Old cars cause a third of nitrogen emissions in traffic

More than a third of the emissions of nitrogen oxides in car traffic come from cars 15 years and older. Old diesel cars in particular are polluting. The AD asked transport expert Jan Anne Annema from TU Delft to calculate how large the emissions are from such cars.

Wagons built in 2004 or older make up 17 percent of the fleet, but are responsible for 35 percent of nitrogen emissions and 50 percent of particulate matter. Both gasoline and diesel engines were included in the study. Compared to the most modern diesel engine, a 1999 diesel emits six times more nitrogen oxide. With delivery vans, the older models cause 20 percent of nitrogen emissions and 50 percent of particulate matter.
Purchase arrangement

In total there are still around 1.2 million cars of 15 years and older in the Netherlands. These are not all vintage cars that are rarely used. Figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics show that on average 10,000 to 12,000 kilometers per year are driven by cars from 15 to 25 years old.

In order to be able to meet the nitrogen standards, measures will probably be presented by the cabinet this week. On the table during the negotiations is, among other things, lowering the speed on highways to 100 kilometers per hour. The AD also looks at a purchase scheme for old polluting cars and delivery vans.

In 2009, 80,000 old cars were taken off the road with such a scheme. In the newspaper, both the car industry, through the Bovag and the Rai association and Milieudefensie, express a positive opinion about such a buy-up scheme.

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