A Major Contribution to Cleaner Air
Johnson Matthey’s emission control catalysts make a major contribution to clean air.
It is now over 30 years since the first autocatalysts rolled of the production line at Johnson Matthey’s Royston, UK site and over that time we have seen continued tightening of the limits of harmful pollutants from vehicles. Legislation to control these emissions at varying levels is now in place all over the world for all types of vehicles. This tightening legislation is a key driver for Johnson Matthey and the development of new emission control catalyst technology is a major focus for our R&D investment.
In the past, diesel conjured up images of dirty old trucks and buses pumping out black smoke from their exhaust pipes. Today, diesel engine technology has improved significantly and modern engines are not only cleaner but also offer good fuel economy compared to gasoline engines. This makes them particularly suitable for heavy duty applications, such as trucks and buses, and has also led to an increase in demand from European passenger car consumers.
Soot has a highly adverse effect on human health and the environment. Legislation is being introduced around the world which requires more stringent control of soot emissions both from heavy duty diesels and diesel cars. This tightening legislation is also restricting permitted levels of NOx emissions. The task of simultaneously controlling soot and NOx presented new chemistry and engineering challenges for Johnson Matthey. Using our knowledge and expertise, we have successfully developed innovative new products for both heavy duty diesel engines and diesel passenger cars. These have allowed our customers to meet the new legislation limits and provide a cleaner, safer environment for us all.
NOx is a particularly harmful pollutant. In February 2008 Johnson Matthey acquired Argillon, a business with leading technology for controlling NOx emissions, which manufactures catalysts for power plants, industrial applications and waste incineration plants. These products have application in coal-fired power stations to reduce NOx emissions.
Our emission control technologies and products have already made a major contribution to cleaner air around the world. In fact, since their introduction in 1974, our autocatalyst products have removed around four billion tonnes of pollutants from the atmosphere. Through our commitment to R&D and the effect of our products we are well placed to continue to make our mark in the drive for cleaner air.
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