The exhaust fumes from millions of motorbikes in Ha Noi and HCM City have spiralled out of control since the push-bike went out of fashion a decade ago. According to statistics, cars and motorbikes create about 70 per cent of existing air pollution in urban areas in Viet Nam.
In the West, high levels of exhaust fumes have been blamed for causing lung and heart diseases. There is even a link between toxic exhaust fumes and child birth defects.
However, if a master plan is approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung later this year, motorcycles will have to have their exhaust fumes regularly checked to make sure they are not emitting too many pollutants into the air.
Motorbike and car owners may also be forced to pay an environmental surcharge on their fuel. This is already being done in Thailand and Taiwan.
"The traffic pollution control plan is the first step in a scheme aimed at trying to protect the environment and the air that city people are forced to breathe in every moment of their lives", said Nguyen Huu Tri, head of the Motor Vehicle Technical Safety Inspection Department.
Developed by the Viet Nam Register, where all motorbikes must be registered, the plan will initially be implemented in Ha Noi and HCM City on a trial basis. It will be expanded to other localities if it proves successful, according to Tri.
The first inspections will be made on vehicles that are 10 years old or more. They will be subjected to exhaust emission checks when they undergo compulsory maintenance checks once a year.
"Traffic and environmental police and traffic inspectors will also have the power to inspect vehicles on the roads to ensure they meet requirements," Tri said.
All vehicles must have the checks once a year - and would receive a stamp and certificate proving their machines meet requirements, said General Director of the Viet Nam Register Trinh Ngoc Giao.
"Those who do not have their vehicles regularly checked will be fined VND300,000 (US$16.7), six times more than the cost of a simple check-up," he said.
Motorbikes will be checked free of charge for the first six months after the plan is introduced. After that, the Viet Nam Register will invest in training people and buying equipment to set up check points in all major urban areas.
The Viet Nam Register will open about 40 to 50 exhaust check points at maintenance centres around Ha Noi. Another 100 or so check points will be established in HCM City.
Meanwhile, all newly manufactured cars and motorbikes must conform with the Euro II emission standard which allows emissions of 2.2mg/km of carbon monoxide.
Former Director of the Viet Nam Register, Nguyen Van Ban, said fuel used by vehicles must meet quality standards.
He said traffic planning should focus on developing modern transport that met exhaust fume standards.
Ban said that if vehicles were regularly maintained, they could reduce traffic pollution by up to 25 per cent.
According to statistics from the Viet Nam Register, HCM City will have between 4.2-4.5 million of motorbikes by next year. In Ha Noi, the figure will be more than 2 million.