Sulfur content in US diesel fuel significantly reduced
12/3/2010 12:00:00 AM
The December 1, 2010 deadline was mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, according to EPA’s pump survey, the highway transition to ULSD was actually completed a few weeks ago.
“It is quite a remarkable feat that refiners have been able to reduce the sulfur content in diesel fuel by 97%,” said Allen Schaeffer, the executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “The US now officially has the cleanest on-road diesel fuel in the world. This year has included several important environmental landmarks – the 40th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, the 10th anniversary of the National Clean Diesel Campaign, and now the official completion of the new ultra-low sulfur diesel transition."
According to the Diesel Technology Forum, ULSD will help cities and states meet federal air quality standards.
“The new clean diesel fuel will be a major contributor in helping cities and states meet strict new air quality goals set by the federal government,” Mr. Schaeffer said. “This new, ultra-clean fuel is extremely important because sulfur tends to hamper exhaust-control devices in diesel engines, like lead once impeded the catalytic converters on gasoline cars. Just as taking the lead out of gasoline in the 1970s enabled a new generation of emissions control technologies that have made gasoline vehicles over 95% cleaner, removing the sulfur from diesel help usher in a new generation of clean diesel technology.”
Comments