Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Vehicle emission testing programme to be revamped

The government is mulling to revamp the entire vehicle emission testing programme on the directions of the President in his capacity as the minister of environment.

13 per cent up to 26 per cent out of the vehicles running on roads in Sri Lanka were running without satisfying the prescribed air emission standards, Motor Traffic Department sources said.

31,329,486 Air emission tests have been conducted by two private companies from year 2008 up to 31 December 2017.

5,802, 365 out of the above have failed at the first emission test (19 per cent). Further in terms of the results of the air emission tests conducted from year 2008 up to 2017, the percentage of failed vehicles was in the range between 13 per cent and 26 per cent.

Currently, testing for emission levels of pollutants are carried out while the vehicle is stationary and expressing the results as percentages of each pollutant present in the exhaust.

The standard method in use today comprises the use of a dynamometer, where the driving wheels of the vehicle are mounted on rollers driven by a computer controlled system.

All though the testing of exhaust emissions and issuing of certificates is being carried out by three private companies including Clean Co Lanka (Pvt ) Ltd and Laugfs Eco Sri (Pvt) Ltd, the programme is monitored closely by the Motor Traffic Department and the Air Resources Management Unit of the Ministry of Environment, supported by a committee of several stakeholders.

(LI)