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CLUNKERED, COMBATING DUMPING OF USED VEHICLES: A ROADMAP FOR AFRICA AND SOUTH ASIA
Abstract and Figures
Global motorization is rapid and explosive. As many as 2 billion vehicle tailpipes spew noxious pollutants and heat-trapping gases across the world. But as newer vehicles are inflating the global rolling stock every year, huge numbers are also becoming old and obsolete. In 2013, about 40 million vehicles a year were estimated to be approaching their end-of-life. Many old, used and close-to-being-scrapped vehicles are finding their way to low- and middle income country markets, with serious public health consequences. This study has therefore become necessary to understand the imperatives of both the importing as well as exporting countries to find the possible solutions based on shared responsibility.
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... It is believed that the greatest contributor of GHGs is the developed world, with concerns however that a rise in greater percentage of GHG emissions shall come from the developing world (Jennings 2011). This comes at a time when the developing world, especially Africa, is heavily dependent on used imported cars from Asian countries such as Japan, and these have raised concerns that the continent is being used as a dumping ground for used cars by other countries (Roychowdhury 2018), a condition which would in turn culminate in an unclean environment through emission of exhaust fumes from the diesel and petrol-powered cars. ...
Being at the heart of the urban system, the transportation system provided the backbone of the effective functioning of the urban sphere, as it links people to activities and countries to their regional counterparts. However, as a consequence of the ever-increasing urbanization trends which now characterize most cities, the transport sector has faced a lot of inefficiencies in the form of congestion. Congestion has not been friendly to the urban landscape, as it has also resulted in a lot of negative effects such as the release of greenhouse gases and ultimate increase in pollution levels in both the developed and the developing countries. This has prompted many nations to consider the important aspect of decarbonization of the transport system. This chapter discusses the various challenges which many countries have experiences in the transport sector, as well as analyze on the various efforts made by different countries as regards to lessening the burden of the negative effects caused by the increased dominance of private vehicles on the urban landscape.
... A CSE publication 'Clunkered' 77 There is however no clear definition for classifying high-emitting vehicles; it varies across regions and depends on fleet characteristics, age and mileage, and original emission standards. Stringency will depend on the target set by the governments to control emissions and fuel guzzling. ...
India adopted the BS VI emission standards in April 2020. While it is mandatory for new vehicles to meet these emission standards, old vehicles are still being used extensively and are a major cause of on-road pollution. For the new emission standards to have the maximum impact, it is imperative that older vehicles, especially diesel trucks and buses, be replaced as quickly as possible. Further, in order that the replacement itself does not lead to environmental problems, proper scrappage policies for junk vehicles have to be adopted and implemented. Thus, this report by CSE aims to address the complex dimensions associated with old vehicles that require immediate policy attention in India.
... In countries without explicit used vehicle emissions requirements or screening programs, we have lowered expectations of vehicle emissions performance, assuming emissions are uncontrolled. This assumption is informed by reports that in countries where poor fuel quality is incompatible with advanced technologies on used vehicle imports, these technologies are likely to be removed (Roychowdhury, Chandola, Shukla, & Chattopadhyaya, 2018). This assumption increases emissions estimates for the baseline and adopted scenarios, because these assume no new policies to control used imported vehicle emissions. ...
This report assesses global progress in 2019 toward reducing black carbon emissions from diesel on-road light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. As of July 2019, 39 countries have implemented “soot-free” standards for new heavy-duty diesel engines that achieve a 99% or greater reduction in black carbon emissions compared with older-technology diesel engines. Five countries have adopted such standards for implementation before 2025, and at least six countries are planning to complete the transition to ultralow-sulfur diesel. The authors estimate that currently adopted policies will reduce global on-road diesel black carbon emissions to 40% below 2010 levels by 2030. A 75% reduction in global on-road diesel black carbon emissions is achievable by 2030, but only if virtually all countries implement soot-free standards in the 2020 to 2025 time frame. Adhering to this timeline could avoid roughly $1 trillion (U.S.) in cumulative societal costs over the next decade.
