New analysis published by UMAS for the National Geographic, showed that the number of tankers idling went up by four times compared to the same time last year, each day spewing out six tons of nitrogen pollutants, a quarter ton of sulfur pollutants, and about 290 pounds of PM2.5—the fine particles that have been correlated with higher risk of lung and heart diseases, as well as with worse outcomes from COVID-19. The ships also pumped out up to 600 metric tons of CO2 each day. The extra oil tankers have added up to 15,000 tons of CO2 and 7,250 pounds of lung-harming PM2.5 during their month or so of idling.

Read the full article published in National Geographic