The Ministry’s Circular No. 92 issued recently introduces a national technical regulation on exhaust emissions for motorcycles and mopeds in road traffic. The regulation sets out emission limits and inspection requirements aimed at reducing air pollution from the country’s rapidly growing two-wheeler fleet.

The regulation establishes four emission levels, specifying maximum allowable concentrations for carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC). Under the strictest standard, the CO limit is reduced to 2%, compared with 4.5% under the least stringent level. For four-stroke engines, HC limits are tightened from 1,500 parts per million (ppm) to 1,000 ppm, while two-stroke engines face a sharp reduction from 10,000 ppm to 2,000 ppm.

Motorcycle emissions testing must be carried out by certified inspection facilities meeting legal requirements on road traffic safety. Testing equipment must comply with national technical standards on vehicle inspection infrastructure and measurement accuracy, as stipulated in related regulations issued by the Ministry of Construction.

The regulation does not apply to motorcycles and mopeds managed by the Ministry of National Defence or the Ministry of Public Security.

According to the circular, the roadmap for implementation will follow decisions issued by the Prime Minister. The Ministry of Construction has been assigned responsibility for organising and overseeing emissions inspections nationwide, while the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will guide relevant agencies in applying the new standards.

Emissions measurement methods will follow additional national technical standards issued by the Ministry of Construction. Any future amendments or replacements of referenced regulations will automatically supersede the current provisions.

Vietnam is home to more than 70 million motorcycles, and officials have identified vehicle emissions as a major contributor to urban air pollution, particularly in large cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Severe air pollution hits northern Vietnamese localities

VOV.VN - Air pollution intensified and spread across northern Vietnam on January 9, with Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Phong and Thai Nguyen recording poor to very poor air quality levels, according to official monitoring data.