What is the issue?

Air has no jurisdictional boundaries. Emissions from one area spread across large areas and contaminate the air all of us breathe. Charleston is among more than a dozen counties in South Carolina with air quality problems, according to the American Lung Association. Harmful air pollutants come from port facilities, industry, coal-fired power plants and mobile sources. Emissions from diesel engines can be especially harmful because they are often generated in close proximity to homes and businesses. The tall stacks of coal-fired power plants spread harmful air pollutants greater distances. Many species of fish in the lowcountry rivers are contaminated with mercury from coal-fired power plants.

In the United States, diesel emissions contribute 80% of the total estimated cancer risk from hazardous air pollutants. In Charleston, the State Ports Authority (SPA) seeks to expand, meaning more cargo ships and trucks emitting diesel fumes in a heavily populated area near schools and neighborhoods. In making decisions, the SPA does not have any environmental or public health representatives on their board to provide balance.

Across the nation, schools are sited within close proximity of heavy industrial emissions. Based on EPA models, North Charleston has several schools predicted to have harmful levels of air toxics outside. Several schools near the former navy base are in close proximity to industrial sites, and were ranked among the worst in the nation by a recent study. Every school in North Charleston was ranked within the top tenth percentile for likely air toxics. Air toxics in North Charleston can cause asthma, chronic bronchitis, heart and kidney problems, neurological difficulties (including mental and emotional problems), and cancer.

These are some of the air quality issues the Coastal Conservation League is addressing through the Clean Air Coalition, legal, and legislative venues.

How would it affect South Carolina?

There have been more than 2000 research papers in respected medical journals on various health impacts of fine particle pollution. These studies show dramatically increased rates of various kinds of cancer, asthma, COPD, and other lung diseases, leukemia, cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths from heart attack and stroke, all attributed to fine particle pollution. More recently, studies have shown that diesel exhaust and other air pollutants are worse in coastal areas because additional harmful compounds are formed after mixing with salty coastal air. Coastal counties in SC have significantly higher cancer rates than the national average, and air pollution could be part of the reason.

What can you do about it?

Sign up to be one of our clean air activists. Learn about the connections between air pollution and public health. Stay informed so at critical times, you can encourage policy makers to improve air quality and protect our health.

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