Air pollution is considered serious problem in Hong Kong. Not only the flora and fauna are affected but also humans. Cases of asthma and bronchial infections have soared in recent years, and doctors place the blame squarely on poor air quality.

Sources of pollution

The dense population, smoke-belching factories and power stations, ceaseless construction and large numbers of diesel vehicles have made for dangerous levels of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide. [1] R-phrases , S-phrases , , , , , Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ...

Most of Hong Kong’s power is generated by burning coal. Electricity generation produces half of Hong Kong’s total emissions of nitrogen oxide and particulates, and 92 per cent of its total sulphur dioxide emissions. Most local power stations do not yet have flue gas desulphurisation, although equipment is being installed and the government has required that all new generation capacity should come from natural gas. Whilst the Government has in the past maintained that the Mainland was an important source of airborne pollutants, experts have estimated that most of Hong Kong's acid rain came from Hong Kong. ... The term acid rain also known as acid precipitation is commonly used to mean the deposition of acidic components in rain, snow, dew, or dry particles. ...

Hong Kong’s roads are also the most crowded in the world, with almost 280 vehicles for every kilometre of road. The city’s vehicle fleet is dominated by heavily polluting, ageing goods vehicles, most of which run between the city and the Pearl River Delta. Diesel commercial vehicles are responsible 90% of RSPs and 80% of nitrogen dioxide emissions from the entire road transport sector, despite making up only 23% of the vehicle fleet. Double-decker diesel buses and a steadily growing fleet of private cars have also added to congestion and pollution^[1].

Monitoring

The Environmental Protection Department in Hong Kong was established to solve problems and provide for long lasting remedies to pollution. In June 1995, instead of adopting internationally accepted benchmark index for pollution, it set up the Air Pollution Index as in indicator to pollution levels, both "General" and "Roadside". The EPD reports the latest APIs hourly. Moreover, the EPD makes forecast on the API for the following day everyday. Environmental Protection Department (環境保護署) is a departing of Hong Kong Government concerning on the issues of environment protection in Hong Kong. ... An air quality measurement station in Edinburgh, Scotland The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a standardized index of the air quality in a given location, given in parts per billion. ...

Street-level air quality regularly falls short of the government’s Air Quality Objectives (AQOs), and even further short of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines. For example, on 19 and 20 November 2006, roadside levels of respirable suspended particulates (RSPs – equivalent to PM10) exceeded the WHO guidelines by at least 300%. For other meanings of the acronym WHO, see WHO (disambiguation) WHO flag Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Health Organization (WHO) is an agency of the United Nations, acting as a coordinating authority on international public health. ...

Health implication

Since millions of people in Hong Kong live and work in close proximity to busy roads, this presents a major health risk to city residents. Studies by local public health experts have found that these roadside pollution levels are responsible for 90,000 hospital admissions and 2,800 premature deaths every year.

Declining regional air quality means visibility has also decreased dramatically. In 2004, low visibility occurred 18% of the time – the highest on record, according to the Hong Kong observatory. ^[1]

Economic impact

Indoor pollution

The Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance 2006 bans smoking indoors in restaurants, workplaces, schools, karaoke lounges, as well as beaches, swimming pools, sports grounds and public parks with effect from 1 January 2007.

References