The first installation of Pirelli FEELPUREâ„¢ system, accordingly to the recent Portuguese Government’s dispatch (Dispatch nº12771/2010) regarding incentives scheme for DPF (Diesel particulate Filter), was successfully completed on a Scania truck belonging to Transportes Mariano & Filhos’s fleet, placed in Figueira da Foz. The complete engineering work was inspected and approved at state-of-the-art CIMA center in Alcobaça.

FEELPUREâ„¢, the Pirelli Eco Technology DPF system homologated in Portugal accordingly to IMTT homologation rules, does allow a 5 years extension of the truck’s age limit (from 15 to 20 years).

The update of the truck’s circulation documents, to certify the vehicle’s upgrade with an homologated DPF system, was already completed by IMTT, allowing the truck free circulation in Portugal and Europe. This Scania truck is the first step of a wider project involving Pirelli and Transportes Mariano that foresee the upgrade for 22 vehicles from Transportes Mariano fleet.

All vehicles will be equipped with bespoke Pirelli FEELPUREâ„¢ technology.

The complete project will be completed in beginning 2011, with installation of the Pirelli DPF systems and upgrade of circulation papers for all 22 vehicles.

Mariano Transportes, thanks to Pirelli FEELPUREâ„¢ technology, will benefit of extra 5 years of life for each truck retrofitted with a PIRELLI DPF system for an overall of 110 years of age limit extension for his Euro3 and Euro4 fleets.

PIRELLI FEELPUREâ„¢ is the PIRELLI’s wall flow DPF technology for the reduction of particulate emissions from diesel engine vehicles, designed to be integrated into the complete exhaust system of trucks, buses, light commercial vehicles, gensets and off-road equipment from EURO 0 to EURO 4.

Pirelli FEELPUREâ„¢ , today, it is the only filter system which has obtained the official IMTT homologation in Portugal.

Today, Pirelli and CIMA, the first inspection company to invest in the most recent technologies for measuring pollution emissions in Portugal, did run a dedicated workshop at CIMA’s center in Poço do Bispo (Lisbon) to explain and demonstrate how both the FEELPUREâ„¢ system and the inspection process and equipment work.

Pirelli Eco Technology has been operating in Portugal since late 2008, intending to approach the market needs of particle filters for trucks and other heavy vehicles. Its technology was the first one certified accordingly to the Portuguese rules.

In 2009, following the interest of the Portuguese Minister of Environment for air quality matters and the request of proving the effectiveness of DPF technology on actual vehicles, Pirelli signed a protocol with the Government, the Commission for the Development of the Region of Lisbon and the Commission for the Development for the Region of Oporto, and the IMTT (Institute for Mobility and Terrestrial Transports) regarding the testing and certification of DPF systems on circulating commercial vehicles.

The protocol, signed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Humberto Rosa, and Secretary of State for Transports, Ana Paula Vitorino, was successfully completed in September 2009 with the official presentation of the results in terms of PM emissions reduction.

«We are proud to support such a key country as Portugal is in its policy of harmful particle emissions reduction» said Pirelli Eco Technology’s CEO Bruno Tronchetti Provera, signing the protocol.

On June 15th, 2009, the IMTT issued a deliberation with the requirements for its approval of DPF systems in Portugal. Pirelli successfully applied for the recognition by IMTT, who tested and promptly certified Pirelli’s DPF systems.

On August 9th, 2010, the office of the Portuguese Secretary of State for Transports emitted a new dispatch (Dispatch nº12771/2010) regarding the incentives of the Portuguese Government for the buying of particle filters. This document, together with the fact that the Portuguese Government have allowed a 5 years extension on the age limit (from 15 to 20 years) for transport trucks equipped with DPF systems, finally decreed the adoption of the particulate filters as one of the most effective solutions for the improvement of the air quality in Portugal. As a matter of fact, Pirelli FEELPUREâ„¢ filter extends back to 20 years truck’s age limits.

This is considered as the first strong signal from Portuguese authorities about their position towards the emissions standards improvement for heavy duty fleets (with most relevant polluting emissions) operating on the territory.

Many other initiatives for air quality improvement in main metropolitan areas are under discussion as the introduction of LEZs (Low Emission Zones, already largely adopted in polluted European cities) with severe traffic limits for old polluting vehicles in dense inhabitants areas or highway toll differentiation based on the PM emission level of the vehicles (as per the measure adopted in Germany). Lisbon and Porto will soon introduce LEZs programme. But there are many others councils in Portugal developing and dedicating environmental strategy, among which are Maia, Santo Tirso, and Amadora.