Motor vehicles and air quality

Motor vehicles produce a range of contaminants that can affect the environment and human health. These include:

• carbon monoxide
• carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas associated with climate change
• fine particles (smoke)
• volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - partly burnt fuel
• sulphur oxides
• nitrogen oxides..

In Hamilton city, air pollution from vehicles varies from suburb to suburb and is highest in central Hamilton. Vehicle emissions are highest when traffic density is greatest - usually between 10am and 4pm.

Petrol and diesel engines work in slightly different ways and burn different fuels, so they produce different exhausts.

Compared with petrol engines, diesel engines produce smaller amounts of unburnt and partially burnt fuel (hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide) but can produce more nitrogen oxides and large amounts of smoke (fine particulates). These particles consist of soot, hydrocarbons, sulphur-based chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Heavy duty diesel vehicles, such as trucks, can be very polluting because they produce large amounts of particulates and nitrogen oxides. Diesel exhaust has also been shown to be a probable cause of cancer.

You can help reduce the amount of air contaminants polluting our air by reducing the number of times you use a motor vehicle:

• Carpool.
• Use public transport (trains, buses and shuttles).
• Cycle or scooter.
• Walk.

Drive smart - save fuel, protect the air

If you do need to use a private motor vehicle to get around, make sure you drive smart and keep it in tune.

We all need to reduce the amount of air contaminants in order to reduce their damaging effects. If your engine is producing high levels of contaminants, it’s not burning fuel as well as it could. This costs you money and damages the environment.

The way you drive and how well you look after your engine can affect how much air pollution comes from your vehicle. It can also help you save on fuel costs!

• Drive smoothly – accelerate slowly.
• Travel light – don’t carry unnecessary loads.
• Plan ahead – avoid short trips and unnecessary use of your vehicle.
• Don’t overfill your fuel tank.
• Don’t idle the engine unnecessarily.
• Use air conditioning sparingly.
• Ensure that the vehicle you buy is fuel-efficient.

Reduce smoke from diesel engines:

• Use moderate accelerations rather than wide-open throttle accelerations.
• If the engine starts to slow down, shift to a lower gear.
• Back off the accelerator when climbing a hill or towing a heavy load. The extra fuel used with a wide-open throttle under load conditions is just making smoke, not power.

Keep in tune

Petrol vehicles

Maintain and tune your engine as recommended by the manufacturer. Many faults can increase contaminants in the exhaust, for example:

• a rich idle mixture or incorrect air/fuel ratios
• a dirty air filter
• an incorrectly adjusted carburettor
• defective spark plugs or worn distributor contacts
• a faulty ignition coil
• improper timing
• vacuum leaks, burned valves, worn rings and head gasket leaks.

Diesel vehicles

Too much diesel exhaust smoke can indicate engine problems. Follow these tips to reduce smoke and keep your diesel vehicle well maintained:

• Clean or change your air filter regularly.
• Change your engine oil at least as often as the manufacturer’s recommendation. Dirty engine oil becomes thick. This causes excessive engine and turbocharger wear.
• Maintain your engine’s fuel injection system (as recommended by the manufacturer). This includes changing the fuel filter at recommended intervals, regularly draining the water/fuel separator, having injectors checked, cleaned or replaced and the fuel injection pump maintained as needed.