Two-stroke bikes phased out<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration has asked the Office of the State
\nMinister for the Environment to go ahead with its plan to ban the
\nproduction of two-stroke motorcycles in a bid to minimize air
\npollution in the capital.<\/p>\n
\"We hope State Minister Nabiel Makarim does not delay the
\nplan, so starting next year there will be no more new two-stroke
\nmotorcycles being sold in the city,\" said Jakarta Environmental
\nManagement Agency head Kosasih Wirahadikusumah on Tuesday at
\nPlaza Indonesia in Central Jakarta, where free vehicle emission
\ntests were being performed.<\/p>\n
The city official was referring to Decree No. 141\/2003 from
\nthe Office of the State Minister for the Environment, which
\nstipulates that all new vehicles, including motorcycles, must
\ncomply with the Euro 2 standard. The decree will take effect on
\nJan. 1, 2005.<\/p>\n
Euro 2, which came into effect in Europe in 1996, permits
\nexhaust emissions of nitrous oxide up to 7.0 grams per kilowatt-
\nhour, hydrocarbons 1.1 g\/kWh, carbon monoxide 4.0 g\/kWh and
\nparticulates 0.15 g\/kWh.<\/p>\n
Kosasih said two-stroke motorcycles had the \"highest
\nemissions\" of all motorized vehicles.<\/p>\n
\"A two-stroke engine motorcycle has emission levels equal to
\nthe emissions produced by 10 four-stroke motorcycles and 20
\ncars,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Of the approximately four million motorized vehicles in the
\ncity, some 2.6 million of them are motorcycles, which are
\nrelatively inexpensive and easy to purchase. Of the 2.6 million
\nmotorcycles, one million have two-stroke engines.<\/p>\n
Jakarta had only 25.55 days of \"good\" air quality last year,
\nand environmentalists have reiterated that reducing vehicle
\nemissions would significantly curb air pollution in the city.<\/p>\n
Vehicle emissions account for up to 70 percent of air
\npollution in the city. The remaining 30 percent comes from
\nindustrial emissions.<\/p>\n
Long-term exposure to air pollution -- especially carbon
\nmonoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide and particulates -- can
\nadversely affect a person's respiratory and nervous systems.<\/p>\n
An official at the state minister's office in charge of
\nvehicle emissions, Linda Krisnawati, said her office would
\nproceed with the plan to ban the production of two-stroke
\nmotorcycles.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, we cannot guarantee that the implementation of the
\nplan will take place simultaneously nationwide,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Linda said two-stroke motorcycles were in high demand in
\ncertain areas due to their performance on rough and hilly tracks.<\/p>\n
\"I do not think this policy will hit a serious snag in
\nJakarta. Using a two-stroke motorcycles in Jakarta is unnecessary
\nsince the city has straight roads,\" she said.<\/p>\n
PT Honda Astra Motor, the country's largest motorcycle
\nmanufacturer, has said it supports the planned ban.<\/p>\n
\"We will support the government's policy to promote a better
\nenvironment,\" said company spokesman Yulian Warman.<\/p>\n
He added that Honda Astra Motor would not be affected by the
\npolicy because the company only manufactured four-stroke
\nmotorcycles.<\/p>",
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