Generators of DPCs strongly harm ecology

Among residents of Quincy is (State of Washington) where there is a group of the data processing centers managed by Microsoft, Yahoo and other companies the concern at air pollution from reserve diesel generators of these DPCs grows.

The department of ecology of the State of Washington held a meeting with residents of Quincy to comment on a request of Dell for permission - to use 28 diesel generators. In the town of Quincy (the population about 6 thousand people) more than 140 reserve generators belonging to Dell corporation and other companies which already got permissions to installation will be installed or expect them. Though generators are held for use only in rare instances of power outage, operators of data processing centers turn on them regularly, for testing.

It is allowed to companies to turn on each generator for 103 hours a year. If they use the permitted maximum time, generators in Quincy will operate on average the computation of time equivalent to 40 hours in day. Inhalation of a diesel exhaust, as we know, creates or aggravates problems with health, including heart troubles, asthma and lung cancer.

Some inhabitants are disturbed by impact of diesel emissions on health of community. Among them former mayor Patty Martin. She considers that generators should use the same types of devices of reduction of emissions which are necessary in other cities of the state, such as Olympia and Moses Lake.

Karen Wood, the head of qaulity of air of department of ecology of the state, considers that such devices are not necessary in Quincy. As Olympia is much more and already has the high level of diesel emissions from other sources, the new data processing centers which are in this city need to reduce the emissions, she told. "While in Quincy the number of background emissions very low. There are a few industrial enterprises. And wind blows 325 days in a year", - she noted. Every time when the data processing center requests permission to add new generators, department of ecology studies their influence, in view of diesel emissions from other sources, such as cargo transport and railroad.

Nevertheless, the former mayor Quincy is afraid that many people are not informed on potential risk of emissions. "People should agree that they are ready to risk for the sake of profit. But they know nothing about it", - she told.

According to Martine, nearly three quarters of the population of Quincy – Spaniards, however the majority of declarations of a request of a data processing center for installation of generators is placed in English-language newspapers. Earlier this year, at the request of Yahoo on placement of generators, ecologists said that they published declarations of meetings with the population in the local Spanish-language newspaper, but recognized later that declarations were not printed because of an error. Ecologists planned one more open meeting scheduled for August 3, on demand about placement of diesel generators of Sabey company in number of 44 pieces.

Martin, one of the few inhabitants asking questions of generators does not lay great expectations on these meetings. "I was on two such for a long time, and they underestimate risks", - she told. According to her ecologists do not consider such adverse effect as the delayed effect of hit of emissions in the soil and growth of oncological diseases.

Dell directly did not comment on the concern stated in Quincy. However in a statement reported: "Dell very much hopes to be a part of this community. Our aspiration to security of the environment is the leading priority in those municipal entities where we live and we work".