Emissions Reduction

The diesel industry is attacking the emissions challenge on both ends by building cleaner engines and constantly looking for innovative ways to lower emissions in the existing inventory of diesels.

As of 2007, exhaust from a clean diesel truck or bus is so clean that it would take 60 new trucks to equal the soot emissions of one truck sold in 1988. By 2010, truck and bus emissions levels will be near zero - a total reduction of 98 percent from 1988. The EPA predicts that these new trucks, once they fully replace the existing fleet, will reduce emissions of smog-forming gases by 2.6 million tons each year and cut soot emission by 110,000 tons annually.

Through the use of retrofit upgrades, older diesel engines can improve their performance and reduce key emissions by up to 90 percent. More information on retrofit technology and ongoing programs can be found in the Forum’s Online Retrofit Tool Kit.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also proposed new emission standards for marine and locomotive engines. Click here to learn more.

For additional information about engine certification standards and government regulations, visit the Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) website.