Recently, the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (GDARD) Air Quality team along, with West Rand Air Quality management officials and Mogale Traffic embarked on a vehicle pollution emission testing campaign along the N14 in Oaktree.
According to the MEC of GDARD, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, this campaign aims to raise awareness of vehicle emissions to public motorists to ensure that their vehicles are well maintained so they comply with the prescribed standards.
It is also to raise awareness among motorists on the dangers posed by vehicle emissions to human health and the environment to change motorists’ behavioural patterns.
“Those who are found non-compliance with the standards are issued with the traffic fines per municipal by-laws. Vehicle emissions refer to the gases, fumes, vapours and odours escaping from the cylinders of a petrol or diesel internal combustion engine. When a vehicle is burning petrol or diesel, the pollutants such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and other hydrocarbons escape through the tailpipe into the atmosphere,” Ramokgopa said.
She added that vehicle emissions are one of the greatest sources of air pollution in Gauteng, accounting for about 50% of provincial carbon monoxide and 84% of volatile organic compounds emissions. These pollutants can be harmful to human health and the environment. To this end, the government is mandated to undertake vehicle emission testing.
