Legal basis for diesel particulate filters
USA
With an European point of view, the attitude of the USA towards emission levels seems to be split. On the one hand, the USA, as one of the worlds leading economies, has not joined the Kyoto protocol by now, in order not to limit the growth of the own economy, by investing in expensive environmental protection technologies. On the other hand the USA, all ahead California, is the birthplace of more and more strict emissions levels, which were recognised all over the world.During the leadership of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger all big automotive brands were sued for too high emissions of their vehicles and California as a federal state joined the Kyoto protocol. This seems strange, but California is the sixth biggest economy in the world and could therefore afford a strategy like this.
In the USA there are about 1.000 programs which focus on the reduction of emissions. Huge stock programs, like the “Carl-Moyer program” are supporting the usage of latest environmental techniques, like diesel particulate filters, sometimes up to 100% of the investment. The most famous authorities in the USA in regard to emission levels are: CARB (California Air Resource Board) and EPA (Environmental Protection Authority).
Everybody who intends to sell in the USA has to be verified at least by one of the mentioned institutes. The MK-system of the HUSS is a CARB verified technology – level 3. The level indicates the efficiency of the system. Level 3 is the highest achievable level and demands a reduction of PM at a minimum of 85%. Authorities like the CARB are always looking for better systems than those which are already in the market in order to raise the level of emission reduction efficiency. This process is called “BAT” and means “best available technology”. Only if a system manufacturer is “BAT” he has a veritable chance to be verified.
Besides California, the second centre of emission reduction is the so called “Tri-State-Area”, which consists out of the states of New-York, New Jersey and Connecticut. In New York the “law 77”, enforced in 2006, takes care for breathing easy. Step by step buses, heavy duty vehicles and construction equipment are now fitted with diesel particle filters. In the beginning of 2007, in California, a new law will be in place, focussing the emissions of construction machines. This new regulation will have full validity in 2009, until then, big projects like the “LA port project”, will bring more experience with the usage of emission reduction devices.
