Emission tests bring smiles and protests<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Anxiety changed to smiles yesterday as motorists
\nand passengers on the second day of spot emission checks found
\nout why they were being stopped by police officers.<\/p>\n
\"The pleasure is mine,\" one driver, Purwadi, told a team
\nmember doing the tests. The officer then thanked him for his
\ncooperation.<\/p>\n
Like many others, Purwadi got a sticker stating \"emission
\nabove permitted rates\" and a friendly piece of advice that it was
\ntime for him to visit his service station.<\/p>\n
\"I think it's been three weeks since I took the car for a tune
\nup,\" he told the officer at the test site on Jl. Merdeka Barat,
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Some passengers protested, saying that they were in a hurry
\nand that the tests should not be conducted in the morning. The
\ntesting of 100 vehicles using gas and natural gas, and 100 others
\nusing diesel fuel, was carried out from 8:30 until noon.<\/p>\n
The testing as well as the recording of license plates, car
\nmakes and years and last service station visits took about two
\nminutes per vehicle, though the vehicles had to wait five minutes
\nfor their turn.<\/p>\n
However, one sullen-looking passenger finally smiled when he
\nwas handed a form stating that his car's emissions were at
\nan acceptable level. He was given a green sticker stating
\n\"emission below permitted rates\" and a triangle-shaped banner
\ndepicting the city's mascot, a smiling eagle.<\/p>\n
The writing on the banner says \"Thank you for your
\nparticipation in keeping the air clean in our beloved city.\"<\/p>\n
The results of yesterday's tests have yet to be made available
\nby the city's environmental bureau, but the tests revealed that
\nnew vehicles also produce pollutants at higher than tolerable
\nlevels, while the emissions of some older cars were well below
\nthe maximum levels.<\/p>\n
One 1996 Espass Daihatsu minivan was found to have a 5.98
\nlevel of carbon monoxide (CO), which is above the tolerated level
\nof 4.5 for cars using gas.<\/p>\n
CO from a 1992 taxi using compressed natural gas reached 6.24,
\nmore than twice the tolerable level of 3. Members of the
\nemissions team said this was unusual for cars using natural gas.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, a 1990 Laser taxi had a CO level of 0.25
\nand hydrocarbon of 514, far below the level of 1,200 for the
\nlatter pollutant.<\/p>\n
Tolerable levels are specified in a 1990 gubernatorial decree
\non air pollutants.<\/p>\n
Another driver said he agreed that the emission tests, part of
\nthe city's campaign to promote air pollution awareness, is
\nimportant.<\/p>\n
\"The air here is dreadful, but it's mostly because of the
\nbuses, right?\" he said.<\/p>\n
An officer in a yellow uniform vest told him that private cars
\nalso produce pollutants.<\/p>\n
Contrary to this impression, a number of buses rated well. The
\ndiesel smoke meter attached to their exhaust systems showed the
\nlevel of smoke below 50, the tolerable level of smoke for
\nvehicles using diesel fuel.<\/p>\n
Officers in blue from the land transport agency, usually
\nfeared by drivers for their sudden traffic checks, were friendly
\nand informative.<\/p>\n
\"Keep it up, visit your garage regularly!\" one officer said.<\/p>\n
Passengers packed into buses craned their necks to watch the
\nsmoke testing being done by officers, whose faces ended up soiled
\nand black.<\/p>\n
The teams were made up of members from the city's
\nenvironmental bureau, the urban environment research center and
\nthe land transport agency, in addition to police and students
\nfrom various universities, particularly those majoring in
\nenvironmental studies.<\/p>\n
Today the tests will be carried out in Kramat Jati on Jl. Raya
\nBogor.<\/p>\n
Purwoto, the head of urban ecology at the urban environmental
\nresearch center, told The Jakarta Post that regular visits to
\nservice stations won't necessarily guarantee lower levels of
\npollution.<\/p>\n
\"Some people want high powered engines, and this affects the
\nfuel burning system and results in more carbon monoxide,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Another officer said a number of garages, such as those for
\nthe Kramayudha and Indomobil companies, standardize emission
\nlevels of their new vehicles.<\/p>\n
The tests will be conducted again from Tuesday until Thursday.
\n(anr)<\/p>",
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