Vietnam to implement new automobile emission guidelines
sggpnews.org.vn, 9 Dec '19
The Vietnamese government is going to implement new guidelines for vehicle emissions control in accordance with Decision Number 16/2019 of the Prime Minister, effective from May 15th, 2019, according to Tran Anh Quan, Acting Head of Vietnam Auto Register Department under Vietnam Register.
The number of vehicles in Vietnam has increased by 4-5 times in the past 10 years
The guideline classifies automobiles into three categories based on their manufacture year, specifically cars made before 1999, those made between 1999 and 2008, and those made after 2008.
In particular, emissions from cars manufactured after 1999 are allowed a maximum carbon monoxide concentration of 3.5% starting January 1st, 2020; while four-stroke diesel vehicles are allowed a maximum volume hydrocarbon of 800 ppm and a maximum HSU smoke opacity of 60%.
Meanwhile, the current limits still apply to cars manufactured before 1999 since older cars are manufactured using old technology so it is more difficult for them to meet higher standards, explained the Vietnam Register.
However, these vehicles will have their inspection stamps marked in red. This would serve as a reminder for car owners and buyers who can choose to either continue a marked vehicle or make plans to replace them with a better one.
In the face of the situation, many car owners fear that their domestically manufactured cars would not meet the new guidelines based on European standards and be prohibited from being used.
It is predicted that more than 2.4 million cars produced after 2008 will have to be adjusted to meet the new emission guidelines.