Voluntary Program Launched to Reduce Pollution

March 28, 2000
EPA's "Diesel Retrofit Program" hopes to voluntarily clean up older diesel engines, trucks, buses and construction equipment.

Last week, EPA announced a new voluntary initiative called the "Diesel Retrofit Program" to clean up older diesel engines, trucks, buses and construction equipment.

EPA's initial goal is to get commitments from owners by the end of the year to retrofits 10,000 older heavy-duty diesel engines over the next two years.

The agency anticipates that these commitments will come from state and local governments, fleet operators and industry groups who can use available technology and other methods to reduce pollution from these engines.

Each year, diesel engines contribute millions of tons of soot, smog-forming and toxic pollution that can cause adverse health effects such as lung damage, respiratory problems and cancer.

Retrofitting 10,000 engines would eliminate roughly 15,000 tons of harmful pollution each year, according to EPA.

EPA hopes to work with other federal agencies, state governments, environmental groups and industries to encourage retrofitting of older diesel engines.

More information on EPA's diesel program can be found at www.epa.gov/oms/hd-hwy.htm.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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