THE FACTS ABOUT IDLING
Unnecessary idling affects human health, creates pollution, and wastes fuel and money. The good news…there are simple actions that all of us can do to reduce idling and improve the region’s air quality
Health Effects:
- Vehicle exhaust can adversely affect lung function and may promote allergic reactions and airway constriction. Medical research reveals a connection between high air pollution rates and higher asthma rates.
- Children are especially vulnerable because they are usually more active outdoors, breathe faster, and inhale more pounds of air per body weight.
- Motor vehicles emit fine particulate matter that can penetrate lungs and inflame the circulatory system. Fine particulate matter can contribute to lung and heart diseases, aggravate asthma, and cause coughing and difficult breathing.
- Carbon monoxide aggravates heart disease, and can cause visual problems and headaches.
- Individuals can be exposed to high levels of auto exhaust inside their vehicles. The highest exposure occurs when sitting in traffic congestion on highways or in a line-up of idling vehicles at a school or drive-thru.
Creates Pollution:
- Idling releases harmful emissions into the air (nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide).
- Nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, the leading cause of summertime unhealthy air days in the Metropolitan Washington – Baltimore region.
- One car idling while dropping off and picking up a child at school each day adds about three pounds of pollution to the air each month.
- An hour of idling releases nearly four pounds of carbon dioxide into the air. Carbon dioxide emissions contribute to climate change.
- Every gallon of gas produces approximately 19 pounds of carbon dioxide.
Wastes Money:
If you allow your vehicle to idle, you’re throwing money out the window.
- An idling car is inefficient - 0 miles per gallon of gas. Turning off your vehicle will save gas and money.
- Two minutes of idling uses the same amount of gas as 1 mile of driving.
- Thirty seconds of idling can use more gas than turning off your engine and restarting it.
- An idling car is not operating at full capacity which can lead to repairs and lower engine performance.
What to do Instead of Idling:
- Turn off your car.
- Wait inside a building instead of in your car to keep warm or cool.
- Don’t use a remote starter to warm your vehicle.
- Warm up your car by driving it.
- Take transit, walk, or ride a bike.
- Instead of using drive-through windows go inside the building.
Report an Idling Vehicle:
Maryland: Department of the Environment
Virginia: Department of Environmental Quality
