Stricter standard for petrol to cut pollution
Print Edition
A STRICTER quality standard for petrol was announced by China’s Standardization Administration yesterday in an effort to reduce polluting emissions from vehicles.
China is the world’s largest auto market, and vehicle exhausts are a major factor in worsening air conditions.
The new standard, known as “China 5,” sets sulphur content for gasoline at no more than 10 parts per million (ppm), down from the fourth-phase standard of 50ppm.
From January 1, 2018, only petrol of this standard will be supplied nationwide.
Currently, Beijing is piloting the strictest petrol standard nationwide, the “Beijing 5” standard, which sets sulfur content at no more than 10ppm. In cities including Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, the “China 4” standard applies while in most regions “China 3” (no more than 150ppm) is still mainstream.
According to government data, a fifth of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) in the country’s air comes from vehicle emissions. PM2.5 readings are a major reflection of air pollution levels.
Under the new standard, the content of manganese, an element harmful to human health, will be reduced to 2 milligrams per liter from 8mg per liter.
The level of alkene content will also be reduced in order to mitigate photochemical smog.
Ding Jizhu, director of an industrial standards department under the Standardization Administration, said the China 5 standard had been made in accordance with emission control standards in Europe.
Ding estimated that the new standard will cut nitrogen oxide emissions by 300,000 tons a year.
The State Council released an action plan for air pollution treatment in September, setting a timetable for the progressive upgrading of fuel quality across the country by the end of 2017.
Under the plan, the nation’s economically developed regions, including the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions as well as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Province region, will supply China 5 standard fuel before the end of 2015.
The action plan sets clear targets for the reduction of airborne particulate matter in these regions.
Meanwhile, China plans to strengthen environmental protection in the Sanjiangyuan region of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, the source of important rivers and home to China’s biggest and highest wetlands ecosystem.
A plan approved by the State Council for the region aims to expand the rehabilitation area from 152,000 to 395,000 square kilometers.
A separate plan on lakes was also approved. It calls for adjusting the industrial structure and distribution in major lake areas and strengthened pollution control of rivers that flow into these lakes.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
