Of the city's 960,000 privately owned vehicles, about 64 percent will need to take an emissions test, according to a statement issued by the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau.

Vehicles that do not carry an official "green' certificate stating they have passed the test will be forbidden from entering Shanghai's most central area, Xi Ailing, an official with the bureau, told AFP.

Xi said cars that do not meet the emission standards will be banned from travelling within the city's inner ring road from Wednesday and then will be barred completely from October 1.

Shanghai's inner ring road surrounds the city's center, taking in the business district and many residential areas.

An estimated 350,000 vehicles will initially fail to meet new standards as the city raises its requirements to match those in Europe, Sun Jian, the deputy director of the environment bureau, said in a statement.

The number of private cars on China's roads has nearly tripled in five years, with previously released government data showing there were around 17 million last year, up from 6.25 million in 2000.

Shanghai, with its nearly 2.1 million vehicles, among which 960,000 are privately owned, is no exception.

The city, along with Beijing and Shenzhen, have all taken steps to tighten emission levels amid rising concerns about poor air quality.

"Vehicle pollution has become one of the major factors that will restrict the improvement of air and environment quality of Shanghai," the environment bureau's Sun said.

related report

China Aims For Recycled Cars
Beijing (AFP) Feb 16 - China issued new rules Thursday to ensure the fast rising number of cars on its roads are made with more environmentally friendly materials.

by 2010, at least 80 percent of each car will have to be made with materials that can be recycled or reused, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and State Environmental Protection Administration said.

by 2017, that has to reach 95 percent, according to the rules published on the NDRC's website.

Materials that are difficult to recycle and are not environmentally friendly, including mercury and lead, will be banned from being used in manufacturing, it said.

Chinese automakers will also be encouraged to stop using materials that emit poisonous gases or pose harm to the environment.

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