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SA goes for cleaner diesel
27 July 2006
Ever felt like holding your breath when the car in front
of you is emitting foul-smelling, dirty black smoke from
its exhaust?
One of the major causes of that noxious smoke is the
sulphur content in diesel fuel, but with South
Africa tightening its legislation around air quality,
the country is seeing more of its big polluters
taking innovative steps to reduce toxic atmospheric
emissions.
In some cases they are going a step further, offering
products that fall below the minimum emissions now
permissible, as is the case with BP, which has launched
a new ultra-low-sulphur diesel fuel containing 50 parts
per million of sulphur.
The standard cleaner diesel fuel currently allowed by
law has a sulphur content of no more than 500 parts per
million (ppm).
However, South Africans are likely to see this level
gradually reduced to a point where even less sulphur
emissions are permissible, says Peter Lukey, chief
director of air quality management at the Department of
Environmental Affairs.
The National Environment Management Air Quality Act of
2004 tightens up the conditions under which emissions
that reduce air quality are permissible.
The government has set up a timetable for reductions in
the sulphur content of diesel, with further reductions
on the cards as South Africa gradually brings its
standards in line with those around the world.
BP Cleaner Diesel 50
"[I]n reality all new-technology diesel vehicles are
designed for European standard diesel with a sulphur
level of 50ppm, which is why we launched BP Cleaner
Diesel 50," BP's Sipho Maseko said at the launch of BP's
Cleaner Diesel 50 product in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The company's new product is currently available only in
the coastal regions of Cape Town and Durban, but will be
available in Gauteng in a few months' time.
BP Cleaner Diesel 50
The move has been welcomed by the government, with Lukey
saying there was "no doubt that a reduction in sulphur
[in diesel fuel] will have a dramatic impact on our air
quality".
Clearing the 'brown haze'
Lukey said the government would continue encouraging
industry's compliance with its air quality standards,
and a list of "controlled emitters" would soon be
published in a move to reduce air pollution.
One of the first controlled emitters the government
would looking at was motor vehicles, Lukey said, noting
that air pollution studies had found that the major
cause of the "brown haze" covering the country's cities
was vehicle emissions.
Ivan Bromfield, a health manager at the City of Cape
Town, said one particular study had found that diesel
vehicle emissions caused about 48% of this "brown haze",
followed by petrol vehicles with 17% and industry
emissions with 13%.
by Shaun Benton - Source:
BuaNews
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