Donaldson Co., Minneapolis, has formed an Exhaust and Emissions Group.

The group will focus on developing integrated filtration and exhaust systems to meet more stringent regulatory standards around the world.
Proposed regulations for on-road diesel engines in Europe, Japan and the United States will converge to essentially the same low levels in the 2007-2008 timeframe. Reductions of more than 95 percent from current levels are required for nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions to meet the new regulations.
The Exhaust and Emissions Group will work with engine and vehicle original equipment manufacturers to develop engine filtration solutions that reduce both NOx and PM to required regulation levels, as well as provide testing and production support.
Coupled with the rules on new engines, major retrofit programs are emerging for existing on-road and off-road applications. California's retrofit program requires that 1.25 million diesel engines must be retrofit with aftertreatment devices to reduce PM and/or NOx emissions. Houston, Portland, Ore., Denver, Las Vegas and North Carolina are conceiving similar programs domestically, while Sweden, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo are contemplating programs as well.