Report On Diesel

Diesel fuel is widely used throughout our society. It powers trucks that deliver products to our

communities, buses that carry us to school and work, agricultural equipment that plants and harvests

our food, and backup generators that can provide electricity during emergencies. It is also used for

many other applications. Diesel engines have historically been more versatile and cheaper to run

than gasoline engines or other sources of power. Unfortunately, the exhaust from these engines

contains substances that can pose a risk to human health.

In 1998, the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard

Assessment (OEHHA) completed a comprehensive health assessment of diesel exhaust. This

assessment formed the basis for a decision by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to formally

identify particles in diesel exhaust as a toxic air contaminant that may pose a threat to human health.

The American Lung Association of California (ALAC) and its 15 local associations work to prevent

lung disease and promote lung health. Since 1904, the

American Lung Association has been fighting lung

disease through education, community service, advocacy

and research.

This fact sheet by OEHHA and ALAC provides

information on health hazards associated with diesel

exhaust.