efforts, gasoline leaks and spills continue to occur, contaminating soil, groundwater, surface water, and air. Gasoline leaks happen at gas stations, pipelines, and underground storage tanks, and during the filling and transportation of gasoline. The additives used in gasoline, such as methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), can also pose environmental and health risks. MTBE was phased out in the late 1990s due to its toxicity, and replaced with ethanol.
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Climate change and air quality
Secondly, certain air pollutants are considered super pollutants or Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs), including methane, black carbon (soot), and tropospheric ozone. These SLCPs have a significant impact on global warming and local environmental degradation. Black carbon, emitted from combustion processes and the majority of cookstoves used in developing countries, contributes to the warming of the atmosphere. Tropospheric ozone and methane are greenhouse gases that trap heat, causing global warming. Therefore, addressing these air pollutants is crucial for mitigating climate change.
The main sources of air pollutants are often the same as the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions, such as transport, the power sector, industrial emissions, agriculture, crop burning, and residential heating. This presents an opportunity to address both climate and air quality goals simultaneously. By transitioning from fossil fuel-based power to renewable energy sources, improving public transport, reducing industrial emissions, and mitigating agricultural emissions, we can tackle climate change and improve air quality concurrently.
Despite the clear benefits of addressing air pollution and climate change together, many governments and businesses are falling short in their climate action plans. Prioritizing air quality measures within climate strategies offers significant health and economic advantages while also slowing global warming and protecting ecosystems. The Clean Air Fund, for example, advocates for bold policies and investments in clean air initiatives as part of a comprehensive approach to climate action. By integrating air quality targets into climate goals and taking coordinated actions, we can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance air quality, and safeguard human health and the environment.
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Gasoline-powered vehicles and emissions
Gasoline-powered vehicles are a significant contributor to air pollution in the United States. Vehicle emissions, including those from gasoline-powered cars and trucks, are a major source of hazardous substances that negatively impact both human health and the environment.
The combustion of gasoline releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are organic chemicals that vaporize at or near room temperature. VOCs contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, commonly known as smog. Smog occurs when emissions from combusting fossil fuels, including gasoline, react with sunlight. Exposure to smog can irritate the eyes and throat and damage the lungs, particularly in children, the elderly, and people with asthma or allergies.
In addition to smog formation, gasoline-powered vehicles emit particulate matter, or soot, which consists of tiny particles of chemicals, soil, smoke, dust, or allergens. These particles are so small that they can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream, causing irritation and inflammation. Fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, can be inhaled deeply into lung tissue and is associated with various health issues, including asthma, preterm births, and an increased risk of certain cancers, stroke, dementia, and respiratory illnesses.
The impact of gasoline-powered vehicles on air quality is evident in the findings of the American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report. According to the report, nearly half of the US population lives with unhealthy levels of air pollution. Cities like Los Angeles and Bakersfield, California, consistently rank among the worst for ozone and year-round particle pollution, respectively. Communities of color are disproportionately affected by poor air quality and are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions that increase their vulnerability to air pollution.
To address the emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles and improve air quality, a transition to cleaner fuels and industrial processes is necessary. This includes adopting renewable energy sources, improving fuel efficiency, and replacing gasoline-powered vehicles with electric alternatives. Such measures not only reduce air pollution but also curb global warming and its associated health impacts.
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Regulatory and policy responses
The Clean Air Act, established in 1970, authorises the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the emissions of harmful air pollutants and safeguard public health. The EPA has been working to ensure people have clean air to breathe, from providing trustworthy air quality forecasts to making sure polluters who violate the law clean up. The Clean Air Act is considered one of the greatest success stories in the country, with air quality standards having kept pace with the science over time. The law requires the EPA to revisit the science every five years, reassessing health risks and adjusting regulations accordingly.
The EPA has issued emissions standards to control toxic emissions from all 174 categories of major sources, such as chemical plants, oil refineries, and aerospace manufacturing facilities, as well as from 68 categories of small "area" sources that represent 90% of the worst urban toxic pollutants. These federal standards are often enforced by individual states. The EPA has also set national emissions standards for new industrial equipment, such as power plants, industrial boilers, and cement manufacturing.
The EPA has also issued standards for motor vehicles, including the Tier 3 standards, which consider the vehicle and its fuel as an integrated system, setting new vehicle emissions standards and reducing the sulfur content of gasoline. These standards will enable more stringent vehicle emissions standards and will make emissions control systems more effective. The EPA's vehicle emissions standards will reduce tailpipe and evaporative emissions from passenger cars, light-duty trucks, medium-duty passenger vehicles, and some heavy-duty vehicles.
In addition to the Clean Air Act, the EPA has also implemented the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), which has achieved large reductions in power plant annual SO2 and NOx emissions that contribute to fine particles. CAIR was replaced by the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule in 2015 to address the 1997 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The EPA has also established the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards for new and existing power plants, achieving reductions in fine particles and sulfur dioxide.
Despite these efforts, air pollution remains a significant issue in the United States, with nearly half of Americans still living with unhealthy air pollution. The Trump administration has considered rolling back some key air quality regulations, and federal agencies have been pushed to reconsider regulations that have resulted in cleaner air. However, the EPA has continued to work towards improving air quality, and the US has made long-term progress towards cleaning up many sources of pollution.
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Frequently asked questions
Gasoline is a major source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are released during combustion. VOCs vaporize at or near room temperature and are hazardous to human health.
Air pollution caused by gasoline can cause both short-term and long-term health issues. Short-term exposure can cause eye, skin, and lung irritation, while long-term exposure can lead to blood disorders and an increased risk of cancer.
Air pollution contributes to the formation of ozone and particles, the deposition of acids, and visibility impairment. It also has economic costs, with the annual benefits of cleaner air being up to 32 times greater than the cost of implementing clean air regulations.
The sources of air pollution from gasoline include car exhaust, gasoline vapors, industrial facilities, and power plants. Highways and polluting facilities are often located in or near low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, disproportionately impacting the health of people living in these communities.
To reduce air pollution from gasoline, a transition to cleaner fuels and industrial processes is necessary. This includes adopting renewable energy sources, maximizing fuel efficiency, and replacing gasoline-powered vehicles with electric alternatives.
