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Press Release

Drivers are urged to wait green

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (September 1) launched the "Wait Green - Engine Off" campaign to promote turning off idling engines.

Speaking at the pledging ceremony, the Director of Environmental Protection, Mr Rob Law, said although the roadside air quality had shown improvement after the introduction of a series of clean air programmes, the problem of idling engines remained a concern.

"Wait Green - Engine Off" campaign encourages motorists to switch off vehicle engines while waiting as the exhaust from an idling engine causes nuisances to the people and shops nearby.

"Switching off idling engines will promote better air quality, save fuel and money, and lengthen the usable life of vehicles," he said.

The EPD hosted a day of celebration at the Tamar site to see pledges from the transport trade drivers and private motorists to switch off engines while waiting.

In the pledging ceremony, Mr Law and the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Robert Footman, used a giant ignition key to symbolically switch off old attitudes of engine idling.

Some 200 motor vehicle drivers including representatives from commercial fleets of taxis, buses, vans and trucks demonstrated their support for cleaner air by pledging to switch off their engines while parked or waiting.

Following the ceremony, some 90 environmental protection ambassadors from the Junior Police Call, the Scout Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association distributed green labels to drivers in Central, Admiralty, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok, Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom.

The EPD has issued guidelines on switching off idling engines for different classes of vehicles. Drivers are urged to carefully read the relevant guidelines and be familiar with the situations under which they are expected to turn the engines off.

End/Saturday, September 1, 2001

 

 

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