Group blames ‘dangerous’ diesel filters for truck fires

A bunch representing California truckers, maqui berry farmers and business owners is declaring the state attorney general’s workplace is ignoring a rash associated with recent truck fires this claims were sparked through faulty diesel particulate filter systems.
The Alliance for Ca Business, a Chico-based non-profit with more than 400 members, is actually blasting both the attorney common and the California Air Sources Board (CARB) for “refusing to investigate” the articulated vehicle fires - and trying “to block others through doing so. ”
“These diesel powered particulate filters [DPFs] are the most harmful pieces of equipment ever put on the truck, ” said Connections President Bud Caldwell, 67, a former “kingpin” for your California Truckers Association as well as owner of Northgate Oil in Chico.
In the transportation business for nearly 50 years, Caldwell said he formed the actual Alliance in 2013 “to lead the charge” towards mandatory DPF laws within California, the only state in the united states that currently requires all of them.
“I’m getting calls every day from truckers having trouble using these things, ” he stated. “I don’t have the staff to deal with it. ”
Perhaps the majority of worrisome of all, Caldwell additional, is that the filters are also regular equipment on all diesel-powered buses in the state, such as school buses.
A someone from the office of Lawyer General Kamala Harris dropped to comment on Caldwell’s accusations, directing questions to CARB.
However earlier this year, a determine in Northern California rejected the Alliance’s request for an initial injunction related to use of the filtration, which, when a truck motor is running, can achieve temperatures exceeding 600 levels Celsius.
In December 2008, CARBOHYDRATE established the ‘California Statewide Truck and Bus Guideline, ’ which requires almost all on-road diesel heavy vehicles and buses operating in Los angeles be “retrofitted, repowered or even replaced to reduce particulate issue emissions by at least eighty-five percent. ”
In order to reduce sooty emissions, DPFs tend to be standard equipment on brand new trucks and installed -- retrofitted - onto old diesel engines.
CARB requires the use of specific filter kinds based on a truck engine’s age and manufacturer.
Whenever one major filter producer, Cleaire, went out of company in January 2013, countless trucking companies using their filtration systems were suddenly scrambling with regard to replacements, forced to deal with 3rd party vendors while wondering in case their fleets remained in conformity with state law.
In a hearing held earlier this season, the Alliance argued DPFs were mechanically unreliable : and posed a serious fireplace risk when exposed to energy or other flammable fluids.
One trucker, Hank hun Carbonel, testified the gadgets “increase the likelihood of fires and also explosions” once they become blocked.
Other truckers described becoming stuck on the side of the freeway or having to take their own trucks out of use due to trouble with DPFs.
Caldwell claims at least 31 vehicle fires - “all associated with DPFs” - have occurred within the last 18 months.
On July seven, four separate fires together Highway 156 in San Juan Bautista were related to a faulty diesel particulate filter. According to the Hollister flame chief, pieces of it had been found on the road next to every blaze.
Jim Ganduglia, proprietor of Ganduglia Trucking inside Fresno, said his motorists have yet to experience any kind of fires related to the products but that “three or perhaps four times, ” he has had to have trucks towed since the filters shut down the motors.
“The towing bills are usually starting to add up, ” this individual said.
Ganduglia said the issue is aggravated when trucks are generally idling at job sites or maybe rest stops for a long time. “If you idle any truck for eight as well as 10 hours, it’s making soot in the filter lacking the necessary heat being generated in order to burn off the ash. ”
Ganduglia said Volvo along with Freightliner “are changing their particular protocols on servicing” their very own engines to try to deal with the problem.
Earlier this year, Glenn Region Superior Court Judge Philip Twede declined to problem an injunction against CARBO, ruling the Alliance hadn't made “a significant displaying of irreparable injury” brought on by DPFs.
“However, ” the particular judge added, “the chance of these safety issues is very regarding. ”
CARB, headed because 2007 by former ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY administrator Mary D. Nichols, is one of six panels, departments and offices working under the umbrella of the Florida Environmental Protection Agency.
Karen Caesar, a good information officer for CARBOHYDRATE, declined to answer questions concerning the controversial filters, saying, “We do not comment on pending going to court. ”
But Caesar do forward a CARB statement claiming DPFs are “effective and reliable” in eliminating 98 percent of poisonous diesel emissions.
The filter, the 56-page study came to the conclusion, “do not increase the probability of truck fires and are stated in accordance with federal in addition to state safety requirements. ”
The Alliance continues to argument those conclusions and is right now taking depositions of crucial CARB executive staff accountable for approving the DPFs.
Caldwell is incensed CARB is constantly on the blame the fires upon operators who do not correctly maintain their filters. The actual Alliance plans to carry out its own investigation, he mentioned, and “bring forth professionals required to prove that the DPF device should not be allowed in California highways. ”
“For every fire suspected to be linked to the DPF device, typically the Alliance has requested law enforcement, fire and California Freeway Patrol reports, ” he or she added. “For every subpoena issued by the Alliance with this information, CARB has submitted objections to the disclosure rapid with no explanation to date regarding why it would not want which information disclosed to the Contrat and members of the general public. ”
Caldwell said often the Alliance plans to renew the motion for an injunction, now asking for a permanent 1.
“If the California Air flow Resources Board was really concerned with the health and security of citizens and not just along with defending their mandate, the reason why would they prevent anybody from looking into truck fire? ” Caldwell said.
Ganduglia, a former chairman from the California Truckers Association’s Environment Policy Committee, supports the actual Alliance’s effort to contact attention to the issues with DPFs. But he said they doesn’t “think they have a lower leg to stand on” with regards to changing CARB policy.
“There’s no way in hell [the Air Board] is going to back off of this, ” Ganduglia said. “I believe we’re stuck with it, a minimum of until they come up with a new fuel. ”

 

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