A new report from the American Lung Association examines the health impacts of air pollution from industrial facilities in New England and outlines potential benefits of transitioning to cleaner heating technologies. The report, titled “Clean Heat, Clean Air: Health Benefits of Modern Industrial Technologies,” highlights how manufacturing processes that use fossil fuels, wood, and other combustion-based sources contribute significantly to harmful air pollution.
According to the analysis, modernizing industrial heating equipment with currently available clean technologies by 2050 could prevent nearly 4,000 premature deaths and more than 1.4 million asthma attacks across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. These states are affected by pollution not only from local industries but also from wildfire smoke and vehicle emissions.
“Despite progress, states in New England have significant ongoing air pollution challenges to overcome. Communities are impacted by pollution from industries, smoke from wildfires in Canada and in the western U.S. and vehicle emissions from crowded northeastern freeways. Addressing pollution from industrial facilities is a crucial step in our efforts to clean the air in our region,” said Will Barrett, senior director, nationwide advocacy, clean air for the American Lung Association.
Industrial operations account for almost a quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. This makes them the third-largest source of climate-related pollution after transportation and electricity generation. The burning of fuels for industrial heat also produces nitrogen oxides and particulate matter that can affect lung health—particularly among those living near any of the more than 33,000 combustion units operating nationwide.
The report also notes that moving away from outdated combustion methods has been a priority for the organization across multiple sectors including transportation and power generation. “Burning fossil fuels, biomass or other fuels to power industrial heat processes releases harmful pollutants into the air we all breathe, contributing to asthma, heart attacks, strokes and other health emergencies. The Lung Association has long championed the transition away from outdated combustion technologies in transportation, power generation and homes. Supporting the transition to modern industrial clean heat is vital to advancing our organization’s mission to protect lung health and ensure everyone has access to clean air.”
More information about these findings is available at https://www.lung.org/clean-heat.
