CARB rejects SCAQMD alt-fuel monopoly scheme for garbage trucks

Diesel Fuel News, June 23, 2003

California Air Resources Board staff instead proposes to require garbage truck fleet operators to retrofit, repower or replace old, high-emitting diesels with modern, low-emissions diesels, or buy alt-fuels trucks as an option (not a mandate). Many electronically-controlled engines can be fitted with diesel particulate filters (DPFs) for ultra-low PM emissions, but ironically the 2003-2006 engines with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) won't necessarily produce the right exhaust conditions for DPF soot regeneration, the CARB report says.

Hence fleets may have to wait until 2007 to buy diesel garbage trucks meeting ultra-low emissions standards for both nitrogen oxides (NOx) and PM, GARB says. On the other hand, the oldest trucks (pre-1988) likely will have to be repowered with modern, low-emissions engines to meet GARB standards. GARB calculates the cost of the clean-garbage-truck fleet rule at about 85 cents per household, per year.