HÀ NỘI – Motorbikes’ exhaust fumes will be inspected, initially in five big cities, if a newly-proposed plan by the Ministry of Transport is approved.

Under the Việt Nam Register’s proposal, exhaust fume inspections will be required for citizens in Hà Nội, HCM City, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng and Cần Thơ, whose motorbikes are 15 years or older. The motorbike exhaust fume gauge is expected to be applied on July 1, 2018. After that testing will be mandatory for 10 and five-year-old vehicles very two years, at a cost of VNĐ100,000 to 150,000 (US$4.4 – 6.6).

In 2010, then Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng gave the green light for developing a project on limiting motorbike exhaust levels in an attempt to reduce air pollution, but it was not implemented, the Tuổi trẻ (Youth) newspaper reported.

But since then, Việt Nam Register said, air pollution had become more serious in big cities. The latest national environment report revealed that between 70 and 90 per cent of the air pollution in urban areas are caused by traffic, of which motorbikes are the major element.

According to the Traffic Police Department, more than 49 million engine-driven vehicles had been registered nation-wide by the end of 2015, with motorbikes making up 95 per cent or 46.5 million. Motorbikes number 12 million in Hà Nội and HCM City alone.

Tuổi trẻ reported that in these two cities, the emissions of hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from motorbikes account for 94 per cent, 87 per cent, and 57 per cent of the total amount emitted by engine-driven vehicles.

The proposed roadmap suggests three schemes. Under the schemes, starting July 1, 2018, exhaust fume gauging will be required for motorbikes of a 175cc capacity and more, which will be conducted at automobile registration centre. Motorbikes of less than 175cc capacity will be checked after July, 2020.

In all, around 23 million motorbikes five years or older will have gone through exhaust fume checks by 2025.

Motorbikes that pass the check will be provided with a stamp of approval whilst those that do not meet exhaust fume standards will have to be repaired and re-tested. Those failing to check their exhausts will be subjected to fines.

A Việt Nam Register official told Tuổi trẻ that the current Road Traffic Law only stipulates testing for passenger cars and trucks, which has been quite effective in controlling their exhaust fumes, but there was nothing in place to monitor motorbikes.

To ensure sufficient technical facilities, Việt Nam Register proposed that motorbike manufacturers and importers provide maintenance and repair services for vehicles failing exhaust fume inspections, besides regular services.

Some suggested that the inspection fees should be taken from environment tax levied on vehicle petrol. On average, each motorbike rides some 8,000kms annually and consumes about 160l litres of petrol. Accordingly, it has to pay VNĐ480,000 ($21) worth of environmental tax. If the inspection fee per vehicle is VNĐ100,000 once every two years or VNĐ50,000 annually, the use of income from environment tax is feasible. — VNS