|  | Public Health Safety | Environmental Health

Is Diesel Fuel a Hazardous Substance?

Diesel is widely used as a heating oil as well as fuel for big-rigs and trains that carry goods across the nation. Although not generally thought of as dangerous, diesel poses several hazards.

  1. Identification

    • Universal waste laws consider diesel fuel (and all petroleum-based fuels) hazardous because they can explode or catch fire, according to Environmental Compliance for Automotive Recyclers, a public-private partnership.

    Effects

    • Diesel fuel may also pose additional health hazards to those who spend a lot of time around its exhaust, which contains carcinogenic compounds such as benzene and fuel additives.

    Considerations

    • No verified link between diesel fuel and cancer exists, but definite short-term hazards include nausea, asphyxiation and lung damage. Long-term exposure to diesel fuel can damage the kidneys.

    Environmental Hazard

    • Diesel fuel contributes a lot of pollution to earth's air--cargo ships alone release about 1 million tons of nitrogen oxides each year, which form smog at ground level.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Dispose of waste diesel fuel in a clearly marked container with the amount of fuel recorded and get it to a hazardous waste disposal facility as soon as possible. Vapor removal devices and gloves can prevent diesel fuel from contaminating the blood.

Environmental Health - Related Articles