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A free demonstration day of vehicle emissions will be held in the Wal Mart parking lot on Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will not count as an official emission inspection, but will let motorists know whether their vehicle is up to par or if they can expect a repair bill.

Starting July 1, all vehicles owned by Haywood County residents will be required to undergo emissions testing.

A state law requiring automobile emissions testing was passed in 1999. The requirement was phased in starting with the most populous counties first. The emissions testing only applies to the most populous 48 counties, and therefore does not include Swain, Jackson and Macon counties. Haywood County is in the last batch of counties to be required to have the emissions testing program implemented.

The emissions testing will be conducted as a part of vehicles safety inspections. Motorists will have to show proof that their vehicle passed their emissions inspection in order to get their registration renewed.

The rule applies to gasoline vehicles made after 1996. Each vehicle made after that date contains a computer that records whether emissions controls on the vehicle are working properly.

“The purpose of the testing is to verify the pollution control equipment on your car is working correctly. The computer on your car is sensing that as you drive,” said Paul Muller with the N.C. Division of Air Quality. Mechanics conducting the emissions inspection will download the data from the computer and generate a printout that shows whether the emissions device is working.