BEIJING�China has started to implement new specifications for gasoline because of a government call for a cleaner environment. Three major cities, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, were scheduled to begin using reformulated gasoline July 1.
Other cities will follow suit January 1, 2003.
The new specifications, issued by the State Administration of Quality and Technology Supervision in January, have lowered the sulfur content of gasoline to 0.10% from 0.15% for all of China except Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. For the three cities, sulfur content should be even lower, at 0.08%.
The new specifications also cut lead content to 0.005 g/l. from 0.013 g/l., and benzene content is set at 2.5% (vol %), aromatics at 40% (vol %), and olefins at 35% (vol %).
China began to ban sales of leaded gasoline in all major cities after July 1, 1999. The ban was extended to all cities July 1 this year. Effective Jan. 1, the government banned leaded gasoline production in China.
