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"The Quiet EV Charging Emissions You Didn't Know Existed" - article

Tooney

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EV fast charger particle pollution
  • EV fast chargers kick up harmful particles that can be over twice the urban background pollution level.
  • The chargers' cooling fans stir up fine particles created by brake and tire wear, as well as dirt and dust from other sources.
  • Standing a few feet away from a fast charger that's in use limits the exposure to these fine particles.
. . .
Why do you want to avoid inhaling these PM 2.5 particles? Well, because they can very easily enter your body, it’s very hard to get rid of them, and they can cause all sorts of health problems. UCLA Fielding’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences Michael Jerrett said, “For anyone, exposure to fine particles can contribute to health issues, and for those with existing conditions or heightened sensitivity, the risks are even greater. Because these particles are so small, they can travel deep into your lungs and even enter your bloodstream—potentially leading to serious problems like heart or lung disease.”

If you have to stay near your EV while it’s fast-charging, you can use a mask with a filter designed to keep PM 2.5 particles out of your airways. Make sure you get a good-quality mask that seals well around your face. Some have been proven to filter up to 95% of airborne particles, so make sure to get a good one that has actually undergone testing.

According to data provided in the study, which used a very accurate holographic particle monitoring device, just taking a few steps back from the charger greatly limits your exposure to all of this airborne microscopic nastiness, making it more important to go inside to get a bite or a coffee while waiting for the car to charge.

Ultimately, the lack of tailpipe emissions on EVs makes them a better environmental choice than anything gas-powered, and the research on this is extremely definitive. While these kinds of story may be used as anti-EV fodder elsewhere, here's a better explanation: standing right next to the DC fast-charger isn't great in terms of environmental health. Stand back, and then enjoy emissions-free driving when you're done.
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kempez

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So the conclusion is that a fan on a charger can blow particles around? And not particles specific to EV’s. Just particles.

and how many of us plug in a charger and stand right next to it waiting? Does anyone?

:facepalm:
 

whitex

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Saw this pop up in a news feed, repeated by a bunch of sites - seemed like stating the obvious to me. If you look closely at the actual study, they are comparing particle levels at DCFC stations, very close to the fans (study says the levels drop sharply as you move away from the fan), against levels of those car generated particles in parks (see this sentence in the study itself " Additionally, we selected four urban background sampling areas. These were primarily located in park areas and were chosen from the north, west, south, and east regions of Los Angeles County. ").

So in summary, where there are cars, there are tire and brake particulates (though I guess EV's produce much less brake particles), and if you have a fan in that environment stirring up air, those particles will be airborne. These levels are much higher than at parks without cars and fans. Duh!

PS> I'd bet if we just take measurements near a car parked at a highway rest stop with its AC blowing hard, we'd get similar results, possibly worse (more brake dust than from EVs).
 
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Tsingtao

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Just more anti-EV tripe, compliments of the fossil fuel industry. How about a study comparing/contrasting the dangers of inhaling random environmental dust that might be kicked up by an EV charger fan vs. the dangers of inhaling known toxic hydrocarbons (e.g. benzene, toluene, etc.) while filling up at a gas station.
 


Flying ace

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Flying ace

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PS> I'd bet if we just take measurements near a car parked at a highway rest stop with its AC blowing hard, we'd get similar results, possibly worse (more brake dust than from EVs).
Or an O'Reilly's/ Napa / Advanced Auto Parts parking lot 😂
 


Sly_North

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But the particles aren’t coming from the chargers themselves. They are likely being stirred up by vortexes created by the chargers’ powerful cooling fans, which lift the particulate matter settled on the ground and inside the chargers. The sources of the particles are multiple; it's mainly the result of brake and tire wear, but it’s also just dirt and dust that gets mixed.
So the article title is BS and the goal is just click bait.
 

daveo4EV

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EV fast charger particle pollution
  • EV fast chargers kick up harmful particles that can be over twice the urban background pollution level.
  • The chargers' cooling fans stir up fine particles created by brake and tire wear, as well as dirt and dust from other sources.
  • Standing a few feet away from a fast charger that's in use limits the exposure to these fine particles.
. . .
Why do you want to avoid inhaling these PM 2.5 particles? Well, because they can very easily enter your body, it’s very hard to get rid of them, and they can cause all sorts of health problems. UCLA Fielding’s Department of Environmental Health Sciences Michael Jerrett said, “For anyone, exposure to fine particles can contribute to health issues, and for those with existing conditions or heightened sensitivity, the risks are even greater. Because these particles are so small, they can travel deep into your lungs and even enter your bloodstream—potentially leading to serious problems like heart or lung disease.”

If you have to stay near your EV while it’s fast-charging, you can use a mask with a filter designed to keep PM 2.5 particles out of your airways. Make sure you get a good-quality mask that seals well around your face. Some have been proven to filter up to 95% of airborne particles, so make sure to get a good one that has actually undergone testing.

According to data provided in the study, which used a very accurate holographic particle monitoring device, just taking a few steps back from the charger greatly limits your exposure to all of this airborne microscopic nastiness, making it more important to go inside to get a bite or a coffee while waiting for the car to charge.

Ultimately, the lack of tailpipe emissions on EVs makes them a better environmental choice than anything gas-powered, and the research on this is extremely definitive. While these kinds of story may be used as anti-EV fodder elsewhere, here's a better explanation: standing right next to the DC fast-charger isn't great in terms of environmental health. Stand back, and then enjoy emissions-free driving when you're done.
complete Tripe - it's airquality - but not airpollution -so yeah - same as a leaf blower…but without the ICE additional emissions…

click-bait and anti-EV biased garabage.

Here are equally significant scientific studies…
  • water is wet
  • sky is blue
  • wheels go round
  • ice is cold
  • gravity makes things fall down
this article: fans blow dust around

:facepalm:
 
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Tooney

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complete Tripe - it's airquality - but not airpollution -so yeah - same as a leaf blower…but without the ICE additional emissions…
Leaf blowers aren't banned yet in California?
Wow!
 

anonymouse

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Here are equally significant scientific studies…
  • water is wet
  • sky is blue
  • wheels go round
  • ice is cold
  • gravity makes things fall down
No, I'm sorry, you haven't spent much time in universities. The conclusion of each of such studies would of course be: "A further study needs to be undertaken".
 

whitex

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