Authorities in the Indian city of Pune have launched a trial of 20 buses fitted with platinum diesel oxidisation catalysts and diesel filters manufactured by Johnson Matthey, in a bid to cut pollution on the city's roads.

The pilot scheme has been launched by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) and is set to last a year.

During this time the buses' impact on the environment and fuel efficiency will be monitored, to assess the viability of rolling out the project for the rest of the Pune Metropolitan Transport Corporation's Fleet.

The buses will run on a low sulphur diesel fuel, which has a sulphur content of 50 parts per million (ppm) compared with fuel from government refineries which contains up to 350ppm.

The need for environmentally-friendly transport solutions is especially pressing in Pune in the light of recent statistics showing that emissions from vehicles account for 15-20 per cent of all pollution in the city.

Ajay Ojha, Secretary of Air Quality Management Cell, told the Times of India: "We are trying to focus on the 15-20 per cent as it is dangerous for human health."

Source:

20 environment-friendly buses on roads, 13/10/07
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pune/20_environment-friendly_buses_on_roads/articleshow/2454537.cms

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