Honda Applauds Emmissions Report

Honda Australia has commended the Federal Government’s recent study addressing emissions from non-road-related engines.

The Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) study, titled Reducing Emissions from Non-Road Spark Ignition Engines and Equipment

, examined the environmental impact of the emissions of such engines, including marine engines, and recommends that Australia adopt US emissions standards as early as 2012.

The report also looked at the impact such a measure would have on the purchase price of such engines, and the effect it would have on consumer choice and consumer demand, along with the pros and cons of phasing in the new standards, as opposed to an immediate implementation.

If such a standard were introduced, legislation would eventually result in carbureted two-stroke engines being phased out, although such engines currently being imported into Australia would not be affected.

Honda Australia’s general manager, Power Equipment and Marine, Vikram Pawah, thanked the EPHC for addressing the issue of engine emissions in the marine and gardening sectors. “The council has done some really wonderful and thorough work in analysing the impact high polluting products have on the users and the public in terms of their health,” he said. “In particular, their work into the cost benefit analysis of compliant versus non-compliant products has shown that the savings on a single marine outboard engine, for instance, can be as much as $9000 in relation to associated healthcare costs,” he added.

Pawah said it was heartening to see Australia following Europe’s and North America’s lead in this issue. “The good news is the customer will still have plenty of choice in regard to high-quality product, while also being confident they are doing the right thing for their health and the environment,” he said.

The issue of marine engine emissions came to a head last year, when so-called “clean” engine manufacturers Honda, Suzuki and BRP split from the Outboard Engine Distributors Association (OEDA) to form the Australian Marine Engine Council (AMEC). OEDA was calling for new standards to be phased in over time to allow the industry sufficient time to adjust, while AMEC wanted new emissions regulations put in place from this year.

The EPHC’s report is available for public comment until July 20.