By CINDY LADAGE

Illinois Correspondent

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Farmers may be excited to learn about advances in biodiesel fuel presented by Lisa Thurstin, manager of Clean Air for the American Lung Assoc. (ALA), as a prelude to the National Biodiesel Conference in San Diego earlier this year.

Thurstin’s program, “Biodiesel, Air Quality, and Health,” shared how biodiesel helps create a clearer environment. She explained the ALA worked with the Minnesota Soybean Growers and Clean Cities, a program directed through the U.S. Department of Energy.

Through their coalition her organization is working to reduce petroleum use in transportation and to help others understand the health benefits of biodiesel. Since Minnesota – where her office is based – has a biodiesel requirement, she said the state may have better air quality than some others.

“Emissions from mobile sources is the single largest source of air pollution in the region. In our fight against lung disease, we include a focus on diesel tailpipe emissions,” she explained.

These emissions can lead to the formation of ozone (a contributor to smog), which can trigger asthma attacks and are linked to other lung diseases. “These cause thousands of emergency room visits, every year,” Thurstin said. “Biodiesel can reduce this.”

Another issue that can cause problems is particulate matter – more precisely PM2.5, which are fine particles that are suspended in the air. “They are so tiny that 20 of them can fit on a single strand of hair,” she said. ‘“They get deep in lungs and cause lung damage.

“In addition to tailpipes, PM2.5 comes from sources like wildfires, smoke stacks, dust, et cetera, and it is worst in winter.”

Thurstin said statistics showed in 2017 the B5 (5 percent biodiesel) blend used in winter and B10 in summer showed significant air emission reductions, and the ALA expects to see even better emission reduction numbers in Minnesota from B20 use in 2018 and 2019.

In Minnesota biodiesel is largely made from leftover soybean oil, or other waste vegetable grease and oils.

With the challenge of climate change, she said, “Some known health threats due to climate change include increasing ozone formation and the increase in severity of wildfires, floods, and storms. It has also increased the season of hay fever and ticks.

“Biodiesel (use comes) to the rescue again (for this) because it reduces greenhouse gases, too.”

The ALA is sharing its message through education and outreach in talks like this, which Thurstin said is “what we do best.”