BEIJING,
Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese capital Beijing will ban
the sale of new cars failing to meet new emission standards
equivalent to Euro IV starting from March 1, a further move to
cut air pollution and host a "green" Olympic Games.
All the new
light petro vehicles that are on sale in the Beijing market
shall have to meet the new China IV standards from the
beginning of next month, said Du Shaozhong, deputy director of
the Beijing Environment Protection Bureau.
Furthermore,
from July 1, 2008, all the heavy vehicles used for public
transportation, sanitation, and mail services should also be
in line with the standards. Heavy vehicles for other usages
will still enjoy a leniency period of the old China III
standards.
It is expected
the new standards will reduce the amount of inhalant
particulate matter, which takes up 90 percent of the
pollutants in Beijing's air, by 330 tons in 2008, according to
Du.
"About one
third of the major pollutants in Beijing's air -- nitrogen
oxides, carbon monoxide and inhalant particulate matter --
come from vehicle exhaust emissions. Introducing tougher
standards will be the major measure to cut pollutants," Du
said.
Despite a rapid
increase in the number of motor vehicles, Beijing has managed
to reduce nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and carbon
monoxide in the air to a level in conformity with its "green
Olympics" commitment.
The new
standard for Beijing cars is estimated to bring emission of
carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides further down
by 48,000 tons, 5,300 tons, and 4,100 tons this year.
Du said Beijing
will not lift a ban on diesel vehicles for the time being as
pollutants in their exhaust are much more than that of petro
vehicles.
"The nitrogen
oxides in the emission of diesel vehicles are 3.13 times of
that in petro cars, and the inhalant particulate matter is
even 10 times more," Du said.
Beijing
requires that gasoline and diesel sold at all outlets in the
capital city must meet the new China IV standards from the
beginning of this year.
The current
China III standards, equivalent to their EU counterparts,,
have reduced sulphur dioxide emissions from automobile
exhausts by 2,480 tons annually since it was enforced at the
end of 2005, according to official statistics.
There are 3.1
million motor vehicles in Beijing and about 1,000to 1,200
vehicles are adding to Beijing's roads every day.
Beijing faces
tremendous pressure to improve its air quality ahead of the
2008 Olympic Games. Under the Olympic host city's ambitious
"blue sky" plan, it must have 70 percent of the days in 2008
up to standard.
Editor: Yao Siyan
This
information is from the Chinese Embassy
website
|