Cleaner air: Light motor vehicles'  emission standards will be tightened from January 1 to improve air quality.

All newly registered light motor vehicles are required to comply with the Euro IV emission standards while diesel private cars' emission will be tightened to the most stringent Californian standards starting January 1, the Environmental Protection Department says.

Under the Air Pollution Control (Vehicle Design Standards) (Emission) (Amendment) Regulation 2005, newly registered motor vehicles having a design weight up to 2.5 tonnes and newly registered diesel private cars must comply with the tightened emission requirements. 

The tightened standards will cut emissions from motor vehicles as Euro IV light-duty vehicles emit about 50% fewer pollutants than Euro III ones do, the department said.

Those vehicles weighing from 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes must comply with the Euro IV standards from January 1, 2007, when the European Union will introduce the standards.

To improve air quality, the department has been implementing a programme since 1999 to reduce motor vehicle emissions, including tightening vehicle fuel and emission standards in tandem with the European Union and introducing the most stringent available emission standards for private diesel cars.

Smoky vehicles cut by 80%

The department said the programme is progressing well, with the suspended particulates and nitrogen oxides emitted by motor vehicles in the urban areas cut by 79% and 41% as of September.

Virtually all taxis now use LPG as fuel. Over 60,000 pre-Euro diesel vehicles have been retrofitted with emission-reduction devices, while smoky vehicles have also been reduced by about 80%.