The Invisible Threat
Tailpipe pollution from idling vehicles poisons our air and threatens our health. CLF is stepping in to enforce the law and hold polluters accountable.
CLF in Action
Tailpipe pollution from idling cars, trucks, and buses is a leading contributor to low air quality in our communities. It has been linked to health problems such as asthma, lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. Children are especially vulnerable to these health problems, yet school bus companies are among the worst offenders.
Laws exist to prevent excessive idling, but they are rarely enforced. CLF is filling the enforcement gap and holding tailpipe polluters accountable. We’re taking polluters to court to stop them from spewing their toxic fumes into our communities and putting our health at risk.
What’s at Stake
Tailpipe pollution wreaks havoc on our environment and our health. Unlike the pollutants cars and trucks emit while they’re being driven, those released by idling vehicles build up in small amounts of space. This creates “hotspots” of dangerously contaminated air wherever a vehicle is parked and running. That is bad news for anyone who lives, works, or plays near idling vehicles – which is pretty much everyone.
The effects of tailpipe pollution are far-reaching. However, not everyone is impacted equally. Places where idling is most common, like parking lots, public bus stops, and drop off and pick up areas at airports are often located in low-income communities and communities of color. These communities already suffer higher rates of asthma and other respiratory illnesses compared to wealthier, whiter communities. We cannot put up with this unequal impact any longer.
With people in New England driving more and more miles each year and congestion rates higher than ever, we can no longer allow anti-idling laws to go unenforced.
