The Diesel Technology Forum (DTF) has sought to downplay fears concerning the development of the diesel industry, stressing that much progress has been made restricting vehicle emissions.

Yesterday the US Clear Air Task Force (CATF) published a report warning that diesel emissions could be responsible for over 20,000 Americans dying sooner, calling for more action to combat the problem.

In a statement released today the DTF's executive director Allen Schaeffer welcomed the CATF's emphasis on emissions control strategies, and welcomed the organisation's assertion that harmful gases could be "virtually eliminated" using advanced technology.

However, Mr Schaeffer stressed that diesel technology has been "on a path of continuous improvement for over a decade".

Alluding to the 80 per cent reduction in tailpipe emissions from trucks and buses since the 1980s, Mr Schaeffer says there is no need to panic when the industry is heading in the right direction.

He also sought to delineate vehicle diesel emissions from the wider problem of pollution and ensuring clean air.

"Diesel emissions represent a very small portion of the nationwide particulate inventory as catalogued by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - namely, 1.49 per cent of particulate matter (PM-10) and 4.38 per cent of fine particulates (PM-2.5)," he said.

"And by 2007, manufacturers will have reduced key exhaust components by another 90 per cent - further diminishing diesel's role in local air quality concerns."

The DTF says it is targeting further work in conjunction with the EPA to research and develop cleaner engines and burning fuels and more effective exhaust control devices.