04/08/2019
The Impact of Motor Vehicle Assembly on the Environment
The motor vehicle industry has been thriving over the years. In the continent alone, thousand of cars are imported every single year, with some countries taking up assembling roles for some companies. In Kenya for example, we have a Volkswagen assembly point in Thika. There is wide array of vehicles available in the country. Events such as the Mt. Kenya Wild Expo held at A.S.K in Kabiruini, showcase the latest classical vehicles such as Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen amongst others.
In the recent past there have been grave concerns over the impact of motor vehicle assemblies on the environment. The main concern is mainly because of carbon emissions from the vehicles assembled.
As the population increases, so does the demand for more vehicles. Vehicle production is an arduous task that comes with its fair share of effects to the environment.
Production waste
There is a lot involved, from the molding, welding, painting and so much more. The process which take time all have some effects to the environment, and with countries such as Germany, Japan and the US in competition, the processing plants are always running and functioning at maximum capacity. The processing plants use a lot of water and energy. They also emit some waste which is harmful to the environment and without emphasis on their impacts; they may go for years on end without any proper interventions on ways to reduce the dangerous emissions.
Strained infrastructure
Have you ever been stuck in traffic for longer than an hour wondering when youâll ever get home? With the increase on the vehicle imports into the region each year, there strained resources. Our roads were built to hold certain capacity of vehicles, and while this is not maintained, there is bound to be traffic build up and some roads may become depleted. Road expansion does not come without destruction of property, mostly buildings and peopleâs homes. While this might seem like a small price to pay for easier flowing traffic, it still has its impact on the environment.
Carbon emissions
While some may view the traffic menace like part of our daily lives, there is still the danger of carbon emissions. In the recent past some roads in the country become like parking lots. Rarely do people turn off the vehicles when they seat in traffic waiting for those ahead to move. What this means is there are a lot of carbon emissions by vehicles that are on transit. and those in traffic.
Lastly, what happens when the vehicle that you own goes off for good? There are currently no avenues of recycling old vehicles, and most end up seating somewhere in yards on the roadsides or in homes. While you might think this is no health hazard, think of the fluids in that vehicle. How do you deal with them when a vehicle comes to its end?
What needs to be done?
Dealing with the production process will go a long way in building a better environment. The automakers should be encouraged to move to newer processing plants that will reduce the emissions to the environment during production. More and more companies are coming to the realization that going greener cuts on the overall cost of production. Additionally, the automakers need to consider environmental friendly paints and other material to reduce the negative impacts.
What vehicle are you driving?
The Mt. Kenya Wild Motor Expo at A.S. K Kabiruini will take you through whatâs available in the market. An important point to note though, always chose a vehicle that is environment friendly. An eco friendly vehicle produces less harmful impacts to the environmental compared to internal combustion vehicle engine running on gasoline or diesel.
Whatâs more an environmental friendly car will not just die, its parts can be recycled and used as spare parts for other vehicles. Steering wheels, seats, wheels and tanks can be recycled and used in other vehicles that need spare parts. This creates a greener environment and even creates job opportunities for some people.
Environmental awareness
As much there is need for the automotive industry to go green, there is a greater need for environmental awareness. The masses need to be educated on the importance of buying eco friendly vehicles.
Stricter rules
Lastly it is the role of the government to regulate the automotive industry mainly on the processing plants impact on the environment. Additionally, the government should encourage the use of eco friendly vehicles which will be more efficient and cause lesser strain on the environment.
