Sweeping changes to emission controls should soon start to reap rewards for Bermuda's air quality.

Government plans to clean-up vehicle exhausts are well underway, and while some changes may take years to show any difference, officials hope some of legislation will have a more immediate impact.

The news comes after Government Environment Minister Irving Pearman recently announced moves to target vehicles in a green drive.

Plans are currently being finalised for an inspection and maintenance programme on existing vehicles, which will become part of the annual Transport Control Department test.

It will mean all vehicles will have to undergo an exhaust emission test, radically cleaning up dirty engines.

Certain garages will be certified to carry out the inspection, with owners then taking their pass certificate to the TCD for re-licensing.

Government environmental engineer Dr. Tom Sleeter said when that is introduced, it will soon start to catch up with smokey trucks, cars and motorcycles on the roads.

"We have had a tremendous increase in the amount of traffic over the last 15 years and there are quite a significant number of diesels that smoke a lot.

There have been complaints from visitors and the public about emissions,'' he said.

"There aren't any particular health problems but it is known that there is PM10 (minute particles in the atmosphere) which can penetrate the deep lung.'' Mr. Sleeter added that, although the ambient air quality was very good on Bermuda, there were localised areas that recorded high pollution readings on a level with some US urban locations.

The main aim of the inspection and maintenance plan was to encourage owners, especially of trucks, to maintain them better, which would, in turn, make the engines more efficient.

"It is going to be gradual but you will see an immediate difference in diesel vehicles.'' Other changes in the plan, which is a joint venture between the Environment and Transportation departments, include a recommendation that new cars imported to the island meet either Japanese, EC or US emission standards.

"It would be ideal,'' said Mr. Sleeter. "Instead of choosing one, we could recommend any one of those which would give the importer flexibility.

Those changes could take up to six years to implement.

"We are also recommending that motorcycles meet US emission standards because they are stricter than EC standards.'' Those standards would mean a design requirement change, which would come from the manufacturers.

In the meantime, before the new legislation arrives, the public can report badly smoking vehicles to the TCD, by passing on its registration number, the time, date and location it was spotted.

ENVIRONMENT ENV