California to crack down on forklift emissions

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently passed a new rule cracking down on pollution caused by forklifts.

On June 27, 2024, CARB passed the “Zero-Emission Forklift Regulation” to phase out the use of large spark-ignited (LSI) forklifts in California in favor of zero-emission equipment.

Under the new rule, manufacturers will be banned from selling Class IV and Class V LSI forklifts – categories that largely operate on propane, gasoline and natural gas – starting in 2026.

Additionally, the operation of spark-ignited forklifts by large fleets will be phased out in 2028. For small fleets, the use of of spark-ignited forklifts by large fleets will be phased out in 2029.

CARB says that more than 89,000 spark-ignited forklifts are currently in use in California, and switching to zero-emission forklifts will avoid 2 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions per day by 2031.

Forklift owners and operators will see $2.7 billion in net fleet cost savings from lowered operating costs, CARB claims.

CARB estimates that the new regulation will result in $7.5 billion in health benefit savings from 2026 to 2043 from reduced hospital visits and medical care.