I am writing to express my concern about the increased jet exhaust odors that have been permeating our local neighborhood and limiting my family’s ability to be outside or to have our windows open. This morning when I came downstairs, I noticed a scary fume-exhaust odor and I thought there was a problem with my furnace. I realized that the odor was actually jet exhaust coming into our house through the open windows. This has become a frequent problem whenever the wind blows from the west, the direction of the airport.

Last week, when I went in to check on my sleeping 1-year-old baby, I was horrified to smell that his nursery reeked of jet exhaust odors as the fan in his window was sucking it in. Two days later there was such an intense odor in our kitchen that we thought the stove had a massive propane leak, but realized it was again jet exhaust coming in the open kitchen window.

I have lived in this area for eight years (one mile west of Bangor International Airport) and am accustomed to jet activity there. Last November I started noticing the bad exhaust odor that was caused by the new increase in jet activity – particularly in military jets. The odor lasts only five to ten minutes as the plane idles, disappears just before the plane’s takeoff noise, is worse from the military jets, smells a bit like a charcoal barbecue, and has been so bad at times that we’ve had to come inside. This takeoff odor is unacceptable and the black exhaust cloud jettisoned as planes circle to land is odorless, but equally concerning.

Many in the medical profession believe the unexplained increases in asthma, cancer, ADHD, autism and other rare illnesses are due to environmental pollutants which can act like poisons on our bodies. I take extra efforts to limit the toxins my family is exposed to by; buying organic foods, using water filtration systems, not using strong household cleaners, pesticides, herbicides, etc. My efforts seem ridiculous when my family is exposed daily to the poisonous chemicals that are in jet exhaust.

I can appreciate the functions of the military as well as that increased commercial use of Bangor International Airport means an increase in jobs in our area, but what affect is this exhaust having on the health of the people living in this area? The current level of air pollution caused by BIA is unacceptable and committees to discuss further increasing air traffic are premature. Capitalizing on our airport may be good for our local economy, but let’s first assess whether our airport can environmentally handle such increases without causing us health risks.

Carol Cutting lives in Bangor.