Read on Twitter
Aviation pollution from Los Angles International Airport hurts the Los Angles community, and there is a lack of regulation to control the damaging effects of this pollution
#39Sustain #AviationPollution #LAX @39Sustain
#39Sustain #AviationPollution #LAX @39Sustain
Who's Affected:Residents of the Los Angles area downwind of LAX who are exposed to ultra-fine particles emitted from aircraft overhead. With LAX being a large international airport pre-COVID, there are many airplanes that land and take off at LAX, almost 1 plane every 55 seconds.
How/Why: LAX is the U.S. second most busy airport with almost 61 million passengers traveling through the airport. This number is expected to continue to grow in later years post-Covid. LAX is currently in plans to expand the airport, adding 2 terminals, for the 2028 Olympics.
This further increases the amount of international travel and the amount of ultra-fine air particles that residents will be exposed to increases greatly.
Ultra-fine particles emitted from aviation pollution causes health related problems to the citizens around LAX. Including preterm births and affect others with preexisting conditions such as asthma.
This article from the Environmental Health Perspectives discusses the harmful impact of ultra-fine particles. The results concluded that the emissions from aircraft resulted in preterm births.
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP5732
https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP5732
In addition, new research from the University of Southern California (USC), indicated that the pollution affects a larger area of the Los Angles area than previously expected. 5 times larger to be exact over Los Angles.
https://envhealthcenters.usc.edu/2019/02/ultrafine-particle-pollution-lax.html
https://envhealthcenters.usc.edu/2019/02/ultrafine-particle-pollution-lax.html
Adults with preexisting asthma,have been found to have increased acute systemic inflammation. According to the article, there is a distinct health effects of pollution. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6368339/
To compound the magnitude of the problem, according to an article published in Science Direct. Emissions from cargo flights aren't regulated. With LAX being a large international hub this is concerning for people living nearby. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231011010144?via%3Dihub#sec4
In addition, there have been other incidents that have negatively affected residents downwind of LAX. An example of this is when a United 777 aircraft dumped fuel in an emergency landing that cause irritation to people in local communities. https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/14/us/jet-fuel-dump-elementary-school-trnd/index.html
This highlights several problems. First is that there is a lack of regulations for ultra-fine particles in the U.S., whereas, the E.U. has regulations. In addition, there is a lack of regulation for international cargo flights.
Regulation from the EPA passed last December in 2020 offered almost no help in regulating airline pollution. As cited by the Center for Biological Diversity. https://twitter.com/CenterForBioDiv/status/1345399525792489474
Despite the bleak reality, there are some attempts at improving the situation with more fuel efficient planes such as the 787 and A-350. Then in the 2030's, manufactures Boeing and Airbus plane to develop sustainable aircraft that runs on hydrogen.
