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In the process of compiling this report, FleetWatch called on several leading lights in the diesel and trucking industries. Some were keen to share their thoughts on how diesel affects the road transport industry while others were somewhat reticent to comment. It's no secret that the business of oil/fuel is highly political, a sort of clandestine tango between governments and big business. One just has to run an internet search on the subject of diesel emissions to discover who's 'sleeping' with whom. For example, Sasol has partnered with Chevron to produce Gas to Liquid (GTL) diesel in Quatar and firms like Royal Dutch/Shell Group, Chevron Texaco Corp and Exxon Mobil Corp are investing billions in joint venture refineries that will produce the 'green' fuels of the future. The word is, GTL diesel will run at almost zero emissions and could hit the market by the end of 2006, writes Paul Collings.

On the local front, we have our own fuel wheeling and dealing to contend with. Firstly, there's the much-mentioned Sasol-Engen merger. What effect will this have on our local fuel industry? Will the price of diesel drop? Will it be set? Only time will tell, so stay tuned.

Another question mark is the one hanging over the legislative stipulations of the Air Quality Act. "Who's policing emissions?" asks Dave Stalker of Bosch. "We have until 2012 to reach Euro 4 but what about all the old vehicles on the road? What processes exist or will be put in place to regularly check vehicles for emissions?"

Mike Bond of Eurotype Test Centre (an SABS subsidiary) echoes Stalker's concerns. "The global drive to reduce emissions has developed to such an extent that an entire new breed of stock market share has been born, called a Certified Emissions Reduction Certificate, the currency of the new Carbon Trading market. This market will encourage developing countries to reduce emissions within defined limits and thereby earn credits, which can be sold to countries that need to exceed their capped emission limits. South Africa needs to implement the Air Quality Act effectively across all industries to be a part of this 'carbon/emissions trading market'. While air quality in Cape Town and Johannesburg is closely monitored, someone needs to sponsor the setting of emission standards/ratings for vehicles in South Africa. The government needs these standards to help plan future air quality protection strategies."
 

Local oil companies are at the forefront of emissions reduction, spending vast amounts of money on product development as well as marketing material to help educate the public with regards to air quality improvement

While there are air quality testing sites in major SA cities, there are thousands of smoking trucks out there. Who is policing them? According to Bond, under the Air Quality Act, municipal inspectors are appointed to enforce its statutes. Budgets are in place, but smaller towns don't have the necessary equipment to test emissions.

"People will have a general disrespect for the law if there's no enforcement. Officials need to be equipped and trained to test vehicle emissions and the only way South Africa is going to significantly reduce emissions is by government adopting a zero-tolerance attitude to polluters," he says.

Once again, the transport industry has been positioned as a prime destroyer of our resources, be that the atmosphere or our road surfaces. Typically, legislation has been passed to curtail further damage but remains unenforced. The money is there, we are told, but the physical and human resources (skills) are lacking. This should make no difference to truckers. We have the machines and the fuel to run 'green' and every trucker should strive to do so, without the threat of legal action as motivation.

In Europe, vehicles are tested for emissions every year and their owners are taxed heavily for non-compliance. Compliant truckers receive tax benefits and reduced toll fees. South Africa may be someway off from this level of efficiency but that shouldn't stop us making every effort to reduce emissions by keeping our rigs in tip-top shape and our drivers as skilled as possible. Big companies like Sappi and Sasol will only contract hauliers who comply with stringent emission standards and others are sure to follow. So, at the end of the day, 'going green' is a smart business move.