SustainableBusiness.com Newswire
11/10/2009 01:40 PM ET
News from: EcoSmart News
EPA & Trucking Industry Remedies Toxic Health Risks
Good Business Model & a Breath of Fresh Air
NYC, November 5, 2009- Leaders of the commercial transport business and government-run health agencies are revving up for the 2010 launch of the "no more smog" movement.
Engineers are pressed to develop a revolutionary clean-engine technology to align with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiatives to eliminate all toxic emissions and airborne pollutants caused by highway trucking.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that "millions of tons of toxic pollutants are released into the air each year - and most originate from manmade stationary and mobile sources such as trucks and cars." Extensive evidence links these same pollutants to the predominantly high rate of health issues within the proximity of commercial roadways.
2010 will mark the year of Eco-Consciousness for the trucking industry- slating the mobilization of truck engine builders toward clean-air technology standards. The EPA presses the deadline to manufacturing and sales of pollutant-emitting truck engines, establishing the beginning of a new era of cleaner highways. These standards apply to new engines, but EPA also works with the freight industry to clean up the existing diesel fleet.
The EPA SmartWay Program is an innovative collaboration between the freight industry and the government to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, improve fuel efficiency, and strengthen the freight sector.
As of October, 2009, the EPA awarded $30 million in SmartWay Clean Diesel Finance Program grants to create finance programs, such as low cost leases or revolving loan programs, to support the adoption of retrofitted vehicles and equipment. The awards are part of $300 million in Recovery Act clean diesel funding that not only promotes air quality improvement leading to the reduction in respiratory ailments and premature deaths but also bolsters an upgrade in job creation and job retention. Moreover, the clean diesel technology contributes to SmartWay's projected estimated savings of up to 6.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel per year- translating to as much as 150 million barrels of oil per year.
"An investment in clean diesel is an investment in healthier communities. This recovery funding will help jumpstart clean diesel innovation to significantly reduce the enormous health burdens of asthma, birth defects, and other issues linked to dirty-burning fossil fuels - all while creating good jobs for American workers," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "This is part of the nationwide clean energy transition that is cleaning up the air we breathe and creating jobs all across America."
Manufacturers and fleet owners alike are adjusting to the commitment of revamping their business models and are accepting this industry upgrade as a positive part of the inevitable wave of globalization. JP&R Superior Trucking, a New York based hauling company recently developed their ‘green' branch called All-Green Trucking as part of their transitional course for meeting the 2010 standards- and fulfilling their own personal eco beliefs.
At a Nov. 4 talk radio broadcast with WVOX, All-Green's VP Ron Amorelli expresses the market trend of no-smog engines that are making its way to his region. " Europe has been using clean-engine technology for five years now- and we're seeing strong evidence of the same emission-free trucks being used widely in the west coast. This is telling us something about where the industry is going."
Where cleaner air becomes good business for the economy, so is the demand for more green businesses. "This is our chance to step up to the plate and invest in smarter living", states John Paul Moda, managing partner of All-Green Trucking. "The transition works perfectly on a conscience level and on a business level also. It's so timely for our business because more and more of the market are now going "eco" and hauling with an eco-safe smog-free truck is definitely who they'd prefer to work with".
GROUND CLEANUP: INDUSTRIAL MOVEMENT V2.0
Big trucks and lift equipment are not only targeted for their air pollution- but also for what they spill on the ground. For over 13 years, TERRESOLVE, a leading biodegradable lubricant manufacturer whose products are widely used by eco-minded trucking companies like JP&R Trucking has been spearheading the innovative research and development efforts to unearth this "age old bio-based technology ‘long before green was cool'."
CEO Mark Miller is committed to replacing the many high-performance applications of petroleum motor oils and hydraulic lubricants with his plant-based alternative solution. Like most leaders in the society of eco-conscious innovators, the strength behind Miller's crusade is driven by comprehensive data to promote what he considers the "business that makes the right difference."
"Per year, 700 million gallons of petroleum products make its way into the environment where it doesn't belong," Miller begins. "At least half of that is from hydraulic systems like cranes and garbage trucks who lose over 350 million gallons from routine daily spills and drips. That's greater than the Valdez spill--- and that's a lot of oil."
Where alternative fuels are now a major "must-have" in our global business revitalization movement, Terresolve continues to battle the petroleum giants for consumer and industrial response. "The reality is- most people recognize 2 important things about bio-based oils;" says Miller. "- oils leak into the environment and do long term catastrophic destruction--and also, petroleum is a finite and virtually irreplaceable commodity. Products such as ours-- vegetable based products do not harm anyone and are renewable on an annual basis when you get a new crop of vegetables".
Like all pioneer technologies, bio-based lubricants and petroleum substitues have their share of obstacles on the road to widespread acceptance from the industrial, regulatory and consumer fronts. "The FTC is very direct in requiring a definition when using terms like 'environmentally safe'- and for us, it needs to be 'rapidly biodegradable' and non-toxic. As for the end user-- we have to work harder to prove to them that we have developed THE product that finally meets the performance requirements and that we're not the same as the predecessors who have failed in their claims for environmental safety. For 13 years, we're constantly demonstrating side-by-side comparisons, undergoing field trials and independent lab testing to prove that our fluids qualify to replace their petroleum products- and I'm happy to say we're passing every test with flying colors!"
For questions or comments about this article, contact media relations at 516-626-0655 or email: press@jprtrucking.com
For more information please contact:
Jordyn Tyson Co-editor
EcoSmart News
516-626-0655
editor@ecosmartnews.com
www.ecosmartnews.com
