<
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/data-indicates-evs-bring-significant-health-benefits-for-truck-drivers/>
"
Charged regularly speaks with execs at companies involved in pilots of
electric trucks. These folks invariably tell us about the (sometimes
unexpected) rave reviews that EVs get from drivers, who love the quiet and the
lack of vibration. Of course, they also love not having to breathe diesel
exhaust.
A new article from the Natural Resources Defense Council adds some data to the
anecdotes, quantifying the serious health risks truckers face, and explaining
how electrification could help improve the health of the 3.5 million truck
drivers in the US.
Among the harmful pollutants found in diesel exhaust are nitrogen oxide (NOx)
and particulate matter. PM2.5, commonly known as soot, forms a complex aerosol
system, and its ultrafine size allows it to easily enter the lungs. Regular
exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to various respiratory diseases and
cardiovascular illness, making it a significant concern for truck drivers.
Heavy-duty trucks represent only six percent of vehicles on US roads, but in
2020 they generated 59 percent of NOx emissions, 55 percent of particle
pollution, and 26 percent of transportation-based greenhouse gas emissions,
according to research by the American Lung Association.
In-cabin pollution causes daily exposure to air pollutants for drivers. Truck
cabins can accumulate unhealthy levels of PM2.5 and NOx, and drivers who spend
long hours in their trucks can develop respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
According to the American Cancer Society, workers with prolonged exposures to
diesel emissions have been found to have higher lung cancer death rates than
unexposed workers.
Medical research indicates that truck drivers regularly exposed to diesel
exhaust face an elevated risk of lung cancer. The International Agency for
Research on Cancer classifies diesel exhaust as a Group 1 human carcinogen.
A 2018 study on occupational health disparities among long-haul truck drivers
in the US revealed significant differences in health risks compared to other
sample groups. The long-haul truck driver group had higher mean scores for both
cardiovascular disease and metabolic disease risk.
Furthermore, truck drivers are less likely to have health insurance coverage
compared to other workers (15 percent are uninsured, versus 10 percent of all
US workers).
Of course, it isn’t just truck drivers who are at risk. Studies have shown that
communities with high exposure to diesel particulate matter have higher rates
of asthma."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
