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EPA breathing easy as new technology helps it nab worst-polluting motorists

Top 10 polluting vehicles *Ford Lio Ho Motor -- Telstar-3E * Kuozui Motors (Toyota) -- Zace * Yulon Motors (Nissan) -- All New Sentra * Ford Lio Ho Motor -- Festiva-3U * Kuozui Motors -- Corona * Ford Lio Ho Motor -- Festiva-4U * Ford Lio Ho Motor -- Laser-5A * Ford Lio Ho -- Telstar-5E * China Motors (Mitsubishi) -- Delica * Yulon Motors -- All New Sunny Source: EPA

New technologies have made it easier for the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to identify polluters on the road.

The technologies involve remote sensing of automobile emissions.

The EPA used the system last year to measure 190,000 gasoline-fueled cars at 44 locations in 22 jurisdictions nationwide. Among them, 13,493 cars exceeded acceptable levels for carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions.

The EPA yesterday released a list of the top 50 polluters on the road and urged motorists to pay more attention to maintaining their vehicles.

Four companies were listed as manufacturers of the worst 10 vehicles in terms of pollution -- Ford Lio Ho Motor, Kuozui Motors, Yulon Motors and China Motors.

At a press conference yesterday, EPA officials admitted that the result could be skewed due to market distribution.

"However, users of certain types of car should maintain their vehicles appropriately to avoid causing air pollution," Wu Sheng-jong (吳盛忠), deputy director-general of the Bureau of Air Quality Protection and Noise Control, said.

Wu and environmental inspectors yesterday demonstrated the operation of remote-sensing technology in downtown Taipei yesterday.

The technology was used in conjunction with a video freeze-frame system which allows the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions measurements from passing vehicles to be superimposed on a picture of the vehicle and its license plate instantaneously.

Wu said that using remote-sensing technology can effectively catch polluters.

The EPA began using remote-sensing technologies in 1996.

The agency says the technology has the potential to control emissions in the country.

Vehicle emissions regulations were added to the Air Pollution Control Act (空氣污染防制法) in 1999.

The EPA will inform drivers when the technology shows their vehicles are polluting too much.

Those who refuse to carry out further emission tests or fail in such tests would be fined between NT$1,500 and NT$60,000.
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