*****************************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Martin Lee, and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, in the Legislative Council today (May 14):
Question:
Regarding the Air Pollution Index and Air Quality Objectives (AQOs), will the Government inform this Council:
(a) given that there are currently only 14 air quality monitoring stations in Hong Kong, whether the Environmental Protection Department will consider setting up more monitoring stations to better grasp the state of air pollution in various districts; if so, of the details; and
(b) whether it has studied if the concentration of air pollutants in Hong Kong will persistently exceed the prescribed standards should the AQOs adopted in Hong Kong be raised to the relevant standards adopted by the European Union?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The current monitoring network, which comprises 14 air quality monitoring stations (AQMS), covers major areas from East to West and from South to North of the territory. In terms of land uses, it also covers different types of development, such as residential areas, mixed residential/commercial areas, mixed residential/commercial/industrial areas, rural areas and busy urban roadside areas. On the whole, the results of the current air quality monitoring network can therefore adequately reflect the lowest to the highest air pollution levels in Hong Kong as well as the air quality in different types of development areas. We have no plan at the moment to make any change to the monitoring network or to increase the number of AQMS.
(b) At present, the air quality standards of the European Union (EU) are not yet fully adopted as statutory standards. Among them, the standard for nitrogen dioxide will become statutory from January 2010, and that for ozone will be adopted as the target level rather than the statutory standard no sooner than January 2010.
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has assessed if the levels of major air pollutants in Hong Kong for the year of 2006 met the EU air quality standards. The findings indicate that the levels of carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and lead met the EU standards, while those of respirable suspended particulates, nitrogen dioxide and ozone exceeded the EU standards to different extent.
Moreover, the EPD commenced in June 2007 an 18-month study to comprehensively review the Hong Kong AQOs and the long-term air quality management strategy, with reference to guidelines and standards of the World Health Organisation, as well as those being adopted by places such as the EU and the United States. The study will also recommend new AQOs and the necessary strategy and measures for achieving them.
Ends/Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:06
NNNN
