VICTORIA — In six months BC’s Air Action Plan will require owners of older heavy-duty diesel truck engines to install devices that trap particulate matter (PM) emissions.

Effective October 1, 2010, commercial vehicles, model years between 1989 and 1993 with a GVW over 8,200 kg, will need retrofits of devices like a diesel oxidation catalyst.

According to the BC Trucking Association, farm vehicles with a GVW under 17,300, buses, X-plated vehicles, and emergency vehicles will be exempt.

Owners of vehicles that fall under the rule will receive a notice from the BC government outlining the retrofit requirements.

The trucking association advises truckers to book appointments with mechanics or manufacturers in advance of the deadline as delivery of certain retrofit devices can take up to eight weeks.

A diesel oxidation catalyst, priced between $1,200 to $2,500, depending on the device, can be easily installed on the exhaust pipe and requires little or no maintenance. They’re known to reduce PM emissions by 20 to 50 percent and hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide by 40 to 90 percent.

More information about DOCs can be viewed at the EPA website or from CARB.