WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Clean Diesel 10 Conference kicked off here Tuesday morning.

The event highlights the significant progress made in the past 10 years to improve air quality through new clean diesel technology. Also among the discussions will be environmental goals for the future.

The two-day conference features presentations and exhibits by officials from the EPA and other environmental and health organizations. Representatives of the pupil transportation industry helped plan and are participating in the event.

A press conference was scheduled for Tuesday morning to outline the technological and environmental advances in the new generation of 2010 diesel trucks and buses.

A sampling of 2010 heavy duty trucks and buses were to be displayed, and a “clean hanky” test — in which a new white handkerchief is placed over a running tailpipe to illustrate low emissions — was to be conducted.

“These are the cleanest and most modern commercial vehicles in the world,” said Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “The new 2010 generation of clean diesel power is winning support among America’s commercial truck and bus fleets on a platform of near-zero emissions and higher fuel economy.

“The historic progress in clean diesel technology is remarkable. Consider that it would take 60 of these 2010 trucks to equal the same emissions from one pre-1988 truck.”