Diesel cars temporarily banned in Oslo to battle air pollution

Stockholm, Sweden, January 18, 2017 – Norway is temporarily banning diesel cars in the center of Oslo, the capital, for two days this week in response to rising air pollution. The ban, which targets diesel cars specifically because they emit more nitrogen dioxide, can be particularly dangerous for children, the elderly, and those suffering from respiratory problems to breathe, says Blueair, a world leader in removing hazardous particles from indoor air.

Although diesel engines were once billed as a ‘green’ choice because it was believed they generated up to 20% less carbon dioxide per kilometer traveled than their petrol counterparts, diesel emissions have now been shown to produce other highly toxic pollutants.

“A complex mixture of gases and fine particles, studies show diesel exhaust contains air contaminants such as benzene, arsenic and formaldehyde, which have been linked to cancer by various studies,” said Herman Pihlträd, Blueair chief operating office.

Herman noted how research published at the beginning of January in the medical journal Lancet revealed as many as 11% of dementia cases among people living up to 100 meters from a major highway could be due to vehicle emissions as well as other pollutants or traffic noise.

Norway is not alone in tackling the issue of diesel powered vehicles with bans and other measures. In late 2016, the mayors of four major cities – Mexico City, Madrid, Paris and Athens – said they would ban diesel vehicles from their roads by 2025.

For more information, please contact David Noble, Blueair public relations, at david.noble@blueair.se or on +44 7785 302 694