Decision maker: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
If you’re a vehicle owner in India, we bet you’ve got its ‘Pollution Under Control’ or PUC test done…
This test is mandatory and measures the emission levels of your vehicle, against predetermined guidelines. If the emissions are within acceptable limits, you’re given a ‘PUC’ certificate. In other words, it means your vehicle is not very harmful for the environment.
Have you ever wondered, what all pollutants this PUC test measures?
Take a look at this certificate
Why this is important
There’s Carbon Monoxide, Hydrocarbon, Lambda and so on… but there are two crucial pollutants that find no mention on this certificate: Particulate Number (PN) and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx). And what’s worse is that all these emissions are measured when the vehicle is parked or idle and not when there’s acceleration/ movement. Refer to this infographic by Times of India to understand the issue in greater detail.
A certificate to clean air
The PUC certificate is a step in ensuring that toxic gasses are not emitted into the air. The level of pollutants in the air is often reflected in the daily Air Quality Index. This AQI measures the quality of air, based on various pollutants like ground-level ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide. PUC certificate ensures that vehicles meet emission standards, and by doing so, it contributes to the reduction of the key pollutants that influence the overall air quality, as measured by the AQI. Both PUC measures and AQI are important tools in managing and mitigating air pollution for the well-being of the environment and public health.
Why does the current PUC testing regime need to be overhauled?
It ignores key pollutants like particulate number (PN) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which come from vehicles and significantly contribute to pollution.
Particulate Number (PN) – Tiny but Harmful Particles
PM/PN includes extremely small particles that can enter our lungs and even our bloodstream, leading to various health problems. By including PN testing in PUC, we can make sure vehicles don't release these harmful particles into the air we breathe.
Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) – A Silent Threat
NOx is another harmful pollutant from vehicle exhaust that can worsen respiratory problems and is a significant cause of premature death. However, testing vehicles under idle conditions is not an accurate method for NOx measurements. This is because NOx is produced at high temperatures, and PUC tests are done at low-load idle conditions, where NOx emissions are lower.
But this is under active research and consideration in some countries.
The inclusion of NOx and PN in PUC testing in India requires experimentation, much like other countries have done.
Together, let's work towards cleaner air and a healthier future for India!
The International Council On Clean Transportation (ICCT) is the source for technical information in this petition
We urge the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to consider experimenting with and enhancing the existing PUC regime to combat vehicle emissions and air pollution more effectively. Our demands are as follows:
Include particle number (PN) testing in PUC as a mandatory measure for BS VI diesel vehicles. The regulatory limits developed in Europe could be adopted as India’s BS VI type-approval limits are the same as Euro 6 limits.
Devise a PUC regulatory limit for PN emissions from petrol and natural gas vehicles. Again this could be limited to BS VI vehicles.
Explore the possibility of including oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in the PUC tests, modeled on lines of the CITA’s recommendations, which is The International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee. This could begin as a pilot project to check feasibility and then be rolled out based on results of the pilot.
Together, let's work towards cleaner air and a healthier future for India!
The International Council On Clean Transportation (ICCT) is the source for technical information in this petition
Sources-
Decision maker: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
If you’re a vehicle owner in India, we bet you’ve got its ‘Pollution Under Control’ or PUC test done…
This test is mandatory and measures the emission levels of your vehicle, against predetermined guidelines. If the emissions are within acceptable limits, you’re given a ‘PUC’ certificate. In other words, it means your vehicle is not very harmful for the environment.
Have you ever wondered, what all pollutants this PUC test measures?
Take a look at this certificate
Why this is important
There’s Carbon Monoxide, Hydrocarbon, Lambda and so on… but there are two crucial pollutants that find no mention on this certificate: Particulate Number (PN) and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx). And what’s worse is that all these emissions are measured when the vehicle is parked or idle and not when there’s acceleration/ movement. Refer to this infographic by Times of India to understand the issue in greater detail.
A certificate to clean air
The PUC certificate is a step in ensuring that toxic gasses are not emitted into the air. The level of pollutants in the air is often reflected in the daily Air Quality Index. This AQI measures the quality of air, based on various pollutants like ground-level ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide. PUC certificate ensures that vehicles meet emission standards, and by doing so, it contributes to the reduction of the key pollutants that influence the overall air quality, as measured by the AQI. Both PUC measures and AQI are important tools in managing and mitigating air pollution for the well-being of the environment and public health.
Why does the current PUC testing regime need to be overhauled?
It ignores key pollutants like particulate number (PN) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx), which come from vehicles and significantly contribute to pollution.
Particulate Number (PN) – Tiny but Harmful Particles
PM/PN includes extremely small particles that can enter our lungs and even our bloodstream, leading to various health problems. By including PN testing in PUC, we can make sure vehicles don't release these harmful particles into the air we breathe.
Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) – A Silent Threat
NOx is another harmful pollutant from vehicle exhaust that can worsen respiratory problems and is a significant cause of premature death. However, testing vehicles under idle conditions is not an accurate method for NOx measurements. This is because NOx is produced at high temperatures, and PUC tests are done at low-load idle conditions, where NOx emissions are lower.
But this is under active research and consideration in some countries.
The inclusion of NOx and PN in PUC testing in India requires experimentation, much like other countries have done.
Together, let's work towards cleaner air and a healthier future for India!
The International Council On Clean Transportation (ICCT) is the source for technical information in this petition
We urge the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to consider experimenting with and enhancing the existing PUC regime to combat vehicle emissions and air pollution more effectively. Our demands are as follows:
Include particle number (PN) testing in PUC as a mandatory measure for BS VI diesel vehicles. The regulatory limits developed in Europe could be adopted as India’s BS VI type-approval limits are the same as Euro 6 limits.
Devise a PUC regulatory limit for PN emissions from petrol and natural gas vehicles. Again this could be limited to BS VI vehicles.
Explore the possibility of including oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in the PUC tests, modeled on lines of the CITA’s recommendations, which is The International Motor Vehicle Inspection Committee. This could begin as a pilot project to check feasibility and then be rolled out based on results of the pilot.
Together, let's work towards cleaner air and a healthier future for India!
The International Council On Clean Transportation (ICCT) is the source for technical information in this petition
Sources-