Updated: May 28, 2026<\/p>\n
What\u2019s<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0new:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>EDF released a report this week,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Illinois Warehouse Boom<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/strong>, which examines the growth of\u00a0<\/span>warehouses and their health impacts in communities across Illinois<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The report finds that at least one in six Illinois residents now\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>live<\/span><\/span>\u00a0within half a mile of a large warehouse of at least\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>100,000 square feet<\/span>. Other key findings include:<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Why it matters:<\/span><\/span><\/strong>Diesel trucks emit significant pollution around warehouses while idling and while traveling at low speeds, and regulations to protect health\u00a0<\/span><\/span>haven\u2019t<\/span>kept<\/span>\u00a0up. A growing body of peer-reviewed research shows that exposure to traffic-related air pollution increases the risk of childhood asthma. Asthma is a leading cause of missed school days and has been linked to diminished school performance. Black children are\u00a0<\/span>nearly nine<\/span>\u00a0times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma and five times more likely to die from asthma, compared to non-Hispanic white children. Air pollution from diesel trucks is also associated with increased health risks at\u00a0<\/span>other stages of life. It raises the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, dementia, heart\u00a0<\/span>disease<\/span>\u00a0and stroke.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n What’s next: policy solutions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n