The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) and
several other government departments are working together to
develop new laws, regulations and standards to curb exhaust
emissions, noise and other pollution caused by the nation's soaring
number of motor vehicles.
SEPA's Li Xinmin, deputy director-general of the Department of
Pollution Control, made the statement this week in Shanghai at an
international strategy and policy seminar on sustainable road
mobility hosted by the Michelin Challenge Bibendum.
Li said the new regulations would reduce auto-related pollution
by keeping cars that don't measure up from ever reaching
streets.
At the same time, new standards on exhaust emissions are being
specified for different vehicles. Li said that these standards
would be finalized before the end of the year
Vehicle exhaust emissions have become a notorious source of such
pollutants as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon in China as private
ownership of cars skyrockets. SEPA has predicted these emissions
would account for 79 percent of urban air pollution nationwide by
2005.
Since 1983, China has worked to reduce exhaust emissions, noise
and other auto-related pollution, according to Li. In 1998, the
nation began publishing catalogues of new vehicles meeting emission
standards and conducting regular periodic emission checks on cars
in more than 100 cities.
In 2003, 70 percent of China's motor vehicles passed emission
tests, up from just 50 percent in 1995.
From this month, the capital city has begun imposing Euro II
standards on all gasoline and diesel oil products to reduce
emissions from its two million motor vehicles. All fuel sold in the
city must meet the new standards by October 20, and distributors
who violate the regulation face stiff penalties.
The move is expected to reduce pollution from vehicles by as
much as 30 percent.
The Euro system sets limits on nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide
and other compounds in exhaust emissions. Beijing is applying the
standards to new vehicles and plans to phase out older models that
don't meet the standards.
Environmental authorities in Beijing also confirmed the city
would impose low-sulfur Euro 3 standards on fuel starting July 1,
2005.
(Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2004)