Transportation Fuels: America’s Biggest Polluter


If we’re going to clean up America’s air, we need to start with its biggest polluter—engine emissions.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 82 percent of the carbon monoxide, 43 percent of the reactive organic gases (precursors to ground level ozone) and 57 percent of the nitrogen oxides in U.S cities are emitted from petroleum-based transportation fuels.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that gasoline is the largest source of manmade carcinogens. The American Lung Association has noted that transportation sources are responsible for 55.8 percent of outdoor air pollution—including 77.3 percent of total carbon monoxide. The burning of fossil fuels also contributes to the development of greenhouse gases.