http://www.dailynews.com/environment-and-nature/20140128/los-angeles-city-council-committee-asks-lax-to-study-ultrafine-air-pollution
By Brian Sumers, July 28, 2014
Los Angeles officials moved Tuesday to consider steps to reduce tiny
pollutants produced by jets and vehicles at LAX even though the
particulates — called ultrafine particles — are not yet regulated by the
state or federal governments.
Councilman Mike Bonin, who
represents Los Angeles International Airport, led the charge at a
meeting of the council’s Trade, Commerce and Tourism Committee. He
called the meeting to grill airport executives on results of an environmental study released in June
that found most pollutants near LAX fall within California and national
standards. But that report also showed there were higher-than-expected
levels of ultrafine particulates, or the smallest pollutants produced by
automobile and jet engines.
Scientists have only recently been able to accurately measure
ultrafine particles and airport officials say there are no conclusive
studies on whether and how they cause harm to people. But Bonin said he
wants the city to err on the side of caution. He noted that some studies
suggest the ultrafine particles might cause respiratory and
cardiovascular problems.
“If I were a parent in Lennox right now,
I’d be concerned about this study,” Bonin said. “I know there is not
conclusive evidence about the health impacts of UFPs — so we can easily
say, ‘Well OK, we don’t have anything to worry about, there are no
federal regulations.’ There are going to be findings eventually and
there is going to be stuff we are going to need to do about this, I want
us to start thinking now.”
Specifically Bonin wants the city to lobby state and federal
politicians to support legislation that would establish safe levels for
the particulates. He also wants the airport to consider a long-term
study of employees who work on the airfield to determine if they face
any unusual health problems. As a third matter, Bonin wants LAX to learn
what other airports are doing with respect to monitoring the smallest
particulates.
“Let’s find out what everyone else is doing and let’s be the best,” Bonin said. “Let’s be ahead of the game.”
Mike Feldman, deputy executive director for facilities management
at Los Angeles World Airports, which operates LAX, said the problem of
ultrafine particulates at airports might be a relatively recent
phenomenon.
“What’s very interesting about ultrafine particles is
that they seem to be a by-product of efficiency,” Feldman said. “The
more efficient engines have become, it seems as though the more
ultrafine particles are produced because there is a greater burn of the
actual fuel.”
The study, which used 17 collection stations, found
acceptable levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and
fine particulate matter, airport officials said. Collections were taken
at the airport as well as at locations in Hawthorne, El Segundo, Lennox
and Westchester. The study was required as part of a legal settlement
the airport reached with neighboring communities in 2006.
Rachel Kesting, who lives near the airport, told the committee
she is particularly concerned about ultrafine particles. She said she
believes living near the airport has negatively affected her health.
“I
cannot exercise outside in my neighborhood and suffer respiratory
issues, including asthma and increased risk for respiratory infections,”
she said.