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A new report has been released this week by the US-based Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), which documents the public health effects associated with air pollution from global shipping and outlines the benefits of establishing an Emission Control Area (ECA) in the Unites States.

The study, entitled "Protecting American Health from Global Shipping Pollution: Establishing an Emission Control Area in U.S Waters" has been co-authored by the American Lung Association, Environmental Defense Fund, National Association of Clean Air Agencies, and Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

EDF's report concludes that more than 100 U.S. port cities burn low grade residual fuel, which is a major source of air pollution. It also says that over 87 million Americans live in port areas that are not meeting federal health-based air quality standards.

The release of the EDF study coincides with yesterday's announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which said that the U.S. government had applied to designate U.S. coastal waters as ECAs under international law.

Commenting on the issue, Vickie Patton, Deputy General Counsel of the Environmental Defense Fund said "The dangerous air pollution from these floating smokestacks is a serious health threat to tens of millions of Americans who live and work in port cities. Cleaning up these big ships will chart a course for cleaner air and healthier communities."

According to the EPA, in 2001, ocean-going ships emitted approximately:

• 745,000 tons of smog-forming oxides of nitrogen (NOx), a precursor to ground-level ozone. Ozone can aggravate asthma and decrease lung function in addition to other health effects;

• 450,000 tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2), a key contributor to acid rain that can also be transformed into lethal particulate matter; and

• 54,000 tons of fine particulates (PM2.5), microscopic sized particles, which can be breathed deep into the lungs, bypassing the body's defense systems. Other harmful health effects also result from breathing fine particulates.

In October 2008, the IMO adopted new baseline global emission standards for ocean-going ships. The main changes will see a progressive reduction in sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions from ships, with the global sulphur cap reduced initially to 3.50% (from the current 4.50%), effective from January 1st 2012; then progressively to 0.50 %, effective from January 1st 2020.

Within Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECAS), limits applicable will be reduced to 1.00%, beginning on July 1st 2010 (from the current 1.50 %); being further reduced to 0.10 % , effective from January 1st 2015. All new ships will also have to run on engines that reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 80 percent.

The EDF report concludes that pollution reductions required in an ECA will reduce exposure to lethal particulate pollution for millions of Americans.

The full report can be found at the following address: www.edf.org/documents/9466_ECA_report_March2009.pdf.