What Are Diesel Particulate Filters?

Diesel engines emit significant amounts of particulate matter (PM) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) into the atmosphere. They also emit toxic air pollutants that adversely affect human health and contribute to acid rain, ground-level ozone, and reduced visibility. Studies show that exposure to diesel exhaust causes lung damage and respiratory problems. There is also increasing evidence that diesel emissions may cause cancer.

Metro Vancouver is proposing amendments to their Non-Road Diesel Engine Emission Regulation ByLaw in efforts to reduce harmful emissions from non-road diesel engines. 

RYPOS, Inc., developer and manufacturer of advanced, exhaust filtration systems that reduce harmful emissions from diesel engines, and Stanford Medicine, a leader in pioneering research, creative teaching protocols and effective clinical therapies, are pleased to announce the first installation and approval of an OSP special seismic certification pre-approved diesel particulate filter for the new emergency power station at New Stanford Hospital medical center.

Despite a reputation for being environmentally progressive, Oregon is falling behind its neighbors when it comes to diesel pollution. Portland State University professor Linda George, studying diesel air pollution in the area. On a random Thursday morning, her sensors in southwest Portland registered black carbon at an alarming level.

“It is 1,400 nanograms and the health benchmark for Oregon is 100. For California it is three,” George said. What’s more, those tiny black bits are different than other types of air pollution George said. “Those particles, diesel particulate matter, are small particles that get into your lungs and pass into the brain. And they are a known carcinogen.”

Breathing in dirty air damages our lungs, but new research is showing it might change how we think, too.

A study published earlier this week in the Proceedings for the National Academy of Sciences found that long-term exposure to particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide led to cognitive declines in study participants as they aged. Less-educated men were particularly impacted and had low verbal and math test scores.

Scientists and health officials are still working to discern exactly how air pollutants interact with the brain.

“We speculate that air pollution probably puts greater damage on the white matter in the brain, which is associated with language ability,” says Xin Zhang, a study author and researcher at Beijing Normal University's school of statistics.

Ambient air pollution is the largest environmental health problem in the United States and in the world more generally. Fine particulate matter smaller than 2.5 millionths of a meter, known as PM2.5, was the fifth-leading cause of death in the world in 2015, factoring in approximately 4.1 million global deaths annually. In the United States, PM2.5 contributed to about 88,000 deaths in 2015 – more than diabetes, influenza, kidney disease or suicide.

A Statement on the World Health Organization’s First Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health

Diesel truck, engine and equipment makers and their suppliers share the goal of improving air quality and health of citizens around the world, articulated today at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) First Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Geneva.

The following is a statement from Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, regarding the role of diesel in improving global air quality:“Heavy-duty diesel engines power key sectors of the global economy, enabling economic progress in both developing and developed countries alike. Diesel technologies facilitate mobility, transport people, and deliver goods and services. Diesel-powered equipment helps construct critical infrastructure and drives agricultural activities. Diesel plays a role in electrical power generation. In short, diesel technologies enhance the overall quality of life for millions around the globe.

“Emissions from transportation, construction and agriculture, along with residential heating and industrial sources, all contribute to the global emissions inventory. Other factors – including government policies, cultural needs and economic conditions – also contribute directly to air quality.