ARC "trucking" on with cleaning up Auckland's air

3 December 2004

The Auckland Regional Council was today measuring truck emissions at the Ports of Auckland in an effort to improve Auckland's air quality.

The ARC Chairman Michael Lee says in Auckland, as in most urban cities around the world, motor vehicles are the single greatest contributor to air pollution.

"The ARC is committed to tackling the environmental and health issues associated with emissions in the Auckland region. We conducted the successful 0800 SMOKEY campaign in 2001, a drive-by emissions testing campaign with NIWA in 2003, and last week we were measuring bus emissions at various depots around the region."

The ARC has been actively campaigning for a reduction in the amount of sulphur in diesel for the Auckland region from 3000ppm in 2000 to 50ppm by 2006. The current level is 500ppm.

A report from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA), commissioned by the Ministry of Transport estimated that around 250 people die prematurely each year in Auckland due to exposure from vehicle emissions. Heavy duty diesel-fuelled vehicles alone, such as heavy trucks, produce 41% of the emissions of fine particles (PM10).

The Ministry of Transport is planning to introduce mandatory exhaust emissions testing as part of WoF and CoF in late 2006. The ARC has been working with MoT on their Pilot Emission Testing Programme, launched by Associate Minister Judith Tizard in September this year, to provide data already collected as part of 0800 SMOKEY and the first on-road testing campaign.

The ARC will be repeating the light duty on-road testing campaign in May/June 2005 to promote awareness of vehicle tuning prior to the introduction of emissions testing. Drivers will get a message as to whether their vehicle has 'good', 'fair' or 'poor' emissions.

ENDS

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