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Basic Information
- What is Clean Construction USA?
- Why is it Important?
- How Does Clean Construction USA Help?
- What is My Role?
What is Clean Construction USA?
Reducing exposure to diesel exhaust in and around America's construction sites is an important public health issue and air quality concern. Clean Construction USA is an incentive-based program designed to reduce emissions from existing diesel engines and nonroad equipment at construction sites. Visit EPA's Human Health page for more information on how human health is impacted by diesel exhaust.
Why is it important?
Air pollution from diesel exhaust is a public health concern that reaches every part of the country. There are two main pollutants of concern in diesel exhaust that affect human health, particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Ozone, which is a product of reactions involving NOx and hydrocarbons, can aggravate asthma and other respiratory diseases, leading to more asthma attacks, more visits to the emergency room, and increased hospitalizations. Ozone can inflame and damage the lining of the lungs, which may lead to permanent changes in lung tissue, irreversible reductions in lung function if the inflammation occurs repeatedly over a long time period and may lead to a lower quality of life. Children, people with heart and lung disease, and the elderly are most at risk.
Particulate matter (PM) has been associated with an increased risk of premature mortality, hospital admissions for heart and lung disease, and increased respiratory symptoms. Long-term exposure to diesel exhaust is likely to pose a lung cancer hazard. In addition, PM, NOx, and ozone adversely affect the environment in various ways including visibility impairment, crop damage, and acid rain. More information about PM, NOx, and other air pollutants.
EPA has enacted tough new standards for new diesel engines, but those stringent standards will not affect emissions from the older diesel engines currently in operation. These existing diesel engines have a long life span lasting as much as 25 to 30 years or more and will continue to emit large amounts of harmful pollutants.
Reductions in diesel exhaust at construction sites can lower the incidents of respiratory problems in the surrounding communities, improve the workplace environment, and contribute to improvements in regional haze and other environmental impacts associated with diesel emissions from diesel engines.
How Does Clean Construction USA Help?
Through the Clean Construction USA program, EPA works with collaborative partnerships to bring cost-effective diesel emission reduction initiatives into the field. Specifically, EPA:
- provides technical support,
- funds demonstration projects and identifies funding opportunities,
- offers education and outreach,
- creates partnerships with stakeholders to identify cost-effective ways to reduce emissions.
From identifying appropriate technologies for cleaner construction equipment to assisting state and local governments with clean construction programs, Clean Construction USA provides the tools needed to reduce diesel emissions.
What is My Role?
Policy Makers
As policy makers of state and local governments, you can create your own clean diesel program. For more information on how, see What You Can Do.
Fleet Managers, Equipment Owner and Operators
There are many options for reducing emissions – from idle-reduction that saves fuel consumption, to installing aftertreatment technologies. For more information, see What You Can Do.