Has Europe solved the various emissions issues with diesel fuel?

Question

According to the US EPA, diesel emits 15% more CO2 per volume than gasoline. However, since it gets 20-40% better fuel efficiency, it results in ~15% fewer greenhouse gas emissions per mile.

However, there are other emissions issues with diesel. They emit particulates which cause health problems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_particulate_matter

Nitrogen oxides which cause smog, acid rain, global warming, etc.

http://www.epa.gov/airprogm/oar/urbanair/nox/hlth.html

and sulfur which can also cause acid rain and other problems.

I know sulfur is extracted to create Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel and particulate filters have been introduced, and nitrogen oxide adsorbers are under development.

With the widespread use of diesel vehicles in Europe, do Europeans feel that these other emissions have been reduced sufficiently to make diesel a reasonably environmentally friendly option?

Answer 1

Europeans, particularly the French, will tell you that they are so much better off. However, the particles from diesel causes massive amounts of local problems. The problem with diesel is that it emits the smallest particles, PM10, which get into the lungs and in particular the bronchi, which is suggested causes asthma and lung cancer. Personally, I'll take more global gases and less local gases.

Oh, and acid rain never existed. It was a localized problem that affected a small number of trees in Europe. Some of the pollutents even proved to be beneficial to some plants (including a flower I had used for a 2nd grade science fair. That was an interesting conversation with the judges).

Answer 2

Lets not forget all the production involved with cars, from the raw products, transport, plastic manufacture, paint applications, fuel consumption, and the resources required to get the fuel to the end user, tyre wear, road building and destruction of habitat to build them, etc .

Car tyres alone are a disaster. Worldwide, an estimated 1.2 billion waste tyres are generated each and every year. Only a fraction of these tyres are currently recycled with the majority being incinerated, dumped or stockpiled.

The United States generates over 240 million waste tyres every year and the number of tyres in the country’s stockpiles is estimated to be more than 500 million, some experts estimating as much as 3 billion.

Answer 3

I wouldn't say diesels solve the problem, but they are a step on the way.  The standards the Europe Community is imposing on fuel sulphur, particulate emissions and unburnt hydrocarbons for new vehicles are becoming increasingly tight.  London is imposing its own standards for existing vehicles such as old lorries and buses which can sometimes be very polluting.  Diesels can go someway to improving carbon emissions whilst meeting real world consumer wants and needs for affordability, load capacity and performance.