05 June 2019

Costain, the smart infrastructure solutions company, has announced that from today, 5 June 2019, all new subcontracts will be required to have engines which meet the Stage IIIB emission standards. This makes the company one of the first in the UK to introduce air quality standards for plant used on all its complex delivery projects nationwide, reducing the impact on the environment and the communities in which it works in.

Stage IIIB engines are considerably less polluting than their Stage IIB counterparts. Using them means harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and PM10 (small particulates) are reduced by 53% and 94% respectively.

The move today follows on from the group introducing new engine standards in 2018 for directly hired plant to reduce air pollution. The group mandated that all commonly used diesel plant and machinery, procured directly, must have engines that met Stage IIIB or higher.

Costain’s safety, health and environment director, Gavin Bye said: “Costain continues to lead the industry by significantly cutting air pollution and carbon emissions in order to improve the UK’s air quality.  We are also using our experience in research and technology to assist in bringing autonomous and hydrogen transport to the market which has great potential to assist the UK in reducing air pollution and meeting our Paris Agreement carbon reduction targets.”