Addis Ababa Environment Protection Authority has announced that drivers with cars that emit high levels of smoke should prepare solutions in advance.
Devices for measuring the smoke emitted by vehicles and quality assurance or standards are being prepared.
According to Addis Ababa Environmental Protection Authority General Manager, Dida Driba, a car smoke standard is being prepared, and the smoke emitted by each car will be measured.
He said that if the car emits more than the set limit, it will not be out of service.
The authority said that vehicles that emit high levels of smoke are usually used for 23 years or more after being manufactured. Therefore, the old car holders should prepare a solution from now on.
There are many cars in the capital that emit heavy smoke and pointed out that it is not possible to stop the cars at once.
However, Mr. Dida urged those who issue bolos, control cars and buy cars to follow the smoke standard issued by the authority.
According to the authority, the standard will be implemented soon. Therefore, drivers with old, high-emission cars should either use smoke-reducing technology or change the car.
Dida said that if serviced cars were allowed to be imported into the country like before, new cars would not have entered the city. He added that the car exhaust standard that is being prepared will help to reduce the health problems associated with gases and clouds of dust that contribute to air pollution.
He said that 10 modern devices have been installed to control air quality in the capital, and soon a device to control the smoke coming out of cars will be brought into the country.
Mr. Dida added that providing information on air quality, especially at the appropriate time and place, plays a vital role in reducing exposure to air pollution.
Countries develop air quality standards based on guidelines set by the World Health Organization. Mr. Dida said that Addis Ababa is preparing standards for this basis and this will ensure healthy air quality.
According to the data from the Ministry of Transport, there are about two million vehicles in Ethiopia, and most of them have been in service for years.
In order to prevent emissions from old vehicles, they have been forced to pay a high tax on imported used vehicles.
Also, car importers who import new vehicles are being made to pay lower taxes, while new vehicles that are assembled in the country will get more tax and other investment incentives.
According to the World Health Organization, about 11 percent of the deaths caused by air pollution in the world are caused by exhaust gases from vehicles.
