Air Pollution Crisis: Morocco Should Ban Two-Stroke-Engine Vehicles Such as the Peugeot 103

Pollution is a serious threat to health worldwide. It is a problem that affects both developed and developing countries, only that the extent and primary culprits differ.

Peugeot 103

Peugeot 103

In Morocco, the love for mopeds is contributing greatly to this problem. And the government needs to move fast and do something about these vehicles if it must achieve its pollution and climate change targets.

The Threat of Pollution

There are three major types of pollution when categorized by environment. These are air pollution, water pollution, and land pollution.

Of the different types, air pollution is probably the most harmful with pollutants such as black carbon, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and lead. Some researchers have described it as the most problematic in urban areas.

Estimates show that most people – as many as nine out of 10 – breathe in poor-quality air, especially in urban areas. This, experts say, has increased the incidence of respiratory diseases which are a major cause of morbidity and mortality globally. According to an estimate, one billion people are battling chronic respiratory diseases worldwide.

Air pollution is among the leading mortality risk factors globally. About five and a half million premature deaths have been linked to it.

Although water pollution is deemed to be the main source of environmental degradation in Morocco, air pollution is also a big problem.

A Deep Love for Two-Stroke Vehicles

The image of noisy mopeds or vehicles with two-stroke engines racing around is not an uncommon sight in Morocco. Not just in this country; they can also be seen elsewhere in North Africa flying past cars at lightning speeds.

Mopeds are light motorbikes that usually come with an engine that has a capacity not exceeding 50 cc. They use two-stroke engines, which have fewer moving parts compared to four-stroke engines and work with a gasoline-oil mixture.

These noisy two-stroke vehicles are believed to have first made their appearance in Morocco in the eighties. Partly as a result of their low prices, they quickly caught on. The mopeds have remained popular to this day.

Often, these two-stroke vehicles are not only cheap but also solid and reliable.

A particular favorite in Moroccan cities appears to be the Peugeot 103. This model quickly overtook its 101 and 102 predecessors after it was introduced in France in 1971. Originally targeted at older countryside folks, it became a favorite among blue-collar workers and young people.

The production of the Peugeot 103 came to a halt in 2011 in its home country and three years later in Morocco. But the love for the moped persists in the North African country despite being somewhat outdated. Many people still prefer it to the Chinese alternatives that have flooded the market in recent years because of perceived superior quality.

Another two-stroke vehicle that could still be seen in Morocco despite its production having long been halted in France is the Mobylette. The production of this trusty moped with a two-stroke, 49.9cc engine was stopped because of European anti-pollution regulations two decades ago. However, production continued in Morocco and Tunisia, at least for some time, due to less-stringent pollution laws.

The fact that drivers do not need a permit to ride these vehicles arguably also plays a part in their popularity.

A Dangerous Love Affair

The strong liking for mopeds and two-stroke wheelers in Morocco is a great pollution concern. These vehicles are known for their spluttering engines and exhaust emissions.

The lubrication of moped engines depends on a petrol oil mixture. Fuel is mixed with oil in a specific ratio, with this forming emissions. The emissions occur from the burning of oil in the engine or droplets in the exhaust. Two-stroke engines are known to produce more exhaust emissions, comprising primarily hydrocarbons.

According to research, two-stroke engines spit out more emissions than their four-stroke counterparts with similar power output.

Researchers at Paul Scherrer Institute showed in one study that low-powered vehicles, such as mopeds, contribute greatly to pollution. They found that these vehicles are major emitters of particulate matter, aromatic hydrocarbons, and secondary organic aerosols.

As per the study, two-stroke scooters produced exhaust that was up to 300,000 micrograms per cubic meter. Researchers say they emit more air pollutants than cars and trucks despite constituting only a little fraction of vehicles, especially in Africa, Asia, and southern Europe.

Mopeds supposedly emit up to 20 times the emissions of cars.

In view of the fondness for mopeds in Morocco, it should not be surprising that the vehicles are worsening pollution in the country. Researchers found in one study that focused on Casablanca, Marrakesh, Meknes, Tangier, Fez, Safi, and Sale that air in all the cities had particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) levels higher than recommended thresholds. Transportation is a major cause of air pollution.

Government Should Do More

Without a doubt, less-stringent regulations in Morocco are to blame for the high number of polluting mopeds all across the country. For instance, when the production of these two-stroke wheelers was stopped in Europe, they continued at plants in Morocco in some cases.

This suggests that the Moroccan government must be more decisive about dealing with polluting mopeds going forward. Two-stroke engines and, by extension, the vehicles using them have been phased out in developed countries. Morocco should consider a ban as well. There are now more modern and climate-friendly alternatives after all.

Researchers have recommended a shift to four-stroke engines. This doesn’t mean that those engines don’t have their problems as well. They are only believed to be less harmful.

Africa is often the dumping ground for the West. Government should take steps to ensure that two-stroke wheelers, including those banned elsewhere, are not imported into Morocco. People will eventually get used to living without them if they are no longer available.

To highlight the importance of banning or phasing out mopeds, research shows a high incidence of respiratory diseases in the Old Medina. This area isn’t very close to industrial sources of pollution but two-stroke wheelers can be seen speeding around.

Banning the sale and registration of mopeds may not only promote better health but also help Morocco achieve its global warming targets.

References

Two-stroke vehicles are the worst polluters

Morocco: Iconic moped still lives on

Mobylette, noisy icon of rural France, is doomed

https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4672/2/3/20

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