Response to interpellation 2024/25:147 on air pollution and vehicle testing
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns air pollution and the need for stricter environmental controls during vehicle testing. S argues that air pollution is an acute public health crisis causing premature deaths and diseases, especially among children 1 2. S believes that Sweden has too low limit values and that the inspection industry warns that today's controls are insufficient 1 3 2. S urges the government not to put the work on the back burner 1 3 2. KD argues that there is a broad consensus on the need for changes and that the work is proceeding expeditiously 4 5. KD emphasizes that new rules should be decided by the summer of 2025 4 6. KD highlights that the automotive industry's tightening of requirements is significant 4 and that research on electric cars and tires is important for managing future emissions 5.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! Jytte Guteland has asked me if I intend to follow the Swedish Transport Agency's proposed measures to tighten environmental controls at vehicle inspections, what measures I intend to take to tighten the limit values for exhaust emissions from passenger cars, and when I intend to take these measures.
Let me first state that I share Jytte Guteland's view that it is important to have good environmental control during the inspection of vehicles.
On 15 February 2023, the Swedish Transport Agency reported on its government mandate to analyze the conditions for intensified environmental control during vehicle inspections. The report describes a few areas where changed rules could provide a more purposeful environmental control. Based on these conclusions, the Swedish Transport Agency is currently working on reviewing its regulation on control inspection.
The timeline is that new rules should be able to be decided by the summer of 2025, with application from 2026.
Jytte Guteland (S)
Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for the answer and for the important debate here today.
People are getting sick from air pollution today. Public health is affected in Sweden, in Europe, and globally. For Sweden's part, it concerns just over 6,700 people who die prematurely due to air pollution, and when it comes to traffic, it is said that a significant part comes from air pollution.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and environmental researchers at the Institute for Water and Air Care Research have established that this is a very major public health issue. Dirty air travels freely regardless of where it comes from, and looking at the whole EU, it is 400,000 Europeans every year who are affected by this and die prematurely. There is therefore an urgent need for legislation to achieve cleaner air, not least in our cities.
Fresh air both improves public health and reduces climate impact. In recent years, new knowledge has shown that the health effects of air pollution are more serious than previously thought and that the risks are greater than what has been known. New research studies indicate effects for an increasing number of negative health outcomes and that air pollution is harmful at lower levels than previously thought – especially particles from local sources.
Traffic affects life and health far beyond the 220 people who die in traffic accidents in Sweden every year. During the pandemic, it was pointed out that the air pollution affecting people in cities contributes to increasing vulnerability to covid-19 in certain groups. The European Parliament has in recent years voted through proposals for stronger and sharper limit values for air pollutants, and the World Health Organization has tightened its guideline values.
The inspection industry in Sweden is sounding the alarm that today's inspections are not sufficient when it comes to exhaust purification. This year's industry report from the Vehicle Inspection Industry, FBB, shows that for the fifth year in a row, Sweden is among the worst countries in the EU regarding environmental requirements at vehicle inspections. Low requirements and high limit values make it possible for many passenger cars to be approved despite deficient exhaust purification and environmentally harmful emissions. This is what the industry writes in its report.
The previous Social Democratic government tasked the Transport Agency with investigating environmental control, and in February last year, the Transport Agency presented a number of proposed measures which, according to the investigation, are possible to implement within today's EU directives. This, therefore, does not need to be delayed. Furthermore, the EU Commission urges all member states to introduce particle measurement at exhaust gas testing as quickly as possible.
Against this background, I would like to ask the Minister once again why the regulatory changes are being delayed. There seems to be a reluctance to precede the EU's inspection package. I have heard that we are to see a reinforcement before the summer of 2025, but I would still like to ask what the government intends to do.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I thank Jytte Guteland for her commitment. As I said, I agree with the need for changes, and that is why I view very positively the Transport Agency's work with regulations to produce new rules that are to be decided by the summer of 2025 and applied from 2026.
It is true that it was the government at the time that gave Transportstyrelsen this assignment, and that was done based on an announcement from the Riksdag which the Moderaterna, Kristdemokraterna, Centerpartiet, Liberalerna, Miljöpartiet, and Vänsterpartiet stood behind. On the same day, the government gave Transportstyrelsen the assignment to analyze what conditions would need to be changed in order to improve air quality through tightened environmental control during inspection. This is an issue where there is, therefore, a broad consensus, and it is therefore positive that Transportstyrelsen is now in the process of adjusting its regulation so that the environmental control during inspection is made more purposeful.
In this context, it is also important to remember that what matters most for reducing vehicles' health-hazardous emissions is which vehicles are on the market to begin with. The tightening of requirements for new vehicles in recent years has been significant, which has a large effect. In addition, it obviously matters that we have a purposeful environmental check during the inspection.
So, regarding the measurement of particle numbers. The EU Commission has urged the member states to introduce such measurement. It is an interesting new method to be able to better measure a vehicle's emission of particles. The Transport Agency describes the method in its report on the government mandate and follows the developments in the area. The recommendation that the EU Commission published last year contains, according to the Transport Agency, some ambiguities, which in turn has led to the fact that the four countries that have introduced this method now do so in different ways. There are also examples of implementation problems in some of the countries that use the method. It is obviously important to learn from the countries that have pointed out implementation problems and also do so in different ways. The Transport Agency is working on this.
As mentioned, active work is underway, and proposals will be developed in accordance with the mandate Transportstyrelsen has to decide on regulations. I have understood that there is a broad consensus regarding this need. The work is now being carried out expeditiously, and by the summer, new rules are to be decided.
Jytte Guteland (S)
Madam Speaker! I thank the Minister for the description, and we are definitely in agreement that the issue is important and that there is a consensus. It is also pleasing to hear that there is a will from the Minister to move forward and not to put this on the back burner.
