Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Used car exports drive pollution to developing world: UN study

-

Getting rid of old cars is helping clean the skies over developed nations, but many clunkers are ending up in developing countries where they are add significantly to air pollution, a UN report warns.

The European Union, Japan and United States exported around three million used vehicles each year between 2015 and 2018, with most going to low- and middle-income countries and more than half ending up in Africa, according to a report released Monday by the UN Environment Programme.

With the expansion of car ownership in developing countries expected to be a major source of emissions in coming decades, the UNEP called for tightening the rules for exporting and importing old, polluting vehicles.

"Developed countries must stop exporting vehicles that fail environment and safety inspections and are no longer considered roadworthy in their own countries, while importing countries should introduce stronger quality standards," said UNEP's executive director, Inger Andersen.

The agency cited an investigation by Dutch authorities in 2019 that found the average age of vehicles waiting to be exported was 18 years.

They also had more than 200,000 km (125,000 miles) on their odometers on average, and many were missing catalytic converters that reduce toxic gases from exhaust.

UNEP said that two-thirds of the 146 countries it looked at had weak rules regarding the import of used vehicles, and some had no pollution standards.

Getting rid of old cars is helping clean the skies over developed nations, but many clunkers are ending up in developing countries where they are add significantly to air pollution, a UN report warns.

The European Union, Japan and United States exported around three million used vehicles each year between 2015 and 2018, with most going to low- and middle-income countries and more than half ending up in Africa, according to a report released Monday by the UN Environment Programme.

With the expansion of car ownership in developing countries expected to be a major source of emissions in coming decades, the UNEP called for tightening the rules for exporting and importing old, polluting vehicles.

“Developed countries must stop exporting vehicles that fail environment and safety inspections and are no longer considered roadworthy in their own countries, while importing countries should introduce stronger quality standards,” said UNEP’s executive director, Inger Andersen.

The agency cited an investigation by Dutch authorities in 2019 that found the average age of vehicles waiting to be exported was 18 years.

They also had more than 200,000 km (125,000 miles) on their odometers on average, and many were missing catalytic converters that reduce toxic gases from exhaust.

UNEP said that two-thirds of the 146 countries it looked at had weak rules regarding the import of used vehicles, and some had no pollution standards.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

World

Calling for urgent action is the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Business

The cathedral is on track to reopen on December 8 - Copyright AFP Ludovic MARINParis’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, ravaged by fire in 2019, is on...

Business

Saudi Aramco President & CEO Amin Nasser speaks during the CERAWeek oil summit in Houston, Texas - Copyright AFP Mark FelixPointing to the still...

Business

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal infers that some workers might be falling out of the job market altogether.