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ROVER II Vehicle Emissions Study

Passenger transportation is a growing issue, as urban centres grow and Canadians have farther to travel to work. A study by the Clean Air Strategic Alliance in 2006 took a snapshot of vehicle emissions in Alberta and informed Albertans of actions they can choose to safeguard the air.

ROVER II VEHICLE EMISSIONS STUDY – download the report here

OVERVIEW
The Vehicle Emissions Project Team of the Clean Air Strategic Alliance raised awareness of vehicle emissions and the need to reduce them as part of the ROVER (Roadside Optical Vehicle Emissions Reader) vehicle emissions study. Mobile roadside devices measured the emissions of a total of 66,002 light duty vehicles in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Canmore between September 21 and October 18, 2006. This project assessed how vehicles and emissions in Alberta have changed since the first project in 1998 in addition to measuring an expanded list of substances in vehicle exhaust, including exhaust emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NO) and smoke, also known as particulate matter (PM).

On December 6, 2007, the CASA Board received the combined report of the Vehicle Emissions Team and contractor Environmental Systems Products (ESP). The Vehicles Emissions Team had agreed that:

  • The findings clearly support action to accelerate the removal and/or repair of gross emitting vehicles in Alberta. Gross emitters are those vehicles that emit 5 or more times exhaust than when new.
  • Four identified options to address gross emitters are anti-tampering regulations, enhanced scrappage, a hot line for visible emitters and an inspection and maintenance program using the remote sensing technology used in the study.

The report has been referred to Alberta Environment, which will explore these and other options to develop a plan to reduce the impact of gross emitters in Alberta and report back to the CASA Board in mid-2009.

1998 ROVER STUDY

In 1998 CASA conducted the ROVER project to assess actual in-use vehicle emissions using remote sensing technology. Remote sensing technology is well established and has been used for well over a decade. It involves a roadside test site with an infrared emitter on one side of the road and a sensor on the other side. As vehicles pass through the infrared beam it measures the emissions from the vehicle. Key findings of the 1998 project were:

  • 10% of the vehicles accounted for more than 50% of the emissions and 20% of the vehicles were responsible for 80% of the emissions.
  • Specific test results for Alberta were 7% of vehicles were responsible for 54% of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions while 81% of the vehicles only accounted for 18% of CO emissions.
  • A vehicle scrappage pilot project called Breathe Easy proved that vehicle scrappage programs are effective in Alberta and was a precursor to existing scrappage programs.

SPONSORS
The project is funded by Alberta Environment, Canadian Petroleum Products Institute, Shell Canada Limited, City of Calgary, City of Edmonton, Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation and the Clean Air Strategic Alliance.VEHICLE EMISSIONS IMPACT AIR QUALITY
A major contributor to ground-level ozone (a major component of smog) formation in urban areas is vehicle emissions.] 

  • On–road vehicles contribute up to 35 per cent of the emissions that are involved in smog formation and up to 19% of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Between 10 and 15 percent of Canada’s fleet are older, pre–1988, or poorly maintained vehicles that generate up to 50 per cent of these total emissions.
  • If you drive a car, it probably accounts for half your annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
  • The best way to reduce emissions and save money is to drive less.

HEALTH IMPACTS
Reduce vehicle emissions and we’ll all breathe easier. Vehicle emissions significantly impact air quality and health, resulting in increased hospital admissions, respiratory illnesses and premature deaths, particularly in urban areas.

  • Health Canada estimates that 5,000 Canadians die prematurely each year because of air pollution, and thousands more become unnecessarily ill.
  • Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution because they breathe faster than adults and inhale more air per pound of body weight.
  • Numerous statistical studies have led scientists to believe that exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of lung and heart disease.

WHAT CAN I DO?
Vehicle owners are encouraged to make choices and take actions that limit the amount that their vehicles emit. Here are some suggested actions for vehicle owners:
Turn it Off

  • Turn your vehicle off when parked, waiting to pick someone up and waiting in a drive-thru.
  • Restarting the engine uses less fuel than 10 seconds of idling and produces less air pollution.
  • In winter, avoid using a remote car starter – these devices encourage you to start your vehicle before you’re ready to leave, which increases wasteful idling.

Drive Smarter and Less Often

  • Sustainable alternatives to private car transportation are available no matter where you live – share a ride, walk, cycle or take public transit more often.
  • Fast starts and hard braking only reduce travel time by 2.5 minutes for the average hour–long trip. You also use 39% more fuel, and produce as much as 5 times more exhaust emissions.
  • Drive your vehicle less. Plan ahead and “chain” your errands so you get everything done in one trip.

Tip Top Shape

  • Maintain it! It’s better for your car, your wallet and the environment. A poorly maintained vehicle uses up to 50% more fuel and produces up to 50% more GHG emissions than a vehicle that is serviced regularly. Even newer vehicles can become polluters if the emissions system isn’t maintained.
  • Check your tire pressure at least once a month. With under–inflated tires, your vehicle can use up to 3% more fuel and significantly reduce the safety and life of your tires.
  • Tampering with your vehicle’s emissions system, for example, by removing the catalytic converter(s) in today’s computer-controlled systems, significantly reduces the vehicle’s performance and increases emissions.

Drive a Greener Vehicle

  • If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, check the EnerGuide label for its estimated fuel consumption and annual fuel cost. Also, check out the list of the most fuel–efficient vehicles by category and year at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/vehicles/home.cfm. Continuous improvements to vehicles and fuels have resulted in new vehicles that emit less BUT the vehicle must be properly maintained to that standard.
  • If you are buying a used vehicle, check the on–line Fuel Consumption Guide for information about its fuel efficiency at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/vehicles/home.cfm.

Scrappage

  • Owners of older model year vehicles can choose to scrap their vehicle in exchange for one of the incentives offered by a local program, such as Car Heaven and the Kidney Car Program in Edmonton and Calgary. Incentives may include: transit pass, rebate toward the purchase of a new or newer vehicle, or rebate toward the purchase of a new bicycle.


       

[1] Canada’s 2004 Greenhouse Gas Inventory: A Summary of Trends; Environment Canada; May 11, 2006; http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/ghg/inventory_report/2004/2004summary_e.cfm; accessed May 25, 2006.
[2] What you can do…Vehicle Scrappage Programs; Environment Canada; http://www.ec.gc.ca/eco/wycd/road6_e.html; accessed September 22, 2006.
[3] What you can do…on the road again; Environment Canada; http://www.ec.gc.ca/eco/wycd/road_e.html; accessed September 22, 2006
[4] The Green Lane: Scientists Find New Evidence That Smog Affects The Heart; Environment Canada; March 12, 2002; http://www.ec.gc.ca/Press/2002/020312_n_e.htm; accessed September 13, 2006.