Focus: GS-III Environment and Ecology
Why in news?
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has mandated a strip of green colour on top of the existing sticker carrying details of registration for BS-VI vehicles of any fuel type.
Existing Stickers For petrol or CNG: a light blue colour
For diesel vehicle which: orange colour
Bharat stage emission standards (BSES)
- Bharat stage emission standards (BSES) are emission standards instituted by the Government of India to regulate the output of air pollutants from compression ignition engines and Spark-ignition engines equipment, including motor vehicles.
- The standards and the timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
- The standards, based on European regulations were first introduced in 2000. Progressively stringent norms have been rolled out since then. All new vehicles manufactured after the implementation of the norms have to be compliant with the regulations.
- While automobile manufacturers are making available vehicles that comply with the new norms, oil companies will have to provide fuel that meet these standards.
- BS-VI standard fuel is said to be the world’s cleanest fuel.
What makes BS-VI fuel better?
- Sulphur content in fuel is a major cause for concern. Sulphur dioxide released by fuel burning is a major pollutant that affects health as well.
- BS-VI fuel’s sulphur content is much lower than BS-IV fuel.
- It is reduced to 10 mg/kg max in BS-VI from 50 mg/kg under BS-IV.
- This reduction makes it possible to equip vehicles with better catalytic converters that capture pollutants.
- However, BS-VI fuel is expected to be costlier that BS-IV fuel.
- Vehicles that are compliant with BS-VI will also be more expensive.
