Govt imposes new emissions limits

The municipal government plans to stop issuing license plates to new vehicles that don't meet a new emissions standard that takes effect in July, local media reported Sunday.

Starting in March, auto dealers will be prohibited from selling new cars that don't meet the new standard, the Shanghai Morning Post reported.

The new standard, the 5th edition of the Limits and Measurement Methods for Emissions from Light-duty Vehicles, or the National Emission Standard V, puts stricter limits on emissions than its predecessor, the National Emission Standard IV, the news portal eastday.com reported. Vehicles that meet the National Emission Standard V emit 23 percent to 25 percent less nitrogen oxide and 82 percent fewer particulates, both key air pollutants in Shanghai.

However, the new standard is unlikely to improve local air quality in the short run because most of the vehicle emissions in the city come from older vehicles that have been allowed to remain on the road, said Li Keping, a transportation expert from Tongji University. "The level four standard already has very strict emission controls. The root of the vehicle emission problem is with the annual vehicle inspections," Li told the Global Times.

It is not unusual to see vehicles that emit dark smoke on the streets. Li said the authorities need to strengthen the inspections to get non-compliant vehicles off the road.

The new regulation will give buyers who have recently purchased a vehicle compliant with the Nation Emission Standard IV until July to obtain a new license plate at the city's monthly vehicle registration auction.