Diesel group: Health Effects Institute says Clean Diesel Engines do not add cancer risk

The Diesel Technology Forum issued on January 27 a statement to call attention to the “final report of the multi-year Advanced Collaborative Emissions Study" conducted by the Boston-based Health Effects Institute which determined that newer diesel engine technologies do not increase risks of getting lung cancer.

“The study concluded that exposure to new technology diesel exhaust does not cause any increase in the risk of lung cancer or other significant adverse health effects in study animals,” the group said.

"The significance of this study and its conclusions cannot be overstated," said Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum.

"The results of this new study verify the environmental benefits of the new clean diesel technology, which have near-zero emissions for nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and particulate matter. And while this study focused on heavy duty truck emissions, the new clean diesel technology has the potential for impacting all sectors, including passenger cars, agriculture, construction, maritime and transportation,” the report added.

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Air Resources Board, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration are sponsors of this study in conjunction with the manufacturers of emissions control equipment," the group said.

"Diesel technology has undergone a complete transformation in recent years, first, with a move to ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel in 2006 that reduced the fuel's sulfur content by 97 percent," Schaeffer said.

"This cleaner fuel then enabled refinements in engine technology and the use of emission controls and reduction strategies that are now deployed throughout a wide range of industry, engines and technology,” the report added.