Air Quality  > Diesel Information

Diesel Information

           

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) has identified diesel exhaust as the air pollutant most harmful to public health in Washington State. Seventy percent of the cancer risk from airborne pollutants is from diesel exhaust. It puts healthy people at risk for respiratory disease and worsens the symptoms of people with health problems such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease. More than four million people in Washington live or work close to highways and other major roads where they are most likely to be exposed to diesel exhaust.

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How is Ecology reducing diesel emissions?

Ecology is working to reduce diesel emissions by providing assistance to help fleet managers to reduce idling, use cleaner fuels, install equipment to clean up diesel exhaust (called “exhaust retrofits”), and replace older engines with newer, cleaner ones.

The links below give more detailed information about diesel exhaust and efforts to reduce diesel emissions.

• Washington State Clean Diesel Grant Program
• Focus on Reducing Diesel Exhaust
• Ecology’s Strategy for Reducing Diesel Emissions in WA State
• Ecology's Strategy for Reducing Diesel Emissions in WA State Executive Summary
• Report on Potential Strategies to Reduce Emissions from Diesel Engines
• Examples of Projects in Washington that Reduce Diesel Particles
• Non-Road Diesel Emission Reduction Study
• Department of Revenue - Truck Stops and Diesel Truck Drivers - Tax Incentives
• Sources of Diesel particulates in Washington State
• Washington Cancer Risk from Various Air Toxics
• Concerns about Adverse Health Effects of Diesel Engine Emissions
• Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy - 2011 Implementation Report (July 2012)

Reducing Idling

• Focus on Locomotive Idling

• Focus on Engine Idling at Truck Stops

School bus Information

• Washington State Clean School Bus Program 2005 Report to the Legislature

Cleaner Diesel Fuel

As of 2006, almost all petroleum-based diesel fuel available in the US is ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD). Burning ULSD substantially lowers emissions of particulate matter from diesel engines

• Information About Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel Fuel
• Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Biofuels website

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What are others doing to reduce diesel exhaust emissions?

Here are some examples from programs across the country:

• West Coast Collaborative-Public-Private Partnership to Reduce Diesel Emissions
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Diesel Program
• USEPA National Clean Diesel Campaign
• Cascade Sierra Solutions- A non-profit organization dedicated to saving fuel and reducing emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines.
• SmartWay Transport Partnership
• Clean Cities Coalitions
• California Air Resource Board Diesel Programs
• Clean Air Task Force - Diesel Projects
• Port of Seattle - Seaport Air Quality Programs
• Puget Sound Clean Air Agency – Diesel Solutions Program
• Faster Freight Cleaner Air – Pacific Northwest. Conference series on moving freight cleanly