MADISON, Wis. -- Hilldale Mall on Madison's West Side is the first mall in Wisconsin and one of the first in the country to go "idling free."

Starting Tuesday, semitrailers will not be permitted to idle while crews unload.

A coalition of Dane County leaders said it hopes to cut back on air pollution by stopping unnecessary idling.

Tim Metcalfe, of Metcalfe Sentry, said semitrailers at the mall idle for more than 120 hours per week.

"If you compute that, that's about 1,300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year," Metcalfe said.

The Dane County Clean Air Coalition said the health benefits for the city will be significant.

State leaders are considering a statewide ban on unnecessary idling as part of the global warming bill.

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