Diesel Exhaust and Cancer, FYI

medicfernando

Adventurer
The World Health Organization relatively recently upgraded diesel exhaust to a category 1 carcinogen. That means that the particulates and gases in diesel exhaust are known to cause cancer. It used to be in a lower category as a "suspected carcinogen." Diesel exhaust has been shown to contain more than forty substances, gases and particulates that have been listed as hazardous air pollutants and are likely to be carcinogenic and a respiratory hazard to humans. According to NIOSH, for those who work around diesel vehicles, diesel exhaust should be regarded as an occupational carcinogen. What does that mean to all of us 7.3L (or other diesel) SMB owners? Just be careful not to expose yourself to the diesel exhaust fumes whenever possible. Do not ever idle your van in your garage, even with the overhead door open. Do not have your van idling when working near the exhaust, such as when changing a tire, etc. Newer diesels with re-gen type catalyst systems are definitely cleaner but similar caution should still be exercised when around exhaust. I am certainly not going to run out and sell my SMB, however, I am very careful about where and when I let my van idle and my proximity to the exhaust. for anyone interested I am happy to cite articles or provide you with more information.
 

Scoutn79

Adventurer
I'd be curious to see how diesel exhaust compares to other everyday gases we inhale.
Is there a chart tied to this study?

Darrell
 

pugslyyy

Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
The World Health Organization relatively recently upgraded diesel exhaust to a category 1 carcinogen.

June 2012, right?

Much more of an issue in developing countries like India and China. I remember how bad it was in Eastern Europe when we lived there (Budapest)
 

medicfernando

Adventurer
I'd be curious to see how diesel exhaust compares to other everyday gases we inhale.
Is there a chart tied to this study?

Darrell

Diesel exhaust contains MANY more particulates than regular gasoline engines and the problem with comparing the "everyday" gases we inhale is that we are potentially in much closer proximity to the diesel exhaust of our own vehicles. Again this was just trying to raise some better awareness of our own activities around our running and idling vehicles.
 

medicfernando

Adventurer
June 2012, right?

Much more of an issue in developing countries like India and China. I remember how bad it was in Eastern Europe when we lived there (Budapest)
Yes 2012. And in general a bigger issue in those countries, but I see people all the time idling their diesel vehicles while hanging around near the exhaust or working around them etc.
 

dlh62c

Explorer
Diesel exhaust contains MANY more particulates than regular gasoline engines .....

The use of ULSD fuel with a lower sulfur content helps. Add a DPF filter, a DEF tank with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, now the air being drawn into the engine is dirtier than what goes out the tail pipe.
 
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lndhark

Adventurer
The use of ULSD fuel with a lower sulfur content helps. Add a DPF filter, a DEF tank with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, now the air being drawn into the engine is dirtier than what goes out the tail pipe.

These innovations in new technology have greatly reduced the emissions in diesel engines, especially NOx (oxides of nitrogen, the "visible" emissions). However, that doesn't help the millions of engines on the road today with no after-treatment systems fitted. I think medicfernando brings up a good point: as with gasoline engines and carbon monoxide emissions, using care and common sense is a start to prevention.

Without getting on a soapbox and citing specific examples, many firefighters have illnesses related or in some way linked to exposure to diesel exhaust (engines running in firehouses).
 

NMC_EXP

Explorer
I'm surprised I've made it this long.

I worked my way through college by pumping fuel and fixing tires at a truck stop. This was in the 70's and most drivers did not shut off their engines. Left the truck at the pumps and went in to eat or coffee up.

I still hate the smell of diesel fuel and diesel exhaust. I'd get home from work, take a long hot shower and I still smelled like diesel fuel.

Then I had a 30 year career doing R&D and manufacturing of rubber components. Working with dozens of chemicals known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic and otherwise just plain nasty.

Makes me think of Warren Zevon's musical commentary on checking out due to the "Big C" (NOTE: strong language alert):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHDdqubE7zQ
 
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medicfernando

Adventurer
These innovations in new technology have greatly reduced the emissions in diesel engines, especially NOx (oxides of nitrogen, the "visible" emissions). However, that doesn't help the millions of engines on the road today with no after-treatment systems fitted. I think medicfernando brings up a good point: as with gasoline engines and carbon monoxide emissions, using care and common sense is a start to prevention.

Without getting on a soapbox and citing specific examples, many firefighters have illnesses related or in some way linked to exposure to diesel exhaust (engines running in firehouses).

I am actually the Utah representative for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network and yes, one of the biggest occupational carcinogens that FF's face is diesel exhaust from frequently idling fire apparatus. Thanks for mentioning this. Fernando
 

Arktikos

Explorer
I am very careful about where and when I let my van idle and my proximity to the exhaust.

That's considerate, and very unlike the ************** around here who leave their big stinkin diesel trucks idling in front of schools, stores, what have you. It's the larger particulates emitted from diesel that are bad news for our health.
 

redthies

Renaissance Redneck
Crap. I thought it was pixie farts coming out of my tailpipe... I don't think it should take a "study" to figure out that standing around breathing in the exhaust from ANY type of engine isn't the best thing for your health. But then, people still smoke cigarettes, don't they?
 

DzlToy

Explorer
I'm with red. Why do people stand around in a firehouse near an idling firetruck? Why is it idling? Start the engine and roll out. Aren't they in a hurry?

If diesel exhaust is a known occupational hazard, the solution to me is quite obvious. Not trying to be a ********, but this is not nuclear physics we are discussing here.

WARNING: Don't breath exhaust fumes. They are bad for you.
 

nmatcek

Adventurer
I'm with red. Why do people stand around in a firehouse near an idling firetruck? Why is it idling? Start the engine and roll out. Aren't they in a hurry?

If diesel exhaust is a known occupational hazard, the solution to me is quite obvious. Not trying to be a ********, but this is not nuclear physics we are discussing here.

WARNING: Don't breath exhaust fumes. They are bad for you.

It's not necessarily that the vehicles are idling in the bay. Starting the apparatus to drive out and then pulling back into quarters over and over many times per shift equals a lot of accumulated time where the apparatus are running in the bay. That plus the fact that most of the time the living quarters are just a far-from-airtight door away from the bay. Also, when on scene at a fire the vehicles are usually at a high idle to run aerial PTOs or the engines are at high rpm while pumping. It's just not feasible to shut the apparatus off on scene. Even so on a medical or traffic accident scene.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
 

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