Diesel Technology Forum Statement On Action by the International Agency on Research for Cancer

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WASHINGTON, June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum, issued the following statement today regarding the actions by the World Health Organization's International Agency on Research for Cancer (IARC) regarding the classification of diesel exhaust:

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"We welcome and support scientific discussion regarding diesel fuels and emissions. The industry's commitment is underscored by its funding for the independent peer-reviewed, multi-stakeholder Advanced Collaborative Emissions Study (ACES)  by the Health Effects Institute (HEI).  This landmark study sponsored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board, industry and HEI suggest 'few biologic effects to diesel exhaust exposure'.

"Air pollution is a critically important health issue and the diesel industry takes clean air concerns very seriously.  Diesel engine and equipment makers, fuel refiners and emissions control manufacturers have invested billions of dollars in research in an ongoing effort to develop technologies that reduce emissions to meet the increasingly diverse and stringent clean air standards in all nations throughout the world.  

"New technology diesel engines, which use ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, advanced engines and emissions control systems, are near zero emissions for nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and particulate matter.  In the U.S., EPA indicates that diesel accounts for less than six percent of all particulate matter in the air.

"In the U.S., emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks and buses have been reduced by 99 percent for nitrogen oxides - an ozone precursor – and 98 percent for particulate emissions.

"Critical to this progress has been ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel which has reduced sulfur emissions by 97 percent – from 500 PM to 15 PM - enabling advanced emissions control devices.

"Because more than 90 percent of all global trade is powered by diesel engines, these advancements are enabling broad international environmental and public health benefits throughout the world. "

Several recent scientific and academic research studies have highlighted the important advancements in clean diesel technology:

• May 24, 2012 California Air Resource Board: International scientists reported a 50 percent reduction of black carbon in ambient air over the past 20 years primarily due to advancements in clean diesel technology.
• April 12, 2012 Health Effects Institute study provides important new insights into the emissions and health effects of the new diesel. These and related findings were recently presented at a CARB Research Seminar.
• March 2012 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Report to Congress on Black Carbon (BC): "[T]he United States will achieve substantial BC emissions reductions by 2030, largely due to controls on new mobile diesel engines."
• April 23, 2012 North Carolina State University: Diesel trucks in compliance with newer standards showed a 98 percent decrease in NOx and 94 percent reduction in PM emissions.

Contact:
Steve Hansen
[email protected]
301-668-7230 (o)
202-355-3664 (c)
(Additional information)

SOURCE Diesel Technology Forum