Published December 2002
Over the past decade, exhaust from diesel vehicles has increasingly come to be seen as a public health hazard. Primary culprits in the exhaust are particle matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx); both pollutants aggravate respiratory and cardio-pulmonary ailments, and the former is carcinogenic. As a consequence, regulators in Europe, North America and Japan have acted to cut pollutant emissions from diesels (among other sources). Standards for PM and NOx emissions from such vehicles are being reduced by an order of magnitude over the 1990-2010 period, with the next big stepdown planned for 2006-2007. Up til now, manufacturers have been able to meet declines in NOx and particle limits by adjusting engine and fuel characteristics. However, to comply with further reductions in emission standards coming in this decade, aftertreatment will be required. This is forcing vehicle makers to introduce novel emission-controls.
This report approaches the issue in a holistic manner. It reviews the hazards posed by particles and NOx, how they are generated in diesel engines, developments in emission standards, and the emerging market for aftertreatment technologies.