There remains substantial heterogeneity in progress toward soot-free vehicles and fuels among G20 economies and Climate and Clean Air Coalition member countries. In countries that have recently adopted soot-free standards, the main challenges are to ensure effective compliance and avoid delays in implementation. In countries that have ultralow-sulfur diesel available, we recommend adopting soot-free vehicle and engine standards and scheduling their implementation as soon as possible. The experiences of some countries, such as India, demonstrate the feasibility and greater net benefits of leapfrogging to soot-free standards as opposed to making incremental advances. In countries with higher-sulfur diesel, securing ultralow-sulfur diesel should be prioritized to enable the introduction of soot-free vehicle and engine standards. In countries with multiple fuel grades, ensuring nationwide availability of an ultralow-sulfur diesel grade can enable the introduction of soot-free vehicle and engine standards several years ahead of the transition for all fuels nationwide; in such cases, differential taxes can provide a financial incentive for refiners, importers, and consumers to transition to ultralow-sulfur fuels.
In many regions, progress toward soot-free standards can be accelerated through cooperation among countries. In some regions, these activities have already resulted in joint technical work plans that lay out the steps to adopting and implementing soot-free standards. For these regions, the next logical step is to implement these joint technical work plans; in other regions, we recommend adapting these work plans to reflect the circumstances of participating countries. In both cases, the findings of this assessment stress the urgency for action and the societal benefits of rising to the challenge.
The importance of the commercial motorcycle for public transport in many African cities is increasingly recognised. However, rapid urbanisation and urban economic growth also increases the demand for motorised transport, resulting in increased congestion, road traffic accidents and air pollution. While exposure to air pollution is a well-established risk factor for respiratory illnesses, there has been very little study of occupational exposure to transport-related air pollution in African cities. This research contributes to that gap, studying the exposure and impact of air pollution on Kampala’s boda boda riders (commercial motorcycle riders). The study uses low-cost mobile pollution monitors fixed to a commercial motorcycle to demonstrate the vulnerability of riders exposed to high levels of air pollution throughout much of the working day. The study indicates how low-cost monitoring can help boda boda riders understand and to minise their exposure to air pollution, and support urban policy that reduces air pollution while also recognising the importance of Kampala’s boda boda for both urban transport and livelihoods.
With 270 million light vehicles and 20 million heavy-duty and off-road (HDOR) vehicles in use in the European Union, automotive and HDOR industries are two major sectors in the European economy. Each year, 12 million light vehicles plus 1 million HDOR vehicles reach their end-of-life. In a context of circular economy, following questions are of growing concern. To what extent is the circular economy achieved and implemented in the automotive and HDOR sectors? What industrial practices and regulations are prevalent and commendable in the light of the circular economy? While the end-of-life management of light vehicles − subjected to the ELV Directive 2000/53/EC – is widely studied in literature, the end-of-life stage of HDOR vehicles has been neglected for a long time from a research perspective. To fill this gap, extensive literature survey and in-depth investigations on the industrial ground are conducted. Key factors – i.e. regulations, business models and markets evolution, new and emerging technologies integration – affecting the circular economy performance of automotive and HDOR sectors are analysed. Notably, not only lessons learned from best industrial practices but also remaining challenges for a more circular economy are highlighted. Both industries are compared through the four buildings blocks of the circular economy and the four possible feedback loops defined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. As a result, this research contribution could lead to practical applications, for instance, in supporting industrial practitioners or policy makers to realize the opportunities and challenges of closing the loops of HDOR vehicles from different perspectives.
