Road traffic controllers often check too laxly

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A diesel car with a broken particulate filter emits as much toxic exhaust fumes as 1,000 vehicles with an intact particulate filter. That’s what the magazine “Saldo” wrote at the beginning of this week based on research at the cantonal tourist offices.

This annoys members of the Greens group in the National Council. Marionna Schlatter (42) has therefore launched an initiative in parliament. Four party members support her in her concerns.

Many cantons check too laxly

Particulate filters have been mandatory for diesel vehicles in Switzerland since 2013. However, depending on the canton, compliance with this law is monitored only sporadically. This despite the fact that the checks have been mandatory since the beginning of this year.

However, the law gives the cantons a certain leeway when it comes to the regularity of the checks. As a result, only 12 cantons fully check all particulate filters in diesel vehicles. Nine of them only check randomly, while four cantons told “Balance” that they check “as much as possible” – whatever that means. In the canton of Schaffhausen, checks only started this month.

Particularly explosive: the most densely populated and therefore most car-rich cantons, including Zurich and Bern, are not consistently in control.

15 percent of all vehicles exceed the standard

About 1.2 million diesel vehicles are registered in Switzerland. According to the road traffic authorities, about 15 percent of them emit too many pollutants. This corresponds to 180,000 vehicles throughout Switzerland, which excessively pollute our air.

Too many pollutants in the air have a negative effect on the human organism. For example, if you live in a busy street, you have a higher chance of getting lung cancer. It’s not just health experts who are sounding the alarm.

“It is not enough to check randomly. When it comes to the brakes, you don’t rely on random monsters,” Peter Kiser, head of the Lucerne Road Traffic Office, told “Saldo”.

Green politicians call for action

Marionna Schlatter, National Councilor of the Greens from Zurich, has submitted an interpellation to the National Council about this. With the support of four fellow party members, she calls on the two councils to take action.

The cantons should be obliged to regularly check the particulate filters of all diesel vehicles in Switzerland – such a check only takes a minute. (sq)

Source:Blick