Sweden is not doing well at the EU level when it comes to limit values. On the contrary, Sweden is an average performer. But I believe that Sweden has an important role in tackling the particles. Research shows that these have a greater impact on health than previously understood, and the local emissions affect many city dwellers. I am from Stockholm myself, and there is great concern here among those who live near traffic and expose their children to air pollution. This does not only apply to my hometown, but the concern exists in many cities in both Sweden and Europe. It is important to address both the limit values for emissions and the particle values.
When it comes to the new cars coming onto the market, the inspection industry is concerned that today's control system does not quite meet the upcoming needs from new technology, digitalization, and cars that function in other ways, not least electric cars. For both health and road safety, it is important that we have confidence in the inspection industry and that inspected cars are safe. Therefore, we must have appropriate rules even for new cars. Otherwise, confidence in the inspection will decrease and the Swedish people will question the reasonableness of the inspection, which actually saves lives. It is therefore very important that we are updated with appropriate rules so that even the inspection of new cars is sound.
I therefore urge the Minister to take the lead regarding both those matters that have been sitting on the back burner and those that need an improved solution, and the new cars.
Here in the Riksdag's speaking stand, I also want to say that it is deeply unfair that people are affected by poor and dangerous air. Air pollution is not a lifestyle choice. It is not that Swedes choose to become ill because of poor air, but rather this is something they are affected by because of where they live. Most often, our children are affected the worst. Not infrequently, preschools are poorly situated. Measurements of the air in preschools in several of the country's municipalities have been made, and the particle levels are too high, which means that those who are children now risk being affected by cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and various types of lung problems later in life. It is therefore also a matter of justice to ensure that the air in Sweden is healthy for everyone.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! We agree that good air quality is important for people's health. From a European perspective, Sweden has relatively low levels of air pollutants, and air quality has improved in many places over the last 50 years. Emissions from the transport sector have decreased during this period, but transport is still a major source of air pollution. Despite improvements, there is still much to be done for us to achieve an air quality with minimized health and environmental effects. It is in this light that I want to remind of the Transport Agency's ongoing work to adjust its regulation so that the environmental check during inspection is made more purposeful.
This week, a new research project was also communicated with VTI and Volvo Cars on the theme of electric cars and tires. This issue is worth both studying and developing because electric cars are often heavier due to the battery and the electric motor's direct and often high torque, which can increase wear on both tires and the road surface. This can also be highlighted to broaden the issue because development is moving fast in many areas. The work to transition the vehicle fleet is in full swing and is driven, not least, by the Swedish automotive industry. Here we see greater wear regarding both passenger cars and trucks, and we need to follow up on how this can be handled in as wise a way as possible so that fossil-free vehicles do not cause other emissions. I therefore look forward to following this research project.
I also, of course, closely follow the Swedish Transport Agency's work.
Regarding the lead jersey, the most important thing is that something happens and that better and more purposeful regulations for environmental control are produced. As a consequence of the announcement the Riksdag directed to the government during the previous mandate period, the previous government gave a mandate to Transportstyrelsen, and Transportstyrelsen has now produced a report and is working with the conclusions from it in its regulatory work. Work is therefore ongoing, Madam Speaker.
Jytte Guteland (S)
Madam Speaker! Thank you, Minister, for your shared commitment to the issue and for the answers here today!
Dirty air travels, as has been said, freely. Regardless of where it comes from, it strikes and kills people prematurely. We know that 400,000 Europeans die prematurely every year due to poor air quality, and we know that nearly 7,000 Swedes are affected.
The costs also amount to large sums in society. People speak of 168 billion kronor because so many people are affected by poor air quality. The societal costs are thus enormous, but the most important thing is that individuals are affected by cardiovascular diseases, COPD, asthma, and diabetes.
In recent years, researchers have discovered that people are affected at lower threshold values than previously thought. The research has also shown that particles from traffic are far more dangerous than previously understood. It is true, as the Minister says, that dirty air has existed in our societies even historically and that we have dealt with some larger emissions. But researchers now know much more about how early we humans are affected by air pollution and how dangerous it is for our health. That is why it is very important to also listen to the inspection industry, which is concerned that the inspections are not sufficient to protect people's health.
The industry wants to see an opportunity to secure people's lives and health, both in terms of safe cars and cars that do not damage air quality. I would therefore like to urge the Minister to speed up this work and not drag its feet.
Statsrådet Andreas Carlson (KD)
Madam Speaker! I have now heard the member use the word "long bench" several times, but what I have said – also several times – is that the work is ongoing. The timeline for Transportstyrelsen's regulatory work means that decisions on new rules should have been made by the summer of 2025.
Some of the parts being worked on are rule changes that improve environmental control, for example, stricter requirements on error indicators for more vehicle types compared to today. Another example is increased opportunities to order a registration inspection during a mobile inspection. Today, the police can issue a fine during a mobile inspection if the vehicle does not meet the condition requirements, but it can be very complicated for the police to investigate at the roadside if, for example, there is suspicion of manipulation of the exhaust purification. If the police could instead order a registration inspection when they see any modification of the exhaust systems, the control would become more effective.
Another part that the Transport Agency is working on is to tighten the requirements for exhaust treatment equipment for A-traktor. There are also other parts that the Transport Agency is working on regarding the development of new regulations. As mentioned, decisions shall be made on them by the summer of 2025 with application from 2026.
The authority is in ongoing contact with relevant stakeholders, for example the vehicle inspection industry - as the member mentioned - and Mobility Sweden, regarding these changes. When they are drafted and before a decision is made, they will be referred to the relevant actors to obtain a good basis and to achieve what both the member and I want, namely good environmental control during vehicle inspection.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.