CO - How Carbon Monoxide Affects
the Way We Live and Breathe

Published by the US EPA
Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards
November 2000

Improvements in vehicle and emissions control technology have greatly reduced emissions of carbon monoxide.

car emissions test [courtesy of EPA - Environmental Protection Agency] Table of Contents
CO: What is it? Where does it come from?

Chief Causes for Concern

Health and Environmental Impacts of CO

CO: What is it? Where does it come from?

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a colorless, odorless gas that is formed when carbon in fuel is not burned completely. It is a component of motor vehicle exhaust, which contributes about 56 percent of all CO emissions nationwide. Other non-road engines and vehicles (such as construction equipment and boats) contribute about 22 percent of all CO emissions nationwide. Higher levels of CO generally occur in areas with heavy traffic congestion. In cities, 85 to 95 percent of all CO emissions may come from motor vehicle exhaust. Other sources of CO emissions include industrial processes (such as metals processing and chemical manufacturing), residential wood burning, and natural sources such as forest fires. Woo Pie chart showing sources of CO dstoves, gas stoves, cigarette smoke, and unvented gas and kerosene space heaters are sources of CO indoors. The highest levels of CO in the outside air typically occur during the colder months of the year when inversion conditions are more frequent. The air pollution becomes trapped near the ground beneath a layer of warm air.

courtesy of EPA - Environmental Protection Agency

Chief Causes for Concern

More than 3/4 of CO emissions come from motor vehicles [courtesy of EPA - Environmental Protection Agency]

CO. . .

is poisonous even to healthy people at high levels in the air.
can affect people with heart disease.
can affect the central nervous system.

Motor Vehicle Use Is Increasing
Nationwide, three-quarters of carbon monoxide emissions come from on-road motor vehicles (cars and trucks) and non-road engines (such as boats and construction equipment). Control measures have reduced pollutant emissions per vehicle over the past 20 years, but the number of cars and trucks on the road and the miles they are driven have doubled in the past 20 years. Vehicles are now driven two trillion miles each year in the United States. With more and more cars traveling more and more miles, growth in vehicle travel may eventually offset progress in vehicle emissions controls.

Malfunctions and Tampering Reduce the Effectiveness of Emission Control Systems
Today's sophisticated emission control systems on vehicles are designed to keep pollution to a minimum, but vehicles quickly become polluters when their emission controls do not work correctly or if drivers tamper with them.

Health and Environmental Impacts of CO

Carbon monoxide can cause harmful health effects by reducing oxygen delivery to the body's organs (like the heart and brain) and tissues.

Courtesy of EPA - Environmental Protection Agency	Cardiovascular Effects. The health threat from lower levels of CO is most serious for those who suffer from heart disease, like angina, clogged arteries, or congestive heart failure. For a person with heart disease, a single exposure to CO at low levels may cause chest pain and reduce that person's ability to exercise; repeated exposures may contribute to other cardiovascular effects.
Courtesy of EPA - Environmental Protection Agency	Central Nervous System Effects. Even healthy people can be affected by high levels of CO. People who breathe high levels of CO can develop vision problems, reduced ability to work or learn, reduced manual dexterity, and difficulty performing complex tasks. At extremely high levels, CO is poisonous and can cause death.
Courtesy of EPA - Environmental Protection Agency	Smog. CO contributes to the formation of smog ground-level ozone, which can trigger serious respiratory problems.

Reference: http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/co/hlth1.html

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CO - How Carbon Monoxide Affects the Way We Live and Breathe

CO: What is it? Where does it come from?

Chief Causes for Concern

Health and Environmental Impacts of CO

Do-It-Best-Yourself Mold Solutions

Do-It-Best-Yourself Mold Solutions

CO - How Carbon Monoxide Affects
the Way We Live and Breathe