Emissions tests best way to curb motorcycle growth

[totalmotorcycle]

Emissions tests best way to curb motorcycle growth
Monday, January 8, 2007 - By Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta - Sources: State Ministry for the Environment - thejakartapost.com


The government has called on the Jakarta administration to enforce emissions testing for motorcycles to control the increasing number of motorbikes in the city.

The State Ministry for the Environment said motorbikes that failed to meet emissions standards could be banned from the city's streets.

"It would be a more realistic way of limiting motorcycles than the planned restrictions on certain streets," Endang Nuryastuti, a mobile source emission pollution control official at the ministry, told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

In 2006 the ministry issued a decree on emissions standards for both two- and four-stroke motorcycles and measuring carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) content.

Endang said that more than 60 percent of the 250 motorcycles tested in spot checks in 2005 did not meet emissions standards set by the government in 1993.

"Therefore, we think that more motorcycles would not meet the newer, tougher emission standard issued in 2006," she said.

The Jakarta Transportation Board has estimated that more than three million motorbikes are on the city's roads every day, compared to 2.5 million cars.

"With such huge numbers, motorbikes are the main contributors of air pollution in the city," Endang said.

Environmental experts have said the transportation sector contributes up to 80 percent of the city's air pollution.

Long-term exposure to air pollution -- especially carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons -- can adversely affect a person's respiratory and nervous systems.

The plan to ban motorbikes from certain streets was announced by Governor Sutiyoso last week.

He said the administration was considering banning bikes from main streets during peak hours and that motorbikes were responsible for the city's infamous traffic congestion.

Sutiyoso asked people to leave their motorbikes at home and take the busway to work.

The Jakarta Environment Management Board (BPLHD) said that the administration might adopt the emissions standards issued by the government.

"However, we have not decided yet whether to perform emissions tests for motorcycles this year. We are still focusing on tests on private cars," Yosiono Anwar Supalal, BPLHD's air control division head, told the Post.

BPLHD earlier pledged to start conducting tests for motorcycles in March or a month after the emissions tests on cars came into effect.

Yosiono said his office had discussed the possibility of emissions tests with several motorcycles manufacturers in the city.

Emissions standards for motorcycles -----------------------------------------------------------Category Year of Production Parameter


CO(%) HC(ppm)
---------------------------------------------------------------Two-stroke Before 2010 4.5 12,000
Four-stroke Before 2010 5.5 2,400
All motorcycles After 2010 4.5 2,000
--------------------------------------------------------------

Sources: State Ministry for the Environment