📋 Tender Overview
Since January 2024, the Department of Environmental Protection has been authorized to check the pollution caused by cars on the roads. The legislative changes will allow environmentalists, without the involvement of other authorities, to check and determine whether cars exceed the prescribed air pollution standards for technically sound cars and to revoke the validity of roadworthiness tests 'here and now'.
According to the data of the Association of Lithuanian Roadworthiness Testing Companies, in 2022, more than 50 per cent of the vehicles submitted for mandatory roadworthiness testing did not pass the technical inspection from the first time due to the shortcomings of the technical condition, and up to 10% of light passenger and light commercial vehicles did not pass the technical views from the first time due to environmental shortcomings: excessive smoke, carbon monoxide content, detected leakage of operational fluids, etc. Those 10% of the vehicles, i.e. about 78 thousand vehicles, were in service at some point before the roadworthiness test and were involved in public traffic. The operation of such cars not only worsens air quality, negatively affects health, threatens traffic safety, but also causes discontent among a conscious society.
What will change from January 1, 2024?
With the entry into force of the amendments to the Law on State Control of Environmental Protection, from next year, officials of the Department of Environmental Protection can, without the participation of officials of other institutions, stop and carry out operational measurements of vehicle pollution on the roads, which increases the expediency of such inspections and reduces costs. Prior to the changes, police officers and environmental protection agency staff were required to participate in such inspections. At the same time, amendments to the Law on Road Safety come into force, which will strengthen the control of vehicle pollution on the roads. If a vehicle's exhaust emissions exceed the limit values or in the event of any leakage of liquid (e.g. lubricants, fuel) that may cause environmental damage or endanger other road users, the validity of the mandatory vehicle roadworthiness test document will be abolished and the vehicle will no longer be able to participate in traffic. About 9,000-15,000 cars are planned to be inspected per year.
How the inspection will be carried out
The vehicle will be braked safely for inspection without interfering with other transport participants.
Environmental officers inspecting the vehicle will wear a service uniform, and must enter the Department of Environmental Protection officer's certificate upon request.
In the dark, the officer will wear a uniform with reflective elements when braking the vehicle.
The patrol will consist of at least two officers, brake the vehicle by waving the illuminated regulator's wand or a reflective circle with a red reflector across the direction of movement, or by telling the stop through the speaker and/or turning on the blue beacons of the patrol motor vehicle.
Measurement of pollutant concentrations will be carried out in the vehicle's exhaust system itself (by inserting a gas analyzer probe into the exhaust pipe). The results will be obtained at the point of measurement.
Responsibility
When the changes come into effect, drivers are held liable for stopping officers, and fines for violations are imposed.
Drivers are required to stop if they are stopped by a uniformed department of environmental protection officer. Failure to comply with this requirement provides for a possible fine from 850 to 1200 euros. (Code of Administrative Offenses (Article 426(4) of the ANC);
For the operation of vehicles whose emissions to the ambient air exceed the prescribed limit values or with a non-functioning exhaust gas neutralization system provided by the manufacturer, there is a liability: for persons – 100-300 euros (for repeated re-compliance 300-500 euros), for managers of legal entities or other responsible persons - 300-500 euros (for repeated re-compliance - 600-900 euros) (Article 307 anC);
In addition to air pollution measurements, additional attention will be paid to whether the car does not pollute the environment in other ways, such as: non-drip lubricants, fuel or other environmentally hazardous liquids, which may cause environmental damage or endanger other road users;
Fines have been imposed for pollution of the environment by hazardous chemicals and chemical mixtures: 60-120 euros for persons, 150-300 euros for managers of legal entities or other responsible persons, 500-1200 euros for repeated violations (Article 244 of the ANC).
