Press Release
Expression of interest in seeking approval for particulate reduction devices invited
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is inviting suppliers to express interest in seeking approval for their particulate reduction devices for pre-Euro diesel heavy vehicles.
These vehicles include light buses, goods vehicles and buses weighing over four tonnes and registered before April 1, 1995.
"At this stage, devices solely designed for pre-Euro diesel heavy vehicles needed to run their engines for operating their on-board equipment (long idling vehicles) are excluded," a spokesman for the EPD said today (November 11).
The Government aims to table the Air Pollution Control (Emission Reduction Devices for Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulation to the Legislative Council for negative vetting later this month.
"If the Amendment Regulation is approved, all pre-Euro diesel heavy vehicles, except the long idling ones, are required to install an approved particulate reduction device starting April 1 next year," he said.
At a later stage, the Government plans to extend this requirement to long idling vehicles which are of the following body types: aerial platform, concrete mixer, gully emptier, lorry crane, mobile crane, mobile concrete pump and pressure tanker.
"In order to be approved under the Amendment Regulation, a particulate reduction device should be able to reduce particulate emissions of pre-Euro diesel heavy vehicles by 25% for cross-boundary ones and 35% for those running in Hong Kong only," the spokesman said.
"The invitation for expression of interest (EOI) is part of the preparatory work for implementing the Amendment Regulation," he said.
The Government completed a programme in 2004 to provide financial assistance to retrofit pre-Euro diesel heavy vehicles with particulate reduction devices. About 97 percent of these vehicles have received financial assistance for the installation.
Since December 1, 2003, pre-Euro diesel light vehicles are required to be installed with an approved particulate reduction device. Failing to do so will lead to licence cancellation or refusal of licence renewal.
Application forms for the EOI and guidelines are available at EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk.
For further information, interested parties are welcome to contact EPD's Mobile Source Control Group at 2824 0022.
End/Friday, November 11, 2005.
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