Bangladesh Orders Diesel PM Filters, Catalysts

Diesel Fuel News, Nov 26, 2001

Citing intolerable smoke emissions from vehicles, the Bangladesh Ministry of Environment ordered compulsory use of diesel PM filters (see Diesel Fuel News 6/11/2001, p11), and now the Ministry of Communications recommends a ban on import of vehicles lacking a PM filter as of this month, according to a report from The Independent (Dhaka).

Registration and fitness certificates also wouldn't be issued for vehicles lacking PM filters. Problem: Bangladesh has no ULSD fuel, optimal for PM filter-equipped vehicles. So, Bangladesh will use sulfur-tolerant, wire-mesh filters similar to those in Hong Kong (see Diesel Fuel News 3/19/2001, p10). These are about 30% efficient and must be cleaned daily, unlike ULSD-optimized catalyzed filters with long maintenance intervals.