There's a certain romanticism that alumni of drum corps have with the smell of diesel smoke. One whiff brings them back to fond memories from tour.

But a top official with the Environmental Protection Agency said that drum corps members could face an increased health risk by standing outside buses after shows for an hour or two each night and breathing diesel exhaust while they chat with friends and eat post-show snacks.

Kathryn Sargeant, director of the Air Toxics Center -- a division of the EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality -- said that while the EPA can't quantify the risks right now, studies strongly suggest that diesel emissions increase a variety of health risks. Especially if there are 30 or 40 buses idling close together, as there are in the parking lots at big shows.

She's not suggesting that kids shouldn't march drum corps. Rather, that the corps encourage the kids not to breathe the exhaust and, more importantly, turn the buses off until it's time to depart.

"Both actions will reduce the drum corps kids’ exposure to diesel exhaust," Sargeant said. "We especially encourage bus operators to turn off the engine whenever possible. Minimizing idling is an easy, no-cost and smart way to reduce pollution. It also saves fuel, reduces wear and tear on the engine, and lessens nuisance problems such as odor and noise."

Most of the time, corps turn on their buses hours before departure from a school or show site because they want to cool the buses off for the kids and drivers or ensure that the buses are started and ready to go. Sargeant suggested a healthier solution.

"If cold start or air conditioning for the drivers is a problem, there are anti-idling technologies like auxiliary power units (APUs) that allow the main diesel engine to be shut off and still provide power to run accessories and keep the engine warm.

"The drum corps should also encourage their bus company to follow the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations. This will help ensure that the buses are operating as cleanly as possible...

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