By Kesara Abeywardena

Surprise checks on vehicles emitting high carbon exhaust fumes are being conducted by the traffic police in collaboration with the Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association, in various parts of the country.

It has been found out that over 50% of the vehicles in the country emit high carbon exhaust fumes. During a surprise check conducted in Bambalapitiya last week eight out of fourteen vehicles had very high levels of carbon in their emissions.

The checks are being conducted using a special smoke meter. The meter analyses the exhaust fumes from vehicles and records the carbon density of the smoke in a measurement called smoking units. The accepted or the healthy level of vehicular emissious is 65 to 75 smoking units and over 80 smoking units are considered dangerous.

At present traffic police issues a warning to owners of vehicles with dangerous levels of carbon emissions. The owners are required to service the engines and reduce the carbon levels and report back to the police.

B. R. I. Ponnambalam of the Ceylon Motor Traders’ Association said that the police would not charge the owners at present but would do so by next year when laws prohibiting dangerous levels of carbon emissions come into effect.

He said that at present the checks were being conducted as an awareness campaign to educate the public. He stressed that many persons were now concerned with air pollution due to the rise in respiratory tract problems and asthma.

Carbon emissions increase when the engines of vehicles are not maintained properly and injectors are not replaced on time.