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Ban
on leaded petrol gazetted
Hong Kong
will ban the sale of leaded petrol from April 1.
The Government today (Friday) gazetted the Air Pollution Control
(Motor Vehicle Fuel) Amendment Regulation to ban the supply,
sale and dispensing of leaded petrol as well as any fuel additives
containing lead.
If the
Legislative Council raises no objection to the regulation,
the ban will take effect from April 1, 1999.
"Although
the lead content in Hong Kong's air has been kept extremely
low for many years now, we feel we should nevertheless join
the global effort to ban leaded petrol completely," Principal
Environmental Protection Officer of the Environmental Protection
Department, Mr Mok Wai-chuen said.
"There
is a worldwide concern on the long term chronic adverse health
effects of lead. The phasing out of leaded petrol has become
an international goal and the ban in Hong Kong also has the
support of the Motor Traders Association.
"Chronic
exposure to significant concentrations of lead may cause a
variety of illnesses, such as anaemia, hypertension, irratability
and lethargy. In particular, the nervous system of children
is susceptible to damage by lead," he said.
"However,
due to the very high usage rate of unleaded petrol in Hong
Kong, and also due to the wide usage of diesel vehicles that
do not emit any lead, the lead content in Hong Kong's air
has been very low for many years and is not really any great
cause for concern," Mr Mok said.
Unleaded
petrol was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991 to enable the government
to require the use of a new generation of clean petrol vehicles
which use a catalytic converter to clean up their emissions.
If leaded petrol is used in a catalytic controlled vehicle
the catalyst is ruined.
By the
end of 1998, unleaded petrol sales accounted for about 94
per cent of the petrol sold.
Mr Mok
said that all petrol vehicles currently in use in Hong Kong
could run on unleaded petrol without any problem. Only a small
number of vehicle models, generally over 15 years old, may
require a small quantity of additives to provide lubrication
and protection to the valves seats of their engines.
He said
that these fuel additives, if needed, could be purchased at
many of the petrol filling stations.
Under
the new amendment regulation, anyone who supplies, sells or
dispenses leaded petrol or lead containing fuel additives
will commit an offence and be liable to a fine of $50,000.
End/Friday,
February 5, 1999
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