Government Approves New Pollution Standards for Vehicles

Kathmandu. The government has approved new pollution standards to control air pollution from vehicles operating on the roads. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment, using the authority granted by Section 15, Sub-section (1) of the Environment Protection Act, 2076, has decided to implement the 'Standards Related to Emission Limits from In-use Vehicles, 2083'.

This standard, which will be fully implemented 91 days after its publication in the Nepal Gazette, sets separate emission limits for old and new vehicles.

According to the new arrangement, this standard will apply nationwide for vehicles other than diesel (running on petrol and gas). For diesel-powered vehicles, it is mandatory in Kathmandu Valley and all metropolitan and sub-metropolitan cities across the country.

According to the ministry, this standard will not apply to heavy equipment used in construction work such as tractors, power tillers, dozers, cranes, rollers, and excavators. Furthermore, special vehicles for military purposes imported on the recommendation of the Ministry of Defense have also been exempted from the new arrangement.

• Pollution Limit Based on Registration Year

Considering the age and technology of vehicles, the ministry has divided vehicles into four categories based on their registration date and set pollution limits.

For vehicles registered before 2056 BS, the limit for two and three-wheelers running on petrol/gas is a maximum of 4.5 percent carbon monoxide and 7,800 ppm hydrocarbons. For four-wheelers, carbon monoxide is set at 3.5 percent and hydrocarbons at 1,000 ppm. For diesel vehicles, smoke opacity should be a maximum of 65 percent.

For vehicles registered from 2056 to 2069 BS, the limit for two and three-wheelers is 3.5 percent carbon monoxide and 4,500 ppm hydrocarbons, and for four-wheelers, it is 3.0 percent carbon monoxide and 1,000 ppm hydrocarbons. For diesel vehicles, smoke opacity will remain 65 percent.

For vehicles registered from 2069 to 2082 BS, the limit for two-wheelers is 3.0 percent carbon monoxide, 3.5 percent for three-wheelers, and the CO limit for four-wheelers or above has been reduced to 0.5 percent.

For new vehicles registered after 2082 BS, significant strictness has been imposed. For petrol/gas two and three-wheelers, carbon monoxide is set at 0.5 percent and HC at 500 ppm, and for four-wheelers, carbon monoxide is 0.3 percent and hydrocarbons are 200 ppm.