Healthy Air: Soot and Smog Cut 90% in New Diesel Trucks, Buses

Diesel trucks and buses have long been one of the most harmful sources of soot and ozone smog-forming pollution, pumping deadly particles and chemical compounds into the air we breathe. But new diesels have dramatically cleaned up their act, cutting emissions more than 90 percent, according to a just-released study.

Thanks to the advocacy efforts of the American Lung Association, in 2001 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enacted tough standards to clean up diesel powered vehicles built after 2007. The Lung Association helped lead the fight to slash emissions from a new generation of diesel vehicles, which are now moving into highways everywhere.

And the study shows the rule change did slash emissions. Fine particle emissions from 2007 models dropped 99 percent below 2004 models, even better than expected. Inhaling these very tiny solid and liquid particles worsen lung diseases, trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and stroke, and cause premature death. It will now take the combined pollution of six new diesel trucks to equal the pollution emitted by one diesel truck built in 1988.

The emissions of hydrocarbons, a key building block of dangerous ozone smog, were 95 percent lower than expected as well. Other toxic emissions also dropped below required levels. Carbon monoxide emissions, for example, were 98 percent below levels allowed for 2007 engines.

The newly built diesel engines were measured using federal research standards by the Health Effects Institute in partnership with the EPA, U.S. Department of Energy and the California Air Resources Board. The study found emissions in new trucks and buses reduced by a 90 percent compared to previous models. The study was a five-year project in which heavy-duty diesel engines from the four major manufacturers-Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Caterpillar and Volvo- were tested rigorously for the presence of more than 300 pollutants. Read more about these encouraging emissions improvements in the HEI’s press release.

While the Lung Association applauds this vital step forward, we still recognize the importance of cleaning up the older buses and trucks on the highways, vehicles that were put in place before these new rules. Many Lung Associations are leading that fight as well, working to get fleet owners and governments to install equipment on these dirty vehicles that can reduce the emissions they produce. Our fight for the public’s health and air has taken us this far; it’s time to make diesel even cleaner. Join our fight for healthy air now.

h3.Related Links:

2009 State of the Air Report
Air Pollution 101