Potential environmental impact of I/M Programs in Urban Centers based on RSD monitoring campaigns

Abstract

Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) programs were originally created for controlling the deterioration of air quality by identifying vehicles with high emissions and forcing them to undergo for mechanical maintenance. We describe a methodology, based on remote sensing campaigns, to evaluate the potential emission reductions of I/M programs in urban centers. For this purpose, a remote sensing monitoring campaign was performed in the Monterrey's Metropolitan Area (MMA), Mexico. Four different sectors in the MMA were selected, sampling, under similar conditions to those found in ASM test, approximately 0.4% of the vehicles registered in this region. Results indicated that 39.0% of the vehicles would not comply the current national regulations for in-use vehicles. With a conservative scenario, the implementation of a vehicle I/M program in this urban center has the potential of reducing ∼69%, ∼42% and ∼28% the current HC, CO, and NO mass emissions, respectively.