US EPA starting Clean School Bus campaign

7 April 2003

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has started a Clean School Bus USA campaign, which will seek to reduce diesel emissions from school buses. Emissions from diesel fueled school buses, while insignificant in the nationwide emission inventory, became a highly charged political issue due to their potential effect on children’s health. The shool bus emissions impact could be easily minimized, as most of the children’s exposure appears to be related to the practice of idling of buses—often unnecessary—in the student loading and unloading areas.

The goal of reducing school bus emissions will be achieved through:

• Encouraging policies and practices to eliminate unnecessary public school bus idling.
• Retrofitting buses with diesel particulate filters or oxidation catalysts and/or fueling them with cleaner fuels.
• Replacing the oldest buses in the fleet with new, less polluting buses.

Reductions of shool bus emissions will be achieved through partnerships with business, education, health and environmental organizations, said the EPA. Information on the program is available from the EPA’s Clean School Bus USA web page.

Source: US EPA