Eminox, one of Europe’s leading emissions control innovators to OEMs and the aftermarket, presented the potential that retrofitting exhaust emissions reduction systems can have in meeting challenging EU pollution reduction targets when it attended the influential diesel industry event organised by Diéséliste De France, the Association of French Diesel Mechanics.

The European Commission recently launched legal action against the UK government for persistently breaching the EU Air Quality Directive and for failing to reduce excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) from traffic. The Commission has also identified and is taking action against 17 EU member states which exceed particulate matter (PM) levels. It is now, therefore, more important than ever that diesel vehicles are as environmentally-friendly as possible.

The Diéséliste De France event in Paris that was attended by nearly 1,000 industry professionals, with the aim of combating the myths surrounding diesel. The event showcased the advantages of modern diesel vehicles as well as solutions in reducing the environmental impact of the existing diesel vehicle fleet that does not meet the Euro 5 and 6 standards.

The event, with speakers from Bosch, Delphi, the UFIP (French Union of Petroleum Industry) and Eminox, was designed to enable attendees to exchange ideas and learn about the latest technologies and existing solutions for pollution control. The day was structured around a trade show and a round table discussion, which Eminox used to provide a comprehensive guide to the role that retrofitting the existing diesel vehicle fleet with exhaust systems can play in significantly reducing emissions. Options discussed included the use of:

• Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) for the reduction of NOx’s
• Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) for reduction of particulates
• Diesel Oxidation Catalyst Systems (DOC’s) convert HC and CO₂ not used so frequently following the introduction of three-way catalysts

Jog Lall, sales and marketing director at Eminox, said: “It was a privilege for Philippe Vanleene of Eminox to present at this highly influential meeting and significant that we were the only after-treatment exhaust emissions specialists to have the opportunity to present. The event provided us with the perfect platform to discuss ideas and highlight the benefits of the latest technologies and existing solutions for pollution control. Encouraging the public and private sector to upgrade diesel vehicles with Eminox technology should be a key driver in helping France, the UK and other European governments, to avoid the legal action that has been launched by the European Commission for persistently breaching the EU Air Quality Directive, as well as helping to improve public health. The message that there are significant advantages to reducing the environmental impact of old diesel vehicles seems to have been heard at the event and was welcomed by attendees.

“Evidence from our work retrofitting the oldest, most polluting heavy-duty diesel vehicles with after-treatment systems shows that it is the most cost-effective and quickest way of achieving an environmentally-friendly fleet. For example, Eminox’s Selective Catalytic Reduction Technology (SCRT®) systems, which combine the technology of SCR and DPF, are capable of upgrading older, highly polluting, heavy-duty diesel vehicles to enable them to achieve emissions standards that can be even better than those for newly-manufactured vehicles.”