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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 2) reminded owners of pre-Euro diesel commercial vehicles (DCVs) that the application for ex-gratia payment for pre-Euro DCVs will close on December 31, 2015. Those who wish to apply for the ex-gratia payment are urged to make arrangements early and submit their applications to the Transport Department before the deadline. Late applications will not be accepted.
To improve roadside air quality and better protect public health, the EPD launched the ex-gratia payment scheme in March 2014 with the aim of phasing out progressively by the end of 2019 some 82 000 pre-Euro IV DCVs including goods vehicles, light buses and non-franchised buses.
An EPD spokesman said the scheme has progressed well since its launch. Up to the end of February 2015, about 23 600 or 29 per cent of eligible DCVs had participated in the scheme and been retired. Among some 18 100 eligible owners of pre-Euro DCVs, about 54 per cent of them have scrapped their vehicles and submitted ex-gratia payment applications. Statistics of ex-gratia payment applications are available on the EPD's website at www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/preEU4dcv.¡@
The four ex-gratia payment application deadlines of DCVs are set out below:
DCVs Application deadlines
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Pre-Euro December 31, 2015
Euro I December 31, 2016
Euro II December 31, 2017
Euro III December 31, 2019
The EPD spokesman reminded eligible vehicle owners to check the details of the application for ex-gratia payment, including the eligibility criteria, the latest list of vehicle scrapping companies registered under the scheme and other application details, before scrapping their vehicles. These details are available at the above EPD website. Vehicle owners may also call 2651 1100 or email preEU4dcv@epd.gov.hk for enquiries.
Ends/Thursday, April 2, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:02
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