Pollution From Gas Stations

Pollution from gas stations is a more varied topic than some might at first think. There is a history behind gas station pollution, there are the causes of it, and there are the public health issues associated with it. For many years now there have been efforts underway to reduce pollution from gas stations.

History

• Leaded gasoline was common all the way through the 1970's.

  Gasoline for cars was first introduced in the late 1800s, and contained large amounts of lead. Leaded gas was used in gas stations until the 1970s before being phased out due to concerns about lead pollution of the atmosphere and soil, which contributed to lead poisoning. One of the ways lead leached into the soil was through leaks in underground storage tanks, which became common in the 1950s.

Causes: Overfilling and Traffic

• Overfilling contributes to gas station pollution.

  Two main causes of pollution from gas stations comes in the forms of overfilling and car traffic. The EPA warns that spilling gas from overfilling gas tanks results in increased gasoline vapors getting into the air. Overfilling can also cause the gas station's vapor recovery system to malfunction. Researchers at the University of Murcia in Spain found that above average amounts of dangerous compounds such as benzene were in the air above and around gas stations, and the main cause of this was traffic density at the station.

Public Health

• There are health health risks associated gas station pollution.

  In addition to the environmental damage that pollution from gas stations can cause, there is also the issue of public health. According to the National Institutes of Health, high levels of ozone can lead to severe respiratory issues such as asthma. Benzene, a chemical found in gasoline vapor, is a known cancer causing agent. Lead, which was used in gasoline into the 1970s, has been known to cause retardation in children.

Reduction

• Reduction is under way, but is it enough?

  Efforts continue to reduce the pollution created by gas stations through improved equipment and operational activities, as well as stiff penalties for stations that don't comply with environmental regulation laws. California has some of the most stringent environmental regulation in the United States, but due to economic issues recently had to temporarily suspend legislation pertaining to gas station pollution. The cost of adhering to that state's regulations has been high. Less than half of stations met the guidelines in 2009.