Vietnam Register will, early next month, propose the Ministry of Transport add red stamps to vehicles with low exhaust emission standards to distinguish them from others in a bid to control vehicle exhaust emissions.

It is difficult to control exhaust emissions due to the large number of motorcycles in use 

Under the current regulations, exhaust emissions from cars using petrol must contain no more than 4.5% of carbon monoxide, while exhaust fumes from vehicles running on diesel oil must contain a maximum of 72% of hartridge smoke units and 1,200 ppm of hydrocarbons. These standards have been applied for the past 10 years, but the number of vehicles has surged by three times now, causing difficulties in controlling vehicle exhaust emissions, especially in urban areas.

If high exhaust emission standards are applied to all vehicles, those that have been used for a long time may find it hard to satisfy these requirements.

Based on these conditions, localities can limit the number of vehicles with low exhaust emission standards in certain areas. The special stamps will help the competent agencies detect violators.

The stamps will also serve as a reminder to the owners of old vehicles to upgrade their vehicles to meet higher standards. This method will make it easy for registration centers to check the levels of exhaust fumes released by vehicles without further investments in measuring instruments or changes in testing methods.

At recent seminars, experts and representatives of enterprises suggested regulating the levels of exhaust emissions based on the age of the vehicles. Owners of ineligible vehicles can still use their vehicles but must pay a higher environment protection fee.

Vietnam Register found the solution feasible, adding that the maximum content of carbon monoxide in exhaust fumes of cars using petrol should be 3.5%, while the exhaust fumes of diesel oil-powered cars must contain no more than 60% of hartridge smoke units and 800 ppm of hydrocarbons. These requirements are in line with an earlier decision of the prime minister on the roadmap for the application of emission standards to motor vehicles, which will take effect late next year.

Vietnam Register planned to control exhaust emissions from motorcycles late last year, but the task remains incomplete.

SGT