Airports: Significant Sources of PM2.5 Emissions

Miki Barnes
November 30, 2020

A review of pollution sources in Oregon from the 2014 EPA National Emissions Inventory (NEI) reveals that the Hillsboro Airport (HIO) is the second largest facility source of PM2.5 in Washington County. (Stimson Lumber holds the top spot.) According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Master Records, HIO logged 253,847 operations in the 12 month period ending on 7/13/2020, an average of 695 per day. Of that number, 160,261, on average 439 per day, were categorized as local, a designation that refers to repetitive touch-and-go takeoff and landing operations thar occur below 2,000 feet within 4-5 miles of the airport. It also pertains to training aircraft that depart from HIO then circle and loop over homes, neighborhoods, prime farmlands, waterways and recreational areas within a 10 to 20 mile radius of the airport, often for an hour or more, before returning to HIO. In addition, there were 83,381 itinerant flights during this same time-frame, many of which also involve pilot instruction. A sampling of screenshots of the flight tracks generated by these aircraft is included in the last section of this posting.

HIO is surrounded on three sides by residential communities and on the fourth side by prime farmland. In July of 2020, Washington County was instrumental in establishing a camp, Safe Sleep Village, for people experiencing homelessness, with the goal of reducing the spread of COVID-19. The site chosen is located directly across the street from the airport. In addition, a hotel, Comfort Inn and Suites, located on a property adjacent to the camp, was turned into a respite shelter for group home residents and people experiencing homelessness who are symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19. Yet no safeguards were put in place to protect these vulnerable, worthy and deserving members of the community from the daily onslaught of relentless noise, PM2.5, lead, benzene and other toxic emissions generated by the users of HIO.

Health and Environmental Impacts of PM2.5

Out of a total of 36 Oregon counties, Washington County has more COVID-19 cases than every other jurisdiction except Multnomah County. Washington County residents living in areas that are routinely under assault by aviation activity from HIO as well as Stark's Twin Oaks (a noisy, polluting flight training facility located 6 miles south of HIO) and other nearby airports are at serious risk of negative health consequences that are exacerbated by aircraft activity.

According to a Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health article Coronavirus and Air Pollution,

"We know that air pollution can cause health problems, like heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and high blood pressure, that have been identified as the pre-existing medical conditions that raise the chances of death from COVID-19 infection. Emerging research, including a study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, finds that breathing more polluted air over many years may itself worsen the effects of COVID-19."

Health Impacts

The following quotes from the EPA website help to further explain the negative impacts of PM2.5.

“Particulate matter contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Some particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter can get deep into your lungs and some may even get into your bloodstream. Of these, particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, also known as fine particles or PM2.5, pose the greatest risk to health.”

“Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including:

    • premature death in people with heart or lung disease
    • nonfatal heart attacks
    • irregular heartbeat
    • aggravated asthma
    • decreased lung function
    • increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing.

"People with heart or lung diseases, children, and older adults are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure.”

Environmental Impacts

“Particles can be carried over long distances by wind and then settle on ground or water. Depending on their chemical composition, the effects of this settling may include:

    • making lakes and streams acidic
    • changing the nutrient balance in coastal waters and large river basins
    • depleting the nutrients in soil
    • damaging sensitive forests and farm crops
    • affecting the diversity of ecosystems
    • contributing to acid rain effects.”

In response to the growing awareness of the negative impact of fossil fuel-dependent toxic emissions on the environment and public health, many residents throughout Oregon have made a concerted effort to reduce their pollution footprint by driving less, using public transportation, bicycling, and walking more. Yet during this same time-frame, the aviation industry has increased pollution levels by encouraging recreational flying and by recruiting student pilots from around the world to train over our homes and neighborhoods. In so doing they degrade the environment, erode livability and compromise the health of our community.

Scroll down to view screenshots depicting examples of general aviation pilots from HIO and Twin Oaks airports aggressively subjecting residents to relentless noise in combination with multiple doses of PM2.5, lead, and many other carcinogenic substances on a daily basis.

SEA-TAC Airport: Source of Ultra-Fine PM2.5 Emissions

The excerpts below are from a December 2019 University of Washington article Communities around Sea-Tac Airport exposed to a unique mix of air pollution associated with aircraft.

"Communities underneath and downwind of jets landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are exposed to a type of ultrafine particle pollution that is distinctly associated with aircraft, according to a new University of Washington study, the first to identify the unique signature of aircraft emissions in the state of Washington."

"The finding comes from the two-year Mobile ObserVations of Ultrafine Particles or 'MOV-UP' study funded by the Washington State Legislature to examine the air-quality impacts of aircraft traffic on communities located within 10 miles of Sea-Tac Airport."

According to one of the investigators, Edmund Seto, an associate professor of environmental and occupational heath sciences at the University of Washington, "We found that communities under the flight paths near the airport are exposed to higher proportions of smaller-sized, 'ultra-fine' pollution particles and over a larger area compared to pollution particles associated with roadways."

For a second article on the pollution generated by Sea-Tac, see As wildfire smoke clears, King County’s airport communities continue fight for clean air.

Airport Pollution Exacerbates Asthma Symptoms

The excerpts below are from a February 2019 University of Southern California study entitled Airport pollution linked to acute health effects among people with asthma in Los Angeles.

