Anyone who rode the bus to school remembers the fumes -- and they're still there today. What dangers do they pose to kids and the environment?
Nine out of 10 school buses run on diesel fuel. The fumes it creates contain the chemical compounds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known to cause cancer and contribute to asthma. And studies have shown that PAH levels are up to four times higher inside school buses than outside.
Your company is working to reduce these hazards by producing biodiesel. How is it different from regular fuel and what advantages does it offer?
Biodiesel is manufactured from plant oils,
animal fats, or used cooking oil, but Hero BX doesn't use any food-based feedstocks
for its product. Biodiesel
can run in any diesel engine without requiring expensive modification. Most importantly, pure biodiesel (B100) reduces the PAH's and other harmful emissions by up to 80%.
Are there any drawbacks? Is it more expensive?
Biodiesel does not have the same cold-weather performance as regular diesel, which we overcome in winter by blending it with diesel fuel. Biodiesel does tend to be more expensive, but there are tax and incentive programs available for school buses in many states, which can help offset the cost.
So far only five states have made the switch for school buses. Why the slow response?
More than 200 school bus fleets are using B20 biodiesel, and though it's still a small portion of the total amount of buses, we like to think of this as a good start. The lack of education and/or misconceptions about the fuel itself and the dangers of diesel exhaust fumes in school buses remains the biggest hurdle in getting more fleets to convert.
What can moms do to lobby their districts and state government to choose biodiesel?
Parents can educate their school board, city council members and mayor about this issue. Even if a complete switch isn't feasible, lobbying for a 'B20' law, which would require schools buses to use 20 percent biodiesel, can do wonders for cleaning up school bus emissions.
