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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
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