Green Team: Idling Engines Are Health Hazard

You're waiting to pick up a passenger. You're chilly, so you turn the engine on, crank up the heat — and create a health hazard.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has linked vehicle-related air pollution to asthma, allergies and other respiratory problems. The Green Team wants you to think about the effect your idling car has on pedestrians, so they are partnering with the Cranford Police to install about 35 anti-idling signs on the grounds of district schools, the Cranford Post Office and Cranford Public Library – all places where people tend to keep engines purring. The proposed design for the signs shows pedestrians immersed in a cloud of smoke.

After kicking off the initiative, the Green Team will also ask the Cranford Police to enforce a little-known New Jersey law that makes it illegal for a car to have its engine idling for more than three minutes.

"One of the major reason for concern about this issue is we have a number of children coming out of schools, and there's a lot of cars idling close to the exit and children may be exposed to those fumes," Mary Sudiak said, vice president of Board of Education and Environmental Committee liaison. "And we want the best environment we can provide for our children."

The program will not only focus on the actual cost of idling as well as the health issues, Environmental Commission chair Dittmar said, adding that research shows that idling for more than 10 seconds uses more fuel than turning the engine on and off while you wait.

Dittmar said the initiative also will correct misinformation. Years ago, car engines ran better when drivers let it idle for a few minutes before driving. But excessive idling could actually damage the engines of newer vehicles, Dittmar said.

This project has been in the works for around a year, spearheaded by leaders from the Green Team, Environmental Commission and school district leaders.

"It's been slowly baking, if you will," Dittmar said.

 Sudiak said the idea emerged from a pilot public-information project at Bloomingdale Avenue School. The program is still in the early stages – the Green Team is in the process of purchasing signs.

"The signs will basically alert people to the health problem and the fact that it's losing them money and is against the law," Dittmar said.

Reilly, the leader of the Green Team, a community organization that focuses on community sustainability issues, is thrilled by the warm reception for the program.

"It's a good thing all around," she added.