No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveStudy: Vehicle Inspections Help Reduce Air Pollution

Study: Vehicle Inspections Help Reduce Air Pollution

EXPERTS had estimated gas emissionsin Costa Rica this year would amountto 80,000 tons of carbon monoxide.However, this year’s emissions mayamount to only 37,700 tons – 47% of theexpected total – thanks to the mandatorytechnical vehicle inspections conducted bythe private firm Riteve SyC, according to a2005 projection assembled by the ministriesof Public Works and Transport (MOPT),Public Health, and Environment andEnergy (MINAE) with the assistance of theGerman Technical Cooperation (GTZ).“We took the (emissions) data collectedfor one month – in this case, March – toproduce (an estimate) to represent the entireyear,” GTZ local project advisor FedericoCorrales told The Tico Times Wednesday.Analysts based the estimate on100,000 technical inspection reports fromthe months of March from 2003-2005 inthe greater San José area.Riteve, a controversial Spanish-CostaRican company contracted by the governmentto conduct the mandatory inspections,began operating in July 2002 amidstmobs of angry taxi drivers, farmers andother citizens who protested the inspections’demanding standards. Opponentswent on strike again last year to protesthaving to pay the Riteve fee again for reinspectionfollowing a failed inspection(TT, August 27, 2004).According to Public TransportMinister Randall Quirós, Riteve hashelped reduce contamination because theobligatory inspection – which must beconducted every six months, year or twoyears depending on the vehicle –improves maintenance.“Riteve has provided us with a positiveenvironmental impact,” he told members ofthe press Tuesday at a presentation of theproject conclusions at the Radisson EuropaHotel in San José. “Rejected vehicles mustreturn for additional inspections until theymeet the established parameters. Theinspection motivates vehicles’ renewal.”The study also projects that Riteveinspections will generate savings of atleast 4.7 million liters of gas for the countrythis year, which in theory means everycar owner would save $200 a year, comparedto the approximately $50 that mustbe invested in the technical inspection.

Trending Now

Panama Regains Control of Bocas del Toro After Violent Protests

Panama’s government has regained control of Bocas del Toro province after months of violent anti-government protests sparked by pension reforms, officials announced. The unrest,...

El Salvador Slams Paris Fashion Show Inspired by Cecot Mega-Prison Inmates

The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, joked on Saturday that he could send inmates from his mega-prison to France, after they were represented...

Costa Rica Green Hotels Lead Global Sustainable Tourism

Costa Rica’s reputation as a leader in sustainable tourism grows stronger every year, with our green hotels setting a high bar for eco-conscious hospitality...

Costa Rica’s Rare Birds at Risk as Human Activity Threatens Extinction

Costa Rica’s bare-necked umbrellabird, a striking black bird with a red throat pouch and crest, is in trouble. A new study in Nature Ecology...

Costa Rica’s Pride March 2025 Defies Restrictions and Celebrates Diversity

A large crowd gathered in Paseo Colón, San José, to participate in the LGBTIQ+ Pride March 2025. It began at noon, as people marched...

Costa Rica’s Top Court Bans President Chaves from 2026 Election Campaign

Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Thursday barred President Rodrigo Chaves from participating in the 2026 election campaign, ruling that he "illegitimately used" his...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica