Commuting Polluting Dangers

A new study conducted by a UCLA-USC collaboration has made it clear that it's not just being on the road that exposes us to air pollution. Simply being in our cars driving in traffic on Los Angeles' congested freeways exposes us to dangerous air pollution levels.

The study looks at levels of exposure to cancer-causing ultrafine particulate (UFP) pollution on specific freeways.Southern California Environmental Health Center UCLA members Bill Hinds and Nola Kennedy co-authored the study, featuring a van that drove Los Angeles streets and freeways specially outfitted as a mobile laboratory, with state of the art monitoring instruments inside.

“If you have otherwise healthy habits and don’t smoke, driving to work is probably the most unhealthy part of your day,” said Scott Fruin, assistant professor of environmental health at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. “Urban dwellers with long commutes are probably getting most of their UFP exposure while driving.”