BEIJING (AFP) — Beijing will introduce tougher car emissions standards in 2008 in a bid to help clear the air in the notoriously polluted capital for the Olympic Games, official media reported.
The new standards will help reduce the amount of sulphur dioxide emitted by the city's rapidly growing number of cars, which now total 3.1 million, Xinhua news agency said in a report late Saturday.
"All the gas stations in Beijing will provide gasoline and diesel that meet the requirements of the new standards starting from Jan. 1," said Feng Yuqiao, an official with Beijing's environmental protection bureau.
The city had announced earlier this year that new vehicles sold in the capital from 2008 must conform to higher emission standards.
The capital, which is regularly cloaked in a grey-brown haze, has spent billions in a drive to improve the city's environment for the August 8-24 Olympics, which are being viewed as a chance to showcase a modern new China.
Among steps already taken, polluting factories have been moved lock, stock and barrel, away from the city, yet pollution remains a major concern.
International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge on Friday reiterated an earlier warning that the IOC may halt certain events, particularly endurance sports such as distance running, if poor air quality is deemed a health risk.
"We will not hesitate to delay or postpone events if the air quality could harm athletes," Rogge said during a speech in the United States.
Xinhua quoted environmental experts as saying about 40-50 percent of the major pollutants in Beijing's air come from vehicle exhaust emissions.
The city is expected to introduce curbs on motor vehicle use and halt construction activity during the Games in further steps aimed at reducing pollution.
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