Pakistan yet to adopt fuel emission standards

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Hina Mahgul Rind
KARACHI: The world is moving towards Euro III and Euro IV fuel emission standards to protect the environment and keeping with that trend the developing world has to adopt European emission standards.

These standards are a set of requirements defining acceptable limits for vehicle emissions. Pakistan has yet to implement these emission standards in order to introduce environment-friendly vehicles. It has missed the earlier deadline, which was July 1, 2008 for Euro II compliance in the case of petrol and the new deadline is January 1, 2009. Similarly, Euro II compliance deadline for diesel has been extended and the new deadline is January 10, 2012.

An official of the Environment Protection Agency said the government was working with all segments concerned to adopt Euro II standards. In this regard, a pivotal role is being played by the Ministry of Petroleum along with the Ministry of Environment and auto manufacturers. Roadmaps are already there and all sectors are working on them extensively but one of the major barriers is the cost.

He said the Ministry of Environment had constituted Clean Fuel Committee in 1995-96 and in that regard work and recommendations were made to work on CNG, biofuels, lead-free fuel, etc. Lead-free fuel was introduced in 2000 and CNG introduction and promotion also took place after 2000.

He said in order to comply with Euro II standards the refineries were needed to be upgraded which required heavy investment. However, the refineries are working to produce Euro II-compliant petrol and diesel but the production cost is very high. In the case of diesel, the cost is much higher than petrol. Upgradation of diesel refineries requires $700 million, which is very high.

Similarly, he said, auto manufacturers are required to come up with Euro II vehicles and they have based some of their models on Euro II and Euro III standards. Pak Suzuki’s Liana, Indus Motor’s Toyota Altis and Honda Civic are Euro III standard vehicles.

The auto sector said there were a few models which complied with Euro II standards and talks were going on with the government to exempt imports of Euro II standard engines and parts from certain duties as the local vendors were not yet prepared to meet the demand.

Sources disclosed that it was expected that within a few months more and more Euro II standard vehicles would be available in the country. Most of the imported vehicles in the country are Euro II and Euro III compliant, but fuel is not yet available in the market.

The EPA official said lead-free fuel was partially complying with Euro II standards. He said the Euro II standards were for all private and public vehicles, which were on roads and in that regard a roadmap had been made to gradually phase out old public vehicles. The Punjab government is working on it and they have already started phasing out old two-stroke auto rickshaws and are introducing new green CNG auto rickshaws.

On the other hand, Aftab Husain, General Manager Commercial & Corporate Pakistan Refinery Limited, said “for petrol we have been meeting the Euro II specifications since 2002. But for diesel we are going to install diesel hydro-treater to remove sulphur from the fuel and make it possible to meet the specifications in 2012.”

He added there were no standards for vehicular emission monitoring, fitness, maintenance, tuning and technology in Pakistan. The NEQS for motor vehicle exhaust and noise was introduced in 1993 and revised in 1999. Vehicular pollution can cause life-threatening diseases such as cardiovascular effects, bronchial irritation, lung cancer, anemia, asthma, eye irritation, nervous system impairment and lowering of IQ. Most major urban centres experience significant and persistent air quality problems.

He said fuel quality improvement required mega investment. Because of financial problems and government relaxation, Pakistan is still behind to meet the Euro II specifications of diesel.

Many developed countries have shifted to European emission standards and developing countries are also moving towards this.

Moscow has banned entry of pre-Euro II standard vehicles in the city centre in order to protect environment.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=123737