XN000022-1983-04-29 — Page 5

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1983.

USE OF LPG AS VEHICLE FUEL IMPRACTICABLE

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THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AIR POLLUTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS CONCLUDED THAT IT WOULD BE IMPRACTICABLE TO USE LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS AS A FUEL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES IN HONG KONG.

THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE MADE THE CONCLUSION AFTER CONSIDERING THE REPORT OF A STUDY BY A WORKING PARTY COMPRISING REPRESENTATIVES OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND OF THE LPG INDUSTRY TECHNICAL GROUP, A PRIVATE SECTOR BODY FORMED BY THE MAJOR IMPORTERS OF LPG.

THE STUDY NOTED THAT EVEN GIVEN THE MAINTENANCE OF A PRICE ADVANTAGE, THE ECONOMIES OF LPG USAGE AS A VEHICLE FUEL WERE UNLIKELY TO MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE TO OTHER THAN FLEET OPERATORS OF RELATIVELY SMALL VEHICLES.

IT COMMENTED THAT ALTHOUGH THE USE OF LPG AS A REPLACEMENT FUEL FOR DIESEL ENGINES WOULD RESULT IN LOWER EMISSIONS OF SMOKE, ODOUR, SULPHUR OXIDES AND NOISE, THERE WOULD BE AN INCREASE IN THOSE OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND OXIDES OF NITROGEN SO THAT THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS WOULD BE VERY MARGINAL.

IT ALSO POINTED OUT THAT AMONG THE DISINCENTIVES TO THE ADOPTION OF LPG WOULD BE THE RESTRICTIONS ON TUNNEL USAGE AND ACCESS TO CONFINED SPACES BY LPG-FUELLED VEHICLES, PLUS THE SHORTAGE OF LAND IN THE URBAN AREAS ON WHICH TO LOCATE CONVENIENTLY PLACED LPG STORAGE AND CYLINDER RECHARGING/REPLACEMENT FACILITIES.

ON THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF LPG USAGE AS A VEHICLE FUEL, THE STUDY REPORT NOTED THAT DESPITE THE HIGH DEGREE OF SAFETY ACHIEVED ELSEWHERE THE CONSEQUENCES OF AN LPG INCIDENT IN HONG KONG, WITH ITS HIGH TRAFFIC AND POPULATION DENSITIES, COULD BE POTENTIALLY VERY SERIOUS.

IT ALSO OBSERVED THAT THE DIFFICULTY OF ENSURING ADEQUATE STANDARDS OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF DANGEROUS UNAUTHORISED LPG CONVERSIONS, GAVE RISE TO STRONG RESERVATIONS ON THE LIKELY SAFETY OF LPG VEHICLES IN HONG KONG.

IN ADDITION TO THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY, THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ALSO HEARD THAT THE CUTBACK IN PRODUCTION OF PETROLEUM HAD SEVERELY REDUCED THE SUPPLY AND CREATED AN ACUTE WORLD SHORTAGE OF LPG, WITH THE RESULT THAT ITS PRICE HAD RISEN IN RECENT MONTHS BY SOME 15 PER CENT AND WAS EXPECTED TO RISE STILL FURTHER IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

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