"A recent research study by Dr. Rima Habre took a detailed look at the short-term health impacts caused by breathing in ultrafine particulate (UFP) matter that is emitted from aircraft activity at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Several years ago, USC researchers identified a clear pattern of UFP emissions from takeoff and landing aircraft activities at LAX. Levels of the dangerous UFPs were found to be 4 to 5 times greater than background levels in downwind communities. 'Ultrafine particulate matter is known to contribute to reduced lung function, and airway inflammation in individuals with asthma. We wanted to take a close look at short term effects on health when individuals breathe air that contains UFPs from airplanes,' said Habre. The study participants were made up of adults with doctor diagnosed asthma.”

"The significance of Habre’s study is that in such a short time, following regular walking exposure and a higher exposure, they were able to see significant elevation in inflammation systemically, not just in the lungs but in the overall blood circulation. Inflammation is tied to a lot of disease processes; cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic."

Per the article, "The pollutants measured by the study included UFP particle number, particle size, black carbon, carbon dioxide, particle-bound polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and ozone."

Screenshots of Pilots Polluting the Skies over Washington County

The flight tracks shown in the screenshots below were captured Friday 11/27/2020 and Sunday 11/29/20 on the weekend after Thanksgiving. These pictures represent a small sampling of the numerous aircraft that overflew homes, neighborhoods, prime farmland, and waterways during the holiday weekend. Flight students and recreational pilots chose to celebrate by bombarding the community with layer upon layer of noise and carcinogenic toxins including PM2.5, lead, benzene, and a host of other pollutants.

The perpetrators of the abuse and exploitation by aerial assault of Washington County residents include the Port of Portland as well as two East Coast investment firms, Graycliff and Renovus, who own Hillsboro Aero Academy. Another HIO based flight training school, Wilmington, Delaware-based ATP, is also a major offender, as is Twin Oaks Airport located 6 miles south of the Hillsboro Airport.

Examples of Flight Tracks from Friday, 11/27/2020

 

This flight pattern was generated by a single aircraft registered to Hillsboro Aero Academy. At the time this screenshot was captured on 11/27/2020 at 3:03 pm, the pilot had been in the air for over 2 and 1/2 hours, heedlessly looping and circling over people’s homes and neighborhoods. There are at least 12 other aircraft distributing carcinogens, noise and other pollutants at the same time.

 

This detail from the previous image is an example of a pilot practicing touch-and-go patterns. During these trainings, student pilots circle repetitively at low altitude while practicing landing and takeoff maneuvers. This type of circling, which often occurs hundreds of times per day, has a substantial impact on residents subjected to the noise and toxins generated by this activity.

 

This screenshot, taken on 11/27/2020 at 3:23 pm, is yet another example of a Hillsboro Aero Academy training flight circling and looping over Washington County residents. This aircraft had been in the air for close to 1 and 3/4 hours when this image was captured. It was flying during the same time-frame as the flight discussed above. Please note the other 8 aircraft visible in this photo, a number of which are also engaged in similar flight training activities.

 

In addition to Hillsboro Airport (HIO) air traffic, Washington County residents are often impacted by aircraft from Twin Oaks Airport, a facility located in Hillsboro, six miles south of HIO. This screenshot was captured at 4:32 pm on 11/27/2020. Again, please note, there are 7 other aircraft in the photo, all dumping noise and toxic emissions on area residents.

Examples of Flight Tracks from Sunday, 11/29/2020

 

This screenshot was captured on Sunday 11-29-20 at 3:24 pm. It depicts another aircraft registered to Twin Oaks spewing noise and a toxic cocktail of pollutants into the air over Washington County. There were at least 12 other aircraft flying over Washington County, many engaged in repetitive training maneuvers, at the time this picture was taken.

 

When this screenshot was captured at 3:52 on 11-29-20, this Hillsboro Aero Academy flight training aircraft had been in the air for over 1 and 1/2 hours pumping a steady stream of noise, carcinogens and other toxic pollution over urban and rural communities. Note the eight other aircraft poisoning the skies over Washington County at the time this picture was taken.

 

This screenshot was captured at 4:04 pm on 11/29/20. It shows the flight tracks of yet another Hillsboro Aero Academy aircraft releasing an unrelenting stream of noise and toxins into the air for more than 2 hours. Again, note the numerous other aircraft flying over Washington County during this same time-frame. This aircraft was in flight at the same time as the aircraft pictured in the previous slide.

 

This flight (N1668C) is registered to CE-172 Aircraft at 251 Little Falls Dr. in Wilmington, Delaware, the address of HIO flight-training tenant ATP. The screenshot was captured on 11-29-20 at 4:15 pm. It was crisscrossing the skies at the same time the previous two flights were in the air.

 

This screenshot was captured on 11-29-20 at 4:28 pm. This Hillsboro Aero Academy aircraft had been flying for over an hour when the picture was taken. It was in the air at the same time as the previous two flights.

 

This screenshot, taken at 4:43 pm on 11/29/20, shows a Twin Oaks flight getting ready to land after releasing a steady stream of noise and toxic pollutants over homes and neighborhoods.

 

This screenshot was captured at 4:50 pm on 11-29-2020. It depicts yet another Hillsboro Aero Academy flight poisoning the environment, compromising the health of area residents, and eroding livability. The aircraft had been in the air for over an hour when the picture was taken. It was flying at the same time as the flights shown in the previous 5 screenshots.

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