Vietnam to inspect motorbike emissions

Aug 11, 2009, 7:25 GMT

   Hanoi - Vietnam, the world's most motorbike-dominated country, is to finally begin inspections to enforce pollution standards in 2011, a government official said Tuesday.

   'Air pollution in Vietnam, especially in big cities, is at alarming levels,' said Trinh Ngoc Giao, director of Vietnam's Vehicle Registration Agency. He said mandatory pollution controls would reduce pollution, save fuel and increase the life span of vehicles.

   Under the plan, in the first year, exhaust emissions will be checked on motorbikes in use for 10 or more years. In the second year, all vehicles seven years or older will be subject to checks. In the third year and thereafter, any bike that has been in use for three or more years will be inspected.

   Giao said the proposed limits are 6 per cent carbon dioxide (CO2) and 2.0 parts per million (ppm) of hydrocarbon (HC). For comparison, the corresponding limits in Thailand and Taiwan are 3.5 per cent CO2 and 1.2 ppm of HC.

   'We must apply a looser standard than some countries because this is the first time we have applied emission standards for motorbikes,' Giao said. 'But step by step, we will tighten the standard.'

   Test results will be printed out and glued to the vehicles. Owners will be subject to fines of 300,000 dong (17 dollars) for exceeding the limits.

   A trial motorbike inspection project was concluded last year. Giao said his agency would submit a full inspections plan to the government for approval in October, and that the plan would come into force in 2011.

   Vietnam has over 26 million motorbikes for a population of 86 million, the highest ratio in the world. Giao said many of the dirtier bikes, manufactured prior to 1980, belong to poor people, meaning that unfortunately the new standards would disproportionately affect the poor.