So charbroiling a burger pollutes a lot more than you would’ve thought: a new study from UC Riverside has found that cooking up a single burger pollutes more than a diesel-powered big rig.From the release:Emissions from commercial charbroilers are a very significant uncontrolled source of particulate matter…more than twice the contribution by all of the heavy-duty diesel trucks," study author Bill Welch said. "For comparison, an 18-wheeler diesel-engine truck would have to drive 143 miles on the freeway to put out the same mass of particles as a single charbroiled hamburger patty.Apparently, “©ommercial cooking equipment generates grease, smoke, heat, water vapor, and combustion products,” and there aren’t many laws that tamp down on the emissions.Particulate pollution is nasty stuff; it causes respiratory woes like asthma, lung disease, and cancer. The study credits major strides in clean diesel technology for allowing diesel-powered trucks to pollute less than many gas-burning autos, and, evidently, hamburgers. Yet another reason to start cooking them with our car exhaust.