Gasoline cleaner than diesel

Recently, I came across a copy of the Daily Mail newspaper of London, England, dated April 30. In it was an article by Professor Frank Kelly, chair of the Department of Health Committee on Air Pollution.

The professor said: “Successive British governments have taken the ‘wrong road’ for decades by encouraging drivers to switch from gasoline engines to diesel-driven engines.

Diesel-powered engines had been encouraged since the 1970s because they were thought to emit fewer greenhouse gases than gasoline-powered engines.

“However, recent research showed that while diesel engines emit less carbon dioxide, they emit more particles of soot as well as nitrogen oxide, both of which can cause a variety of long-term health problems with repository and cardiovascular systems.

“Diesel fuel now powers about 50 per cent of all vehicles on the roads of the United Kingdom, up from 14 per cent in the year 2000.”

I have no idea what percentage of vehicles on the roads of Barbados are powered by diesel, but I get the impression that it is gradually increasing, perhaps with similar adverse effects on the health of our population.

The fairly recent introduction of electrically powered cars locally is a step in the right direction, especially as they reduce noise pollution as well.