Global Trends in Diesel Emissions Regulation - A 2001 Update 2001-01-0183

Across the entire globe, there has been tremendous movement toward the further control of diesel vehicle emissions over the past 1 to 2 years. With regard to heavy duty vehicles, the EU in late 1999 finalized requirements for Euro 3, Euro 4 and Euro 5, to be phased in by 2008. These requirements are expected to require the introduction of advanced PM and NOx controls. The US EPA has adopted even more stringent requirements to be introduced in 2007 along with very low sulfur (<15 PPM) diesel fuel. Japan is in the process of an intense review which will likely reduce fuel sulfur levels to at least 50 PPM and introduce substantially tighter PM requirements by 2005. They are also developing a major diesel retrofit program. With regard to light duty vehicles, the California Air Resources Board has established the principle that diesel fueled vehicles should meet the same standards as gasoline fueled vehicles and the US EPA followed suit with its Tier 2 program. These and other efforts will be described in the paper.