Debrecen4U
September 16, 2025
Vehicle emissions are also being measured in Debrecen
The Ministry of Construction and Transport announced that they will once again hold a Road Transport Environmental Action during the European Mobility Week. With the support of the Ministry of Construction and Transport, the Road Traffic Environmental Action will be held for the 29th time between September 15 and 19.
The European Mobility Week is the European Commission’s flagship awareness-raising campaign on sustainable urban mobility. One of the main directions of the campaign series is the assessment of the condition of vehicles on the road and the examination of their harmful effects on the environment.
During the Road Traffic Environmental Campaign, over five days (Monday to Friday), in four cities of the country—Budapest, Debrecen, Győr, and Szeged—the regionally competent Traffic Inspectorates will carry out approximately 1,000 measurements during road environmental inspections at locations that change daily.
During the inspection, drivers of vehicles will be informed about the condition of their cars and can also learn about any potential problems. Drivers of vehicles in grossly poor condition, which are highly polluting, must present their vehicles for a periodic technical and environmental inspection within a specified period.
“Our common interests behind the campaign are our health and environmental protection,” reads the ministry’s statement.
The main goal of the campaign, organized by the Institute of Transport Sciences (KTI), is to get a comprehensive picture of the annual change in the emissions of vehicles on the road in Hungary and the condition of the vehicles, including the average age and the degree of erosion. The extent of the change can be easily detected by comparing the data obtained and the data measured in previous years.
The emissions of vehicles on the road are tested using a gas analyzer for gasoline-powered vehicles, during which carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen chloride, and oxygen levels, as well as the so-called Lambda value, are measured. For diesel-powered vehicles, the measurement is done with a smoke meter (opacity meter).
In addition to the usual gas analyzer technologies, the particle number is also tested, as in previous years. Particle number measurement allows the condition of particle filters to be checked and any filters that have been drilled, modified, or manipulated in any way to be identified.
These technologies are completely identical to the technical solutions used at technical inspection stations and comply with the applicable environmental regulations.
“The measurements are carried out by experts from government agencies working at the inspection stations, who also perform a visual condition assessment in addition to the measurements. The main task is typically to detect leaks and look for signs of environmentally harmful malfunctions,” the announcement stated.
If an irregular modification is found on the vehicle, the colleagues carrying out the measurement draw attention to the irregularity and its necessary repair.
The average age of the passenger car fleet, as reported by the Central Statistical Office (KSH), was 16.2 years in 2024. Since older vehicles were manufactured to more relaxed environmental standards, their higher average age and the associated wear and tear of machine parts contribute significantly to higher emissions.
The compliance rate determined in last year’s measurement was 79 percent, with 79 percent of the vehicles measured meeting the applicable environmental and technical requirements.
“In order to protect our environment and health, reducing the proportion of non-compliant vehicles is a global goal,” the ministry emphasized in its statement.
Source:dehir.hu | Photo credit:Facebook Papp László
