China has pledged to vigorously curb
vehicle exhaust emissions after hazardous air pollution has shrouded
parts of the country for several straight days, the environmental
watchdog said Monday.
China will take effective measures to limit the total amount of nitrogen
oxide emitted by vehicles and intensify supervision over the
production, use and elimination of motor vehicles, said Tao Detian,
spokesman for the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
The ministry will make more efforts to step up urban public transport
development and promote the use of clean energy to cut vehicle exhaust,
which is the main factor contributing to the smog in cities, Tao said.
According to data from the country's auto industry, China remained the
world's largest producer and market for automobiles for the fourth
consecutive year in 2012, with auto sales at 19.31 million units and
production at 19.27 million vehicles.
Carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and other pollutants emitted by motor
vehicles are among the major contributors to the air pollution problems
like smog and acid rain that frequently occur in some Chinese cities.
Heavy fog has enveloped a large portion of east and central China in
recent days, causing highway closures and flight delays in several
provinces.
Beijing's air has been heavily polluted. Readings for PM2.5, or airborne
particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less -- small enough to
deeply penetrate the lungs -- were as high as 993 micrograms per cubic
meter of air on Saturday evening.