Beijing rolls out stricter vehicle fuel standards to curb pollution

BEIJING - New fuel standards for vehicles in Beijing, the Jing-VI standards, will be implemented in January 2017, the city's environmental protection department said Monday.
The new standards are aimed at reducing the emission of volatile organic compounds, cutting the formation of PM2.5 and ozone, according to the department.

The improvement of fuel quality will also bring down the emission of particles and nitrogen oxide, the department said.

For gasoline-powered cars, the new fuel will cut about 10 percent of particle emissions, and another 10 percent of non-methane organic gas and nitrogen oxide, said Li Kunsheng with the department, adding that diesel vehicles will also emit less pollutants.

Beijing has upgraded its fuel standards four times, in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2012.

The city has 5.65 million registered vehicles, which emit about 500,000 tonnes of pollutants every year. Li said that automobile exhaust pollution is the largest source of PM2.5 in the city.