Cars and pollution

Cars and pollution

Since the authorities think vocational training is relevant (Companies should train workers, The Jakarta Post, Jan. 23, 1996) I have a suggestion. The majority of diesel trucks and buses here run with their fuel injection pumps open. Drivers and untrained mechanics fiddle with the engines. You can see even fairly new vehicles puffing smoke. The engines do not burn fuel efficiently. Consequently, smoke clouds follow vehicles. An open injection pump provides 6 percent additional power but increases fuel consumption by 30 percent. This borders on economic sabotage!

The Brazilian government cracked down hard on wasteful fuel consumption during the oil crisis. Bosch, Cummings, Perkins and Mercedes-Benz trained mechanics. Shell, Petrobras and Exxon distributed leaflets to educate truck drivers. The highway patrol fined offending drivers.

Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Hino could start training mechanics to stop the waste of fuel and the creation of pollution. It is easy to spot smoke produced by trucks and buses. Which carmakers these days want to be labeled polluters? (Environmentalists, please note).

Everybody would win. Mechanics would get training, we'd get cleaner air, and truck dealers and parts suppliers would get trained mechanics who would buy genuine parts from them. And vehicle owners would save on operational costs.

OSVALDO COELHO

Bandung, West Java