HEALTH RISKS FROM LIGHT-DUTY DIESEL VEHICLES

The authors discuss the effects of developing U.S. interest in diesel-engined cars, which is likely to be stimulated by the Federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements for 1985 which will require light-duty vehicles to be able to attain an overall fleet average fuel consumption of 27.5 mpg. The introduction of fuel-efficient diesel-engined vehicles is seen as a way of meeting fuel consumption requirements while minimising the need to reduce vehicle size. As the additional diesel fumes might represent an increased health risk, the EPA and the Department of Energy have developed programs, described in the article, to evaluate the possible health and environmental risks. Emissions from petrol-engined and diesel-engined vehicles are compared with proposed standards for 1985 and a computer simulation model predicts the increase of diesel fuel particles over urban areas. It is concluded that although diesel emissions alone should not cause respiratory problems, when combined with emissions from other sources total air quality standards could be exceeded. (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0013936X
• Corporate Authors:

  American Chemical Society

  1155 16th Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • Cuddihy, R G
  • Griffith, W C
  • McClellan, R O
• Publication Date: 1984-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 14A-21A
• Serial:
  • Environmental Science & Technology
  • Volume: 18
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: American Chemical Society
  • ISSN: 0013-936X
  • EISSN: 1520-5851
  • Serial URL: http://pubs.acs.org/journal/esthag

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air; Air pollution; Automobiles; Diesel engines; Digital computers; Environment; Environmental impacts; Evaluation and assessment; Exhaust gases; Forecasting; Fuel consumption; Gasoline engines; Health; Light vehicles; Mathematical models; Quality control; Simulation; Standards; Urban areas; Vehicle size
• Uncontrolled Terms: Quality
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 6714: Air; 1243: Car; 1394: Catalytic converter; 1314: Diesel engine; 8673: Digital computer; 2455: Environment; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 132: Forecast; 232: Fuel consumption; 2144: Health; 6473: Mathematical model; 9063: Quality; 9103: Simulation; 187: Specification (standard); 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00388939
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 30 1984 12:00AM