Beijing not ready to lift ban on diesel cars

Shanghai. February 18 (Gasgoo.com) - Beijing will not lift a ban on diesel vehicles for the time being, a senior official from Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau said last Friday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"Currently pollutants produced by diesel vehicles pose more serious environmental problems in Beijing than those produced by gasoline engine vehicles," said Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the bureau.

Du said diesel engine vehicles emit 3.13 times more nitrogen oxides than petrol vehicles and 10 times more inhalant particulate matter than the latter.

"We will consider removing the ban once light diesel vehicles can meet the same emission standards as light petrol vehicles," Du added.

Also starting from March 1, Beijing will ban the sale of new cars failing to meet the new China IV emission standards, which is equivalent to Euro IV, and from July 1, 2008, all the heavy vehicles used for public transit, sanitation, and mail services should also be in line with the standards.

"About one third of the major pollutants in Beijing's air -- nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and inhalant particulate matter -- come from vehicle exhaust emissions. Tougher standards will help relieve the situation," Du said.