| As the amount of vehicles on the roads increases, so | | | | pollution. |
| does the amount of car pollution. There are four main | | | | Fuel burning at high temperatures will produce a third |
| types of air pollution identified by the Environmental | | | | air pollutant called, nitrogen oxides. |
| Protection Agency and all of them are found in vehicle | | | | Thirty-four percent of nitrogen oxide pollutants are |
| emissions. | | | | produced by road vehicles with cars and light trucks |
| Before we identify the four types of air pollution, let us | | | | responsible for 52% of that and diesel vehicles |
| take a look at what causes these pollutions. Cars and | | | | responsible for 42%. |
| trucks do not burn all of the fuel that goes into the | | | | The combination of sunlight, hydrocarbons and nitrogen |
| combustion chamber. In fact, most cars only burn | | | | oxide results in the smog phenomenon. Smog is found |
| about 85% of the fuel and as the car gets older less | | | | in cities all over the world. Hot, humid and sunny |
| and less fuel is burned. It is this unburned fuel that is | | | | summers increase smog. As you may recall, there |
| responsible for a lot of the air pollution problems today. | | | | was a serious smog problem in LA back in the 80's. |
| The first type of air pollution is carbon monoxide. | | | | The state of California had to mandate that oil |
| Carbon monoxide is dangerous because it reduces the | | | | companies sell a cleaner burning fuel to help reduce |
| amount of oxygen that can be delivered to our body's | | | | smog. |
| organs and tissues, which can be life threatening. A | | | | Particle matter is the final type of air pollution. Haze is |
| mild poisoning of this toxic gas will result in headaches | | | | the result of this pollution due to actual particle s of |
| and dizziness. According to a 1999, EPA study, road | | | | solids and liquids found in the air. The majority of |
| vehicles are responsible for 51% of carbon monoxide | | | | particle matter pollution is produced by industrial plants. |
| pollution. Of that 51%, cars and light trucks make up | | | | Vehicles are only responsible for 10% of this air |
| 87%. | | | | pollution, but of that 10%, diesel vehicles produce 72%. |
| The second type of air pollution is hydrocarbons. The | | | | Vehicles are the primary cause of air pollution in urban |
| EPA estimates that the average American car driven | | | | areas. As more vehicles fill our roads, more pollution fills |
| 12,500 miles per year produces 10,727 lbs of | | | | the air. Every step should be taken to reduce the |
| hydrocarbons. Damage to lung tissue and other | | | | types of air pollution, for the health of our planet. |
| respiratory problems are caused by hydrocarbons. | | | | For more information on the types of air pollution visit |
| Road vehicles make up 29% of hydrocarbon pollution | | | | the EPA website. |
| with cars and light trucks responsible for 88% of that | | | | |