New Report: Cleaner Manufacturing in California Could Save More than 3,000 Lives and Prevent Millions of Asthma Attacks

Industrial facilities that manufacture everyday products that we rely on like food, paper and clothing are a significant—but often overlooked—source of harmful air pollution. A new report from the American Lung Association, “Clean Heat, Clean Air: Health Benefits of Modern Industrial Technologies,” finds that modernizing industrial manufacturing processes with clean heating technologies that are already available and cost-effective could save thousands of lives and dramatically reduce asthma attacks in California and around the country.

The report outlines the public health impact of pollution from facilities that rely on burning fossil fuels, wood or other fuels to generate heat for processes such as food and beverage processing, pulp and paper production, and textile manufacturing. The Lung Association’s analysis reveals that transitioning this equipment to modern, clean technologies by 2050 could result in up to the following health benefits for Californians alone: 

• $47.5 billion in public health benefits due to pollution reductions 
• 3,220 premature deaths avoided
• 1.8 million asthma attacks avoided
• 11,700 new asthma cases avoided
• 162,000 lost work days avoided

“Despite progress, California has incredible air pollution challenges to overcome. According to the ‘State of the Air’ report, nine out of ten people in California live in an area that received a failing grade for air quality. In addition, nine California cities appear among the Top 25 Most Polluted Cities lists. Building off of California's leadership in addressing pollution from industrial facilities is a crucial step in our efforts to clean the air in our state,” said Will Barrett, senior director, nationwide advocacy, clean air for the American Lung Association. 

Industrial facilities currently account for nearly a quarter of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making them the third-largest source of climate pollution behind transportation and electricity. Combustion-based industrial heat processes also release nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and other pollutants that harm lung health, especially in communities located near more than 33,000 of these units operating around the U.S. 

Nationally, the report finds that transitioning this equipment to modern, clean technologies by 2050 could result in up to:

• $1.1 trillion in public health benefits due to pollution reductions 
• 77,200 premature deaths avoided
• 33.2 million asthma attacks avoided
• 204,000 new asthma cases avoided
• 3.4 million lost work days avoided
• Over $350 billion in global climate benefits

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.

To read the full “Clean Heat, Clean Air: Health Benefits of Modern Industrial Technologies” report and learn more about the public health benefits of industrial clean heat technologies, visit Lung.org/clean-heat.