 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
School Bus IdlingNOTE: In October, 2005, the New Brunswick Minister of Education announced a province-wide anti-idling policy for all school buses, making New Brunswick the first province to have such a policy. Description School bus idling is a problem because it exposes children to unnecessary diesel exhaust. We know that inhaling the fumes outside the bus is dangerous to our health, but it has also been found that exhaust levels inside the school bus are actually higher, especially at the back of the bus. Diesel exhaust consists of the black smoke that we see, but also of particulate matter (PM), invisible specks of solid or liquid matter, including dust, ash and soot. Particulate matter, especially with particles of 2.5 microns or smaller, has been shown to have been linked to such health problems as asthma attacks, coughing and difficulty in breathing, chronic bronchitis, decreased lung capacity, lowered resistance to infection and premature death. Children, the elderly and people with existing respiratory ailments are especially sensitive to particulate matter. Small particles are so dangerous, because they can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time, increasing their chances of being inhaled, and of being transported by wind over long distances. Once inhaled, they are not filtered out by the nose, throat and upper windpipe. They enter deep into the lungs, where they may irritate or otherwise damage the delicate membranes and air sacs. Background Internal combustion engines used to power motor vehicles are responsible for significant levels of air contaminants in any urban area. For diesel-fueled vehicles, the pollutants of concern are sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), acid aerosols and particulate matter. The smaller, or fine particulate matter fractions, PM 10 and PM 2.5, are of particular concern in relation to their adverse health effects. Particulate matter and ozone are also two constituents of smog. Ground level ozone episodes result from photochemical reactions between the ozone precursors, NOx and VOCs. Adverse health symptoms have been observed even at low levels of atmospheric pollution. For ozone and fine particulate matter, in particular, there does not appear to be a threshold pollution level below which one can be assured of being at no risk. The most sensitive people will experience discomfort al low levels of pollution and are under some degree of stress even if symptoms are not felt or observed. The various constituents of vehicle exhaust, and their photochemical products, are known to either cause or exacerbate a number of ailments. (Environment Canada ). Over 90 percent of diesel engine particulate emissions are highly respirable and carry toxins deep into the lung. At present there is a Canada-wide Standard for PM 2.5, and PM 10 has been declared toxic under the new Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). As well, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has labeled particulate matter as a probable human carcinogen (NESCAUM 1999). Plus, in 1998, following an exhaustive 10-year scientific assessment process, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) identified particulate matter from diesel-fueled engines as a toxic air contaminant (CARB 2002-2).
Establishing an Anti-Idling Policy in New Brunswick In 2001, during the pilot phase of the project, it was determined that there was a problem with school bus idling at the first school. The initial aim was to reduce the amount of idling. However, in cooperation with pupil transportation personnel and the NewBrunswick Department of Education, the idea of no idling was discussed. While simply turning off the engines to reduce the amount of idling sounded like a logical solution, there were a number of questions that first had to be answered: Would the diesel engines start after they had been turned off for several minutes? Would the required flashing safety lights wear down the batteries? Would the windows frost up if the engines were turned off? What would happen on winter days with extreme temperatures? These were all concerns that were necessary to address. The main concern at this time was that the flashing safety lights required during the loading and disembarkment of students would drain the batteries on the buses. It was decided that this issue should be tried. The testing was done for several weeks first at one school in District 6, and then expanded to include more schools. No technical problems were experienced, and as a result, a district-wide anti-idling policy was initiated in May 2002. Hearing of the success here, a number of other districts decided to also implement similar policies. Eventually, ten school districts introduced idling guidelines to some degree. There was, however, no province-wide policy. By establishing one, the guidelines and expectations would be the same for everyone involved. Working in close association and supported by the New Brunswick Department of Education, a draft policy was developed. This was submitted to the appropriate personnel for review, revision and ultimate approval. The end result was the announcement of a province-wide policy for all school buses by the Minister of Education in October 2005. What You Can DoDetermine if there is an idling problem at your school by observing the arrival and departure times of the school buses, and whether or not the engines are left running while waiting for students to disembark and embark. (Observations should be made over several days and under varying weather conditions to get a true picture of the habits of the bus drivers). Bus numbers, arrival times, departure times, and whether or not they are idling should be tabulated. If there is a bus idling problem, the environmental team should contact the school district’s Transportation Supervisor to voice their concerns, and if necessary, to set up a meeting to discuss the situation and possible solutions. (Documentation of your findings is usually necessary to see results). Periodic monitoring should be carried out to ensure that idling is minimal at your school. Resources and Links Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation/personal/idling.cfm?attr=8 New Brunswick Department of Education Idling policy |
 |
 |
|
Home | IAQ
Basics for Schools | Tools for Schools
| Other Environmental Health Initiatives |
© 2001 New Brunswick Lung Association