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October 25, 2006
Cleaner Medical Transport
The Daily Journal of Commerce is reporting that OHSU, Legacy, Providence and Kaiser have jointly launched a “Clean Diesel Hospital Zones” initiative:
Retrofit technology will be put into practice in the hospital project. Each system will use its yet-to-be divvied piece of the $250,000 grant to focus on specific emissions needs. At Providence Health System, said Michael Geller, recycling and waste management supervisor, catalytic screen filter retrofits are planned for more than 20 hospital trucks with additional money going toward cleaner fuel and equipment.“The trucks are the biggest ones,” he said. “They go out into the community every day.”
Exhaust-reducing retrofits, ultra-low-sulfur diesel in both vehicles and power generation systems are also among steps planned by the other hospital systems.
Posted by Chris Smith at 12:00 AM
Comments
October 25, 2006 10:48 AM
Adron Says:
I was wondering why it was costing so much and where they got such a wierd idea. Then I noticed it is a political feel good move funded by the EPA Grant. I worked for them once, and am sad to say that literally, Chevron Texeco spent literally 100 times as much on protecting the environment than the EPA does, to 1000 better result.
I doubt this grant is even effective in its purpose, and would be amazed if the diesals actually clean up well.
Why not just go the easier alternative and utilize clean burning diesal fuel - ala Biodiesal. This all seems like a $250,000 dollar waste of taxpayer money that in the end will be totally inneffectual while a REAL and VIABLE solution already exists for almost 250th the price.
October 25, 2006 6:26 PM
Ron Swaren Says:
"Why not just go the easier alternative and utilize clean burning diesal fuel - ala Biodiesal"
Yeah. Either Oregon or METRO might pave the way for Biodiesel producton. (Exactly from what--I don't know). But diesel is here to stay.
Sure, I could conceive of lightweight, plug-in electric buses--they just wouldn't last long in the real world of heavy freight trucks, hazardous road conditions and dangerous intersections.
There may never be enough agricultural production to make biodiesel universally cost-effective. But whoever got the jump on producing true B100 would sure have a big market.
