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School

Bus. America. Driving School Buses Clean with Biodiesel. School. A Clean School Bus Initiative from Earth Biofuels, Inc. Earth Biofuels, Inc.

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School

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  1. Bus America Driving School Buses Clean with Biodiesel School A Clean School Bus Initiative from Earth Biofuels, Inc.

  2. Earth Biofuels, Inc. Earth Biofuels, Inc. is a vertically integrated energy company that produces, distributes, and markets biodiesel fuel. EBI operates at each level of the supply chain from raw materials to retail outlets. Additionally, the company is rapidly expanding, through construction or acquisition, into the ethanol market.

  3. First Things First Each day in our country, roughly 500,000 school buses safely transport 25 million public school students to and from school. While school buses remain the safest mode of transportation for our children, approximately 95% of these vehicles are diesel powered and thus pose a health risk to anyone riding on them.

  4. Diesel Exhaust • What Is It? • Diesel Exhaust Contains: • Particulate Matter (PM) • Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) • Over 40 other chemicals that are classified as “hazardous air pollutants” by Clean Air Act • Why Is It a Problem? • Minute particles penetrate deep into the lungs • Contributing to asthma, chronic bronchitis, lung disease and premature death • Also cause cancer and cardiopulmonary disease • Other chemicals contribute to smog, acid rain and global warming

  5. What Is Particulate Matter? Complex, very small particles and liquid droplets (70 µm) PM2.5 (2.5 µm) PM10 (10µm) Human Hair (70 µm diameter)

  6. Diesel Exhaust • Who’s At Risk From Exposure? • Health risk greatest for: • Elderly • People with respiratory problems • People who live and/or work near interstates, highways, loading docks, warehouses • People who regularly and strenuously exercise • Children at heightened risk because their lungs are still developing and they breathe more often and more deeply than adults do (Source: U.S. EPA, American Lung Association)

  7. Children’s Pollutant Exposure During Bus Commutes

  8. Background: An Old U.S. Fleet • The average U.S. school bus is 9 years old. • Almost 30% of school buses are pre-1991 and cannot be retrofitted with cleaner technology. • These older (pre-1991) bus engines emit 10 times more PM (soot) than a new conventional diesel bus engines (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

  9. School Bus Self Pollution • An average child riding in a school bus is exposed to diesel emissions that are 4 times greater than if they were standing outside, directly behind the bus • Self pollution is highest for older buses with closed windows • Lifetime cancer risk increase ~4% • Increased risk of lower respiratory symptoms (6%) and daily hospitalizations for asthma (1%) • Children’s exposure primarily from commute (not from loading, unloading, or waiting at bus stops) (Sources: U.S. EPA; Union of Concerned Scientists)

  10. UCS Report Card • Union of Concerned Scientist - nationwide study grading all 50 states (and DC) on school bus fleet pollution and cleanup • 5 states scored above national average for emissions and cleanup (AK, CT, ME, NV & NY) • No state received an “A” • More than half the states have little or no cleanup program

  11. What Can Be Done? • Retrofitting: • Tailpipe traps & onboard crankcase filtration controls • Refueling: • Switch to cleaner burning fuel (Biodiesel) • Replacement: • New diesel buses burning biodiesel • Repair: • Routine maintenance & periodic rebuilds • Reduce Idling: • Adopt anti-idling policy

  12. What is Biodiesel (B20)? • Vegetable oil-based fuel that can run in new and unmodified diesel engines • Usually made from soy or canola oil, and can also be made from recycled fryer oil • Most common form is a 20% blend with regular diesel (B20) (Sources: U.S. EPA, U.S. Department of Energy, Clean Air Fleets - 2006)

  13. Add-On Technologies • Diesel Particulate Filters • Trap particles as exhaust gas passes through filter • Diesel Oxidation Catalysts • Section of exhaust system coated with metals that trigger chemical reactions which breakdown pollutants • NOx Reduction Technologies • Exhaust Gas Recirculators: • Recirculates exhaust gases for more effective burn • Selective Catalytic Reducers: • Exhaust gas sprayed with Urea (Ammonia) to neutalize some pollutants

  14. Reasons for Idle Reduction • Reduced build-up of harmful emissions inside buses • Fewer respiratory ailments • Better classroom attendance(e.g. fewer school days lost to illness) • Cost Savings • Reduced idling could save millions of dollars across the nation

  15. Idle Reduction Recommendations • No idling longer than five (5) minutes to build up air pressure • No idling longer than two (2) minutes to cool down the turbo at the end of the route • No idling while loading and unloading on school grounds • Buses never left idling and unattended • Avoid second-hand exhaust sources: • Avoid following trucks or other buses if possible • If not possible, keep a safe distance

  16. Diagonal Parking School Bus Parking Nose-to-Tail Parking Away from Air-Intake

  17. School Bus America Helpful Links: • www.cleanschoolbus.org • www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus • www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/apps/toolkit/school_bus_toolkit.html • www.seco.cpa.state.tx.us/tp_bus-adopt.htm • www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities • www.lungusa.org

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