Beijing's car scheme promotes better air quality

A new report on air quality in Beijing reveals improvements in the city's air quality. According to the municipal Bureau of Environmental Protection, air quality has been improving for 14 straight years.

Newly released air pollution data shows the annual average concentration of major pollutants, or PM10, dropped by 4 percent in 2012. The amount of nitrogen oxides in the air, which contributes to the forming of acid rain, is down by 3%. Meanwhile, the concentration of sulfur dioxide, long term exposure to which can result in respiratory problems, dropped by 2%. In Beijing, vehicle emissions continue to be a main factor affecting air quality. We take a look now at how the cities' car owners are playing their part in improving Beijing's air quality.

Cars at this second hand vehicle market are selling fast. And according to staff, the sellers are almost exclusively residents here in Beijing, and the buyers are from regions nearby.

As part of a campaign to improve the capital's air quality, the municipal government began offering subsidies in August 2011, to encourage Beijing car owners either to scrap ageing vehicles or to sell them on to buyers from outside the city.

Nie Xin, Beijing Enviro. Exchange Used Car Center, said,"Starting from January the first, we're implementing the second phase of the policy. That means an additional 2000 yuan in subsidies for owners of old cars who are willing to scrap them."

It's estimated that about 26% of motor vehicles in Beijing are more than eight years old, and they account for 60% of pollution produced by motor vehicles. Meanwhile, 40% of the city's motor vehicles don't comply with the most recent standards on car emissions.

According to the municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, so far an estimated 250,000 car owners have received more than 1 billion yuan in subsidies from the government. And it's money well spent.

Li Kunsheng, deputy director of Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau, said,"Last year, the city eliminated a total of 377,000 old vehicles from its roads. In practical terms it meant a reduction of 12-thousand tons of pollutants, including a reduction of 8-thousand tons of nitrogen oxides. "

Li says the Bureau is also negotiating with car manufacturers to come up with more incentives for those who want to trade-in their old cars, while extending the programme to cover more makes and models of cars and trucks. Measures, which will help make Beijing smog a thing of the past.