The Diesel Technology Forum issued the following statement today regarding the final report of the multi-year Advanced Collaborative Emissions Study (ACES) conducted by the Boston-based Health Effects Institute (HEI).
HEI conducted the independent study of new technology diesel engines to determine whether the engines achieved the expected emissions reductions, thereby improving air quality for public health, as well as whether the new technologies resulted in any unintended increases in emission components. The study concluded that exposure to new technology diesel exhaust does not cause any increase in the risk of lung cancer or other significant adverse health effects in study animals.
“The significance of this study and its conclusions cannot be overstated,” said Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “The results of this new study verify the environmental benefits of the new clean diesel technology, which have near-zero emissions for nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matter (PM). And while this study focused on heavy duty truck emissions, the new clean diesel technology has the potential for impacting all sectors, including passenger cars, agriculture, construction, maritime and transportation.
“In the U.S., clean diesel technology in highway truck engines is increasingly embraced by the commercial trucking sector. Today, more than one-third of all commercial trucks on the road are powered with 2007 generation or newer engines which have reduced particulate matter and NOx emissions by 98 percent compared to 1988 vehicles. In some states, the percentage of new technology diesel engine-equipped trucks exceeds 50 percent.
“This means that the clean air benefits from these clean diesel engines are being experienced in communities throughout the country.”
This report helps clarify some of the misinformation that is being spread about diesel emissions being a problem – most are now Near-Zero emissions and often cleaner than many gas engines!
Read more about the Press Release HERE.
Read more about the HEI Summary HERE.
