Owners
of older forklifts, excavators and other non-road diesel engines have until the
end of January 2020 to register their equipment with Metro Vancouver in order
to continue using them across the region.
Metro Vancouver requires
all Tier 0 and Tier 1 non-road diesel engines, which have little-to-no emission
controls, to be registered and labelled as part of its Non-Road
Diesel Engine Emission Regulation Bylaw, introduced in 2012 to manage emissions
and protect the region’s overall air quality.
Non-road diesel engines are commonly used in
construction, industrial and commercial activity or are stationary machines
that are not used for transportation on public roads.
The bylaw initially applied to all Tier 0 engines – built prior
to 1996 and lacking any emissions controls – which had to be registered by 2014.
The new deadline is for Tier 1 engines, built between 1996 and 2003 with basic
emissions controls, and is set for January 31, 2020. Failure to comply with the regulation could result in
fines of up to $200,000. Tier 1 engines that have not been registered
(including payment of fees), will not be able to operate after this date.
“Metro
Vancouver is leading the way in Canada with this regulation – these
prohibitions are the strictest that Metro Vancouver has implemented to date,” said Adriane Carr, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Climate
Action Committee. “They’re essential as diesel engine exhaust is a leading air
quality threat to human health in Metro Vancouver. Not only is diesel exhaust
linked to cancer and premature death, but it also contributes to climate
change. These prohibitions will protect human health across our region as well
as our environment.”
Once inhaled, fine particulate
matter emissions from diesel engines, often referred to as "diesel
soot," can embed in the lungs or pass directly into the bloodstream.
Public health and air pollution studies estimate diesel
soot emissions are responsible for 67% of the lifetime cancer risks from air
pollution in Metro Vancouver.
Since 2012, over 4,000 older engines have been registered in the
region. In order to operate in
Metro Vancouver, engine owners must pay fees based on the engine Tier rating
and horsepower. The registration and labelling requirements of the bylaw do not
currently apply to newer Tier 2, Tier 3 or Tier 4 engines.
Information on the program, or to register older
non-road diesel engines, can be found on Metro Vancouver’s website.