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A spokesman for the Planning, Environment and Lands Branch said in the "Second Review of the White Paper: Pollution in Hong Kong A Time to Act" published in 1993, the Government proposed, inter alia, a series of measures to tackle air pollution from motor vehicles.
The new regulations fully implement the measures to exercise more stringent emission standards for large diesel vehicles and the requirement to use higher quality automotive diesel.
"In October 1996, the European Union will implement more stringent emission standards for motor vehicles. Hong Kong will take the opportunity to require newly registered vehicles to adopt, with effect from April 1, 1997, these upgraded emission standards and other appropriate requirements of USA and Japan," the spokesman said.
From the effective date, a complimentary clean fuel will be available for use by advanced motor vehicle engines.
"For unleaded petrol, the major improvements to be specified will reduce the maximum lead content from 0.013 grams per litre to 0.005 per litre and limit the maximum benzene content to 5% by volume.
"For motor vehicle diesel, the maximum sulphur content will be reduced as specified to 0.20% by weight to 0.05%," he added.
The new emission standards will reduce particulate emissions from individual large diesel vehicles by about 60%. Nitrogen oxides emissions will also be reduced by about 10%.
"These reductions will help arrest further deterioration of the air quality in Hong Kong, particularly the serious problem of particulate pollution caused by diesel vehicles," the spokesman noted.
"However, it will do no more than maintain respirable suspended particulate and nitrogen oxides concentrations at their present unacceptable levels.
"Only with the additional breakthrough of requiring half the diesel fleet to use unleaded petrol or a similar clean fuel can there be any prospect of meeting the Air Quality Objectives for these two criteria air pollutants."
The oil suppliers, Motor Traders' Association and the transport trades have all been consulted on these measures who are generally supportive and in particular, transport trades will not object to the regulations provided that motor fuel and vehicles meeting the upgraded requirements are available without drastic increases in costs.