The bad news is that emissions from diesel engines are harmful to your health. That includes the latest generation of so-called "clean" diesels.
The Federal Government's Green Vehicle Guide, which ranks vehicles on their greenhouse gas and air pollution performance, doesn't have a single diesel vehicle in its top 50 list of low polluters.
Just one makes the top 150 and there are only five in the top 200 vehicles.
Jon Real, a spokesman for the Federal Department of Transport, which maintains the guide, says diesel cars are marked down because they have a "much more significant health effect".
He says diesels produce about the same amount of hydrocarbons as petrol but significantly more nitrogen oxides (NOx) - a precursor to smog - and particulate matter.
Air quality experts estimate that diesel engines produce particles at about 20 times the rate of petrol engines and it is those emissions that are bad for your health.
Particulate matter has been linked with thousands of deaths worldwide. Side effects range from cancer to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. NOx have also been linked to serious health problems, including asthma, respiratory disease, infections and reduced lung function in children....
Source: http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=40556&s_cid=mktgedm&IsPgd=0
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