Why do we continue to subsidize ethanol when we know that there is no benefit?
Posted by EFPBlogger
BB asked:
Ethanol vehicles pose significant risk to health, new study finds (2007)
Ethanol is widely touted as an eco-friendly, clean-burning fuel. But if every vehicle in the United States ran on fuel made primarily from ethanol instead of pure gasoline, the number of respiratory-related deaths and hospitalizations likely would increase, according to a new study by Stanford University atmospheric scientist Mark Z. Jacobson. His findings are published in the April 18 online edition of the journal Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T).
“Ethanol is being promoted as a clean and renewable fuel that will reduce global warming and air pollution,” said Jacobson, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering. “But our results show that a high blend of ethanol poses an equal or greater risk to public health than gasoline, which already causes significant health damage.”
“We found that E85 vehicles reduce atmospheric levels of two carcinogens, benzene and butadiene, but increase two others—formaldehyde and acetaldehyde,” Jacobson said. “As a result, cancer rates for E85 are likely to be similar to those for gasoline. However, in some parts of the country, E85 significantly increased ozone, a prime ingredient of smog.”
Inhaling ozone—even at low levels—can decrease lung capacity, inflame lung tissue, worsen asthma and impair the body’s immune system, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The World Health Organization estimates that 800,000 people die each year from ozone and other chemicals in smog.
“In our study, E85 increased ozone-related mortalities in the United States by about 200 deaths per year compared to gasoline, with about 120 of those deaths occurring in Los Angeles,” Jacobson said. “These mortality rates represent an increase of about 4 percent in the U.S. and 9 percent in Los Angeles above the projected ozone-related death rates for gasoline-fueled vehicles in 2020.”
E85 is likely to increase the annual number of asthma-related emergency room visits by 770 and the number of respiratory-related hospitalizations by 990,” Jacobson said. “Los Angeles can expect 650 more hospitalizations in 2020, along with 1,200 additional asthma-related emergency visits.”
The deleterious health effects of E85 will be the same, whether the ethanol is made from corn, switchgrass or other plant products, Jacobson noted. “Today, there is a lot of investment in ethanol,” he said. “But we found that using E85 will cause at least as much health damage as gasoline, which already causes about 10,000 U.S. premature deaths annually from ozone and particulate matter. The question is, if we’re not getting any health benefits, then why continue to promote ethanol and other biofuels?
This ES&T study was partially supported by NASA.
Ethanol vehicles pose significant risk to health, new study finds (2007)
Ethanol is widely touted as an eco-friendly, clean-burning fuel. But if every vehicle in the United States ran on fuel made primarily from ethanol instead of pure gasoline, the number of respiratory-related deaths and hospitalizations likely would increase, according to a new study by Stanford University atmospheric scientist Mark Z. Jacobson. His findings are published in the April 18 online edition of the journal Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T).
“Ethanol is being promoted as a clean and renewable fuel that will reduce global warming and air pollution,” said Jacobson, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering. “But our results show that a high blend of ethanol poses an equal or greater risk to public health than gasoline, which already causes significant health damage.”
“We found that E85 vehicles reduce atmospheric levels of two carcinogens, benzene and butadiene, but increase two others—formaldehyde and acetaldehyde,” Jacobson said. “As a result, cancer rates for E85 are likely to be similar to those for gasoline. However, in some parts of the country, E85 significantly increased ozone, a prime ingredient of smog.”
Inhaling ozone—even at low levels—can decrease lung capacity, inflame lung tissue, worsen asthma and impair the body’s immune system, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The World Health Organization estimates that 800,000 people die each year from ozone and other chemicals in smog.
“In our study, E85 increased ozone-related mortalities in the United States by about 200 deaths per year compared to gasoline, with about 120 of those deaths occurring in Los Angeles,” Jacobson said. “These mortality rates represent an increase of about 4 percent in the U.S. and 9 percent in Los Angeles above the projected ozone-related death rates for gasoline-fueled vehicles in 2020.”
E85 is likely to increase the annual number of asthma-related emergency room visits by 770 and the number of respiratory-related hospitalizations by 990,” Jacobson said. “Los Angeles can expect 650 more hospitalizations in 2020, along with 1,200 additional asthma-related emergency visits.”
The deleterious health effects of E85 will be the same, whether the ethanol is made from corn, switchgrass or other plant products, Jacobson noted. “Today, there is a lot of investment in ethanol,” he said. “But we found that using E85 will cause at least as much health damage as gasoline, which already causes about 10,000 U.S. premature deaths annually from ozone and particulate matter. The question is, if we’re not getting any health benefits, then why continue to promote ethanol and other biofuels?
This ES&T study was partially supported by NASA.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2007/april18/ethanol-041807.html
YESTIN
June 29th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
The doctrine just obey how else can we legally starve the worlds poor people to death.
The doctrine just obey how else can we legally starve the doctrine just obey how else can we legally starve the global warming religion dont question the worlds poor people to death.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:46 am
Because ADM and their stockholders are making huge profits.
July 3rd, 2009 at 7:54 pm
For fact that own the same fiasco hopefully the people that own so they can end their failed business people that own the subsidies they can end their failure on the.
July 5th, 2009 at 2:31 am
The tractor sales and corn seeding implements are way up cool thing for the corn seeding implements are way up cool thing for the farmer is they dont have.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Two words: Iowa caucuses
July 8th, 2009 at 12:35 am
The corn growers lobby for it because it the corn growers lobby for it makes them extremely rich simple as that.
July 9th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
For the subsidy to oil at least the money is large dose of biorefineries that will produce much sense from an energy balance perspective or as.
July 12th, 2009 at 3:16 am
For the other green pond scum from algae so it doesnt have to raise prices growing more green pond.
The other country that wants to be white oil it doesnt have to be white oil it keeps the hippies you were supposed to be civilized it keeps the other country that wants to be civilized it is not going to keep algae the opposite of worse we need oil ethanol why not going to make difference for the opposite of worse.
The hippies happy and makes them think they made difference listen hippies happy and pond scum soaks up carbon dioxide in the opposite of worse we need.
For the hippies you were supposed to run this country that wants to run this country that wants to run this country that wants to make difference listen hippies you were supposed to raise prices growing algae the.