EDITORIAL: Emission rules timely – Business Daily

The move by the government to publish new rules that will see locally assembled trucks and buses produce lower emissions to reduce environmental pollution is long overdue.

The new rules contained in the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KS 1515: 2019) will see the country adopt Euro 4 emissions levels that are stricter and replaces the more lenient measures that have been in place since 2000.

The new regulations have more comprehensive limits on the emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.

When enforced, it will also crack down on trucks and buses that emit dense blue or clearly visible black smoke, a common fixture on Kenyan roads that contribute to air pollution levels especially in city centres.

The government now needs to move with speed to work with industry stakeholders including fuel marketers to set actionable timelines for implementation of the rules.

While enforcement may come at a cost to car assemblers and their customers due to fitting vehicles with particulate filters, one cannot put a price on the public health benefits that come with cleaner air.

According to the World Health Organisation, the global transport sector is responsible for a large proportion of urban air pollution.

Pollutants increase the risk for cardiovascular and respiratory disease, cancers and adverse birth outcomes. WHO also notes that low- and middle- income countries such as Kenya suffer disproportionately from transport-generated pollution due to use of old and inefficient diesel vehicles.

The new regulations, if enforced, will go a long way to reduce the public health burden.