California Air Resources Board

SACRAMENTO - The Air Resources Board has fined Minneapolis-based Thermo King Corporation $213,200 for violating terms of the conditional verification granted to its Thermo King eDPF (diesel particulate filter).

These filters are used to reduce emissions from the Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) which allow heavy duty trucks to use air conditioning, heat and other functions without the need for engine idling.

“Conditional verifications provide manufacturers with flexibility in complying with California’s emissions reduction requirements but they expire after a specific time period,” said ARB Enforcement Chief Jim Ryden. “Full verification is granted only after manufacturers complete required durability testing and meet all terms of the conditional verification.”

On June 24, 2008, the Thermo King particulate filter was conditionally verified for use on APUs for a period not to exceed three years.  The Air Resources Board staff learned that the company continued to sell the filters after the verification expired in 2011.  To settle the case, Thermo King Corporation agreed to pay $213,200 to the California Air Pollution Control Fund, which supports air quality improvement efforts and research.  The company also agreed to comply with the ARB verification procedure, and to sell filters in the future only with ARB’s written approval.  Customers who installed Thermo King particulate filters will not be penalized.  Instead, the warranty for their filters was extended to 3000 hours.

Thermo King was ultimately awarded full verification of their particulate filters in August 2012.

Diesel exhaust contains a variety of harmful gases and over 40 other known cancer-causing compounds. In 1998, California identified diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant based on its potential to cause cancer, premature death and other health problems.