New diesel cars are more detrimental to the environment and to health than new petrol-driven cars. Diesel cars have improved considerably over the last ten years, but exhaust emission control technology in petrol-driven cars has developed faster. This is the result of a study commissioned by the Swedish government and performed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
"Diesel cars emit much greater amounts of nitrogen oxides, particulates and carcinogenic substances than new petrol-driven cars. The current trend in increased sales of diesel cars is actually jeopardising our chances of achieving the environmental goals for cleaner air and reduced acidification and eutrophication", says Reino Abrahamsson at the Swedish EPA.
"For the sake of the environment, it is better if car buyers choose a fuel-efficient environmentally classified petrol-driven car rather than a diesel", he adds.
The rising proportion of diesels among newly sold cars will cause a considerable increase in nitrogen oxide emissions, ascertains the Swedish EPA. The study shows that if diesel car sales rise from 1 to 20 per cent, emissions of nitrogen oxides from new cars will double and particulate emissions will be 2? times higher. Nitrogen oxide emissions contribute to the acidification of our lakes and soil and to the eutrophication of coastal waters.
Diesels use 20 to 25 per cent less fuel. When they are advertised, great stress is put on this fact as being very positive for the environment as it helps to combat global warming. However, since combusting one litre of diesel oil produces about 15 per cent more carbon dioxide than one litre of petrol, emissions of carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, are only negligibly less from diesel cars. An increase in diesel car sales from 1 to 20 per cent reduces carbon dioxide emissions by a mere 1-2 per cent.
In terms of cancer risk, negative effects on respiratory passages and acute
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Contact: Reino Abrahamsson
reino.abrahamsson@environ.se
46-8-698-11-96
Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
18-Nov-1998