Beijing to Close 144 Gas Stations        

Local environmental officials recently said that 144 gas stations and nine oil depots in Beijing would be closed by the end of May 2008 because of cost or safety issues connected with air quality regulations.
     There are 1 442 gas stations in Beijing, so the closure will affect nearly 10% of the total.
     All oil depots and gas stations in Beijing have until the end of May to comply with vapor recovery rules, which are intended to guarantee air quality during the Olympics.
    The facilities set for closure mainly belong to two giant oil firms, China National Petroleum Corporation and China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation.