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ENVIRONMENT: Study show vehicles in Alberta release fewer emissions per trip than in 1998
        (AlbertaIndex, January 17, Thursday) --- A 2006 study commissioned by Clean Air Strategic Alliance, a multi-stakeholder partnership of government, industry and non-governmental organizations, has found that vehicles in Alberta produced less emissions per trip than in 1998.
        However, the increased number of cars and trucks means that the province’s total emission levels have increased.

The study found that a small number of vehicles was responsible for a large proportion of the emissions. Cars and light trucks built from 1996 have more advanced emissions systems but a lack of maintenance and tampering have caused some vehicles to produce high levels of emissions. Owners may be unaware there is a problem since high emissions are not always visible.

Roadside detectors were set up in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Canmore to measure smog-forming contaminants emitted by vehicles in 2006.

The alliance has recommended strategies for the province to assess and improve air quality.

Alberta Environment is working with a cross-ministry group to respond to the report’s findings. Some of the options being reviewed include passing laws to prevent tampering with pollution-control devices and incentives to scrap old vehicles which release more than five times the pollutants they did when new.

Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner said: “The good news is we have seen air quality improve significantly as a result of improved technology in newer vehicles. We are looking forward to reviewing options to address emissions around older vehicles.”

“Measures and incentives to accelerate the removal or repair of some of the highest emitting vehicles on the road offers a real opportunity to significantly reduce urban air pollutant emissions and improve air quality,” said Gerry Ertel, an industry co-chair of the alliance project team from Shell Canada and a representative of the Canadian Petroleum Products Institute.

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