End-of-life vehicles (ELV) have become a global concern as automobiles have become popular worldwide. An international workshop was held to gather data and to discuss 3R policies and ELV recycling systems, their background and present situation, outcomes of related policies and programs, the framework of recycling and waste management, and case studies on related topics in several countries and regions, as well as the essential points of the comparison. Legislative ELV recycling systems are established in the EU, Japan, Korea, and China, while in the US, ELV recycling is managed under existing laws on environmental protection. Since automobile shredding residue (ASR) has a high calorific value and ash content, and includes heavy metals as well as a mass of unclassified fine particles, recycling ASR is considered highly difficult. Countries with a legislative ELV system commonly set a target for recovery rates, with many aiming for more than 95 % recovery. In order to reach this target, higher efficiency in ASR recovery is needed, in addition to material recycling of collectable components and metals. Environmentally friendly design was considered necessary at the planning and manufacturing stages, and the development of recycling systems and techniques in line with these changes are required for sound ELV management.
Ambient air pollution has been associated with restricted fetal growth, which is linked with adverse respiratory health in childhood. We assessed the effect of maternal exposure to low concentrations of ambient air pollution on birthweight.
We pooled data from 14 population-based mother-child cohort studies in 12 European countries. Overall, the study population included 74 178 women who had singleton deliveries between Feb 11, 1994, and June 2, 2011, and for whom information about infant birthweight, gestational age, and sex was available. The primary outcome of interest was low birthweight at term (weight <2500 g at birth after 37 weeks of gestation). Mean concentrations of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2·5 μm (PM2·5), less than 10 μm (PM10), and between 2·5 μm and 10 μm during pregnancy were estimated at maternal home addresses with temporally adjusted land-use regression models, as was PM2·5 absorbance and concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrogen oxides. We also investigated traffic density on the nearest road and total traffic load. We calculated pooled effect estimates with random-effects models.
A 5 μg/m(3) increase in concentration of PM2·5 during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of low birthweight at term (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1·18, 95% CI 1·06-1·33). An increased risk was also recorded for pregnancy concentrations lower than the present European Union annual PM2·5 limit of 25 μg/m(3) (OR for 5 μg/m(3) increase in participants exposed to concentrations of less than 20 μg/m(3) 1·41, 95% CI 1·20-1·65). PM10 (OR for 10 μg/m(3) increase 1·16, 95% CI 1·00-1·35), NO2 (OR for 10 μg/m(3) increase 1·09, 1·00-1·19), and traffic density on nearest street (OR for increase of 5000 vehicles per day 1·06, 1·01-1·11) were also associated with increased risk of low birthweight at term. The population attributable risk estimated for a reduction in PM2·5 concentration to 10 μg/m(3) during pregnancy corresponded to a decrease of 22% (95% CI 8-33%) in cases of low birthweight at term.
Exposure to ambient air pollutants and traffic during pregnancy is associated with restricted fetal growth. A substantial proportion of cases of low birthweight at term could be prevented in Europe if urban air pollution was reduced.
The European Union.
To evaluate associations between traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy and preterm birth in births in four counties in California during years 2000 to 2006.
We used logistic regression to examine the association between the highest quartile of ambient air pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter <10 and 2.5 μm) and traffic density during pregnancy and each of five levels of prematurity based on gestational age at birth (20-23, 24-27, 28-31, 32-33, and 34-36 weeks) versus term (37-42 weeks). We examined trimester averages and the last month and the last 6 weeks of pregnancy. Models were adjusted for birthweight, maternal age, race/ethnicity, education, prenatal care, and birth costs payment. Neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) was evaluated as a potential effect modifier.
There were increased odds ratios (ORs) for early preterm birth for those exposed to the highest quartile of each pollutant during the second trimester and the end of pregnancy (adjusted OR, 1.4-2.8). Associations were stronger among mothers living in low SES neighborhoods (adjusted OR, 2.1-4.3). We observed exposure-response associations for multiple pollutant exposures and early preterm birth. Inverse associations during the first trimester were observed.
The results confirm associations between traffic-related air pollution and prematurity, particularly among very early preterm births and low SES neighborhoods.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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