BY the end of 2001, new cars could be labelled in showrooms with an 'eco-friendly' rating based on how much damage their production, use and disposal causes to the environment. In a scheme jointly funded by the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, research is being carried out at universities in Edinburgh and Oxford to find the most effective way of labelling cars. The aim is to make a car's impact on the environment as easy to see as its colour.

Overseeing the project is the Cleaner Vehicle Task Force, which unites the industry and the Government to promote existing and emerging environmental technologies. Initial speculation is that every new car would be labelled in the same way as fridges are now, detailing its impact on the environment. The research started at the end of May and is due to be completed by the end of April 2000.