THE INFORMER NEWS BLOG

September 14, 2011

Local police forces are to have the power to fine the owners of cars that produce excessive pollution and even to impound the vehicle if action isn't taken to remedy the problem (read article in Castilian here, La Vanguardia). As part of efforts to reduce the emission of polluting gases produced by traffic, town and city councils across Catalunya will be able, through their police forces, to punish residents whose cars produce levels of exhaust above permitted levels. This is one of the measures in the Generalitat's new plan to improve air quality in the region, which will be presented next week. The regulation will also affect vans, lorries and buses, in theory from 2012, once the plan has been approved, and will be in force until 2015, while the councils will also have to incorporate it into their municipal laws. The method for identifying polluting vehicles is similar to that already used by some councils, including the Barcelona one, with vehicles that are excessively loud. Police officers will identify cars that are producing exhaust that seems to be darker than usual, they will stop them and report the owners, obliging them to resolve the problem; the vehcile will have to be checked and certified by an MOT (ITV) centre through an opacity report, whose findings on the vehicle's pollution emissions will be reported to the council within a fixed period of time. A fine will be issued if it's found that the car has indeed been producing excessive levels of pollution and the owner will have to make the necessary changes to their car to deal with it, getting an official document proving the work has been done. If they don't, then the vehicle will be impounded.

Around 20 people spent Monday night in the Barcelona public doctor's surgery (CAP) of VIa Barcino, in the district of Sant Andreu, in protest at the closure of the emergency night-time service of the centre on September 1st (read article in Catalan here, El Punt-Avui). As with similar protests that have taken place outside the Catalan capital, the protestors who shut themselves into the surgery are unhappy that the closure means that locals have to travel much further to find the nearest open CAP (in this case, the one at Cotxeres) that has night-time services. The 'sleep-in' started on Monday evening following a protest that saw locals banging pots and pans (a casserolada) in front of the Via Barcino CAP. However, once there, participants decided to go into the building's offices and shut themselves in. The management of the surgery contacted police who, after speaking to the protestors, decided to let them continue with their action.

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September 14, 2011

Latest Comments

  • other countries should take Spain's example

    In La Vangaurdia’s article “Local Polices are to have power to fine the owners of cars that produce excessive pollution” from “Wednesday, 14th, September” Oscar Muñoz states that Spain is in one of the many countries who has a lot of pollution. Spain produces 26.35 million tons of waste energy, which is municipal solid waste, landfill gas, methane, digester gas… etc. used as fuel, every single year. (World Agricultural Produces).

    Oscar Muñoz states that local police forces are going to start putting fines on drivers that produce excessive pollution above the permitted levels. I agree with Oscar Muñoz’s article of La Vanguardia that this law, which will be passed in 2015, will help the quality of the region of Spain.

    When I’m driving through the city I can’t pull my window down sometimes, from the horrible smell outside. I can’t see the amazing views from the top of the mountain of Barcelona without seeing a part of the sky which has a very different color. I can’t enjoy a day because it’s extremely hot. The reasons for this? Pollution. If this law were passed in 2012 it would help to reduce carbon dioxide produced each year. It would make a cleaner environment. In an article called Nutramed, Stepehen Gislaslon says that 30% of the pollution that Spain produces comes from cars. Michael Echoli informs in “Urban Spout” that standard drivers produce 7000 kilograms of CO2 each year. Although, I agree with this article, the idea of police identifying the cars, if they hear a very loud noise, is not a great idea. It would be very challenging to identify if one car is making a louder noise than the other. The polices should get a sound device because they would be able to catch the drivers better.

    Pollution is a very big deal in the world, since it’s one of the main reasons for global warming. Spain is starting to take action against pollution and many other countries should take an example from it, since it’s destroying their environment.

    Posted by anonymous October 11, 2011 14:41:54

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