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Diesel engines, often called the "workhorses of the American economy," are known for their durability, reliability and fuel economy. However, today's research confirms that diesel engines produce a significant amount of air pollutants that affect our health and the surrounding environment. The emissions from diesel engines are made up of a toxic mixture of particles, metals, and gases.
Over 40 "hazardous air pollutants" as classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), fine particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides that contribute to the formation of smog are found in diesel exhaust. Diesel engines are the second largest contributor of nitrogen oxides (NOx), behind power plants. Heavy-duty buses and trucks today account for about one-third of NOx emissions and one-quarter of particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions from mobile sources.
According to a 2005 report by the Clean Air Task Force, 'Diesel and Health in America: The Lingering Threat,' Georgia ranked 18 out of the lower 48 States and the District of Columbia as having the highest concentration of diesel soot. According to the same report, 51,808 workdays are lost each year and 8,514 asthma attacks are caused by diesel soot in Georgia.
Georgia Clean Diesel Campaign was developed to address and reduce the contribution of diesel engines to Georgia's air quality problems. There are many opportunities currently available to reduce emissions from diesel engines, including retrofits/pollution control technologies and clean fuels. The Georgia Clean Diesel Campaign strives to educate and facilitate discussions about the health effects of diesel emissions and implement programs that can help clean up Georgia's diesel engines through the use of best available control technologies.
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