Long Beach Pollution Drops 52 Percent in Five Years

Pollution from port activities in Long Beach dropped as much as 52 percent in 2009 compared to 2005, according to the port’s latest inventory of pollutants such as diesel particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides.

Diesel PM emissions declined 52 percent compared to 2005, NOx emissions were down 35 percent and SOx emissions dropped 46 percent compared to 2005 levels.

Port executives attributed the decline in harmful emissions to the Clean Air Action Plan developed jointly by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles in 2006. The plan calls for a 45 percent reduction over five years in total pollution from vessels, harbor craft, marine terminal operating equipment, trucks and trains.

The ports are well on their way to achieving that goal. Furthermore, the clean-truck plan, which is part of the overall CAAP, has already reached its five-year target of reducing truck emissions by 80 percent. The harbor trucking industry is replacing 10,000 older heavy-duty trucks with trucks of model year 2007 or newer.

Some of the pollution reduction in 2009 was due to the 24 percent decline in cargo volume during the economic recession. However, the decline in pollution outpaced the drop in trade.

Los Angeles recently released its 2009 pollution inventory which showed similar results.

-- Contact Bill Mongelluzzo at bmongelluzzo@joc.com.