Sunday, December 02, 2012

What Makes Diesel Cars So Deadly

Earlier this year, WHO reclassified diesel exhaust as a Class I carcinogen (cancer causing). In effect, it slotted diesel exhaust in the same category as deadly substances such as arsenic, asbestos and tobacco.  Studies have shown a strong link between diesel emissions and lung cancer.
Often the car industry says that  even in Europe diesel car numbers are going up. But first compare the quality of diesel that Europe has. The sulphur content in diesel in Europe is 10 parts per million (ppm). In India, it is between 50 and 350 ppm.
Firstpost: Green tax: What makes diesel cars so deadly

2 comments:

non-carborundum said...

If it is so dangerous, Diesel should be banned outright. Is it the Suplhur in Diesel that causes cancer? If not, what is the point of this comparison of "quality"?

Taxes paid by the middle class are redistributed through various subsidies to rich farmers, transporters etc. Here is one subsidy that has made its way back to some extent to the middle class. That's why all these people itching.

Modern India - cars, air conditioning, phone, internet, all are "luxuries".

All these vested interests should be put in a chamber and subjected to Diesel emissions. Unfortunately, it won't kill them.

Unknown said...

Small quantities of water in diesel fuel in the form of an emulsion have shown promising results. Nitrogen oxides and carbon particles go down to almost Nil, engine power increases and fuel consumption goes down. Don't know about the sulphur, though.