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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government and the Department of Environmental Protection of Guangdong Province (GDEPD) today (April 26) released the report on the monitoring results of the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network for 2011. Overall, the average annual concentration levels of most pollutants had decreased, reflecting continuous improvement in regional air quality.
In 2011, over 76 per cent of the Regional Air Quality Index recorded by the Network was within Grade II, meaning the pollutant concentrations were within Class 2 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (applicable to general residential areas).
Since the Network began operating in 2006, the average annual concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and respirable suspended particulates in the region have decreased by 49 per cent, 13 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.
In spite of continuous economic growth in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, the average annual concentration levels of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide have decreased by 4 per cent and 7 per cent respectively in 2011 compared to the 2010 levels, while that of respirable suspended particulates has remained stable. These reductions are attributable to the implementation of enhanced emission reduction measures by both sides.
The installation of desulphurisation and denitrification systems at Hong Kong power plants was completed last year. Action has been taken to restrict the volatile organic compounds (VOC) in selected categories of pleasure craft and vehicle refinishing paints. Prohibition against idling vehicles with running engines also came into effect in December 2011. Meanwhile, Guangdong has implemented various pollutant reduction measures, including installing low-nitrogen oxides (NOx) and denitrification systems at thermal power plants; phasing out highly polluting industrial boilers; setting up a registration and reporting system on the usage and emission control of organic solvents at major enterprises; regulating VOC emissions from enterprises; and gradually supplying National IV standard petrol within the PRD region.
According to the Network's monitoring results, the average annual concentration level of ozone had increased by 21 per cent in 2011 compared to 2006. Ozone is formed through photochemical reaction by nitrogen oxides with VOC under sunlight. To improve regional air quality and address the photochemical pollution problem, the two governments have been actively pursuing a series of emission reduction measures.
The Hong Kong SAR Government announced the adoption of new Air Quality Objectives this January. The Administration is working progressively on necessary preparatory work on legislative amendments and taking forward 22 air quality improvement measures. The legislation has also been amended to tighten emission caps for power plants by requiring local power plants to increase the ratio of natural gas in local electricity generation to 50 per cent by 2015 and to install advanced emission abatement devices.
The Government is also conducting a trial of retrofitting selective catalytic reduction devices on Euro II and III franchised buses so as to reduce their nitrogen oxides emissions. Subject to satisfactory trial results, the Government will fully subsidise retrofitting works for all Euro II and III franchised buses. In addition, the Government is stepping up control on tailpipe emissions from petrol and liquefied petroleum gas vehicles, and plans to subsidise replacement of catalytic converters and associated components for liquefied petroleum gas taxis and light buses, which will incur an expenditure of some HK$150 million. In addition, with effect from June 2012, standards of newly registered vehicles will be tightened to that of Euro V emission standards.
As for Guangdong, enhanced efforts will be taken forward to retrofit thermal power plants with low-NOx and denitrification systems. Large-scale industrial boilers and construction material, metallurgical and petrochemical industries will be required to adopt such technologies as flue gas desulphurisation, dust removal, low-NOx and denitrification. Vehicle emission control measures that follow national requirements will also be implemented as part of Guangdong's pollution reduction plan for the 12-5 period.
In 2011, the concentrations of most pollutants were generally higher in the winter months (e.g. from January to March and from October to December) whilst lower concentration levels were recorded in the summer months (e.g. from June to August). Similar patterns have been recorded in past years. Geographically, air quality was better in the coastal areas than the central and north-west areas of the region, probably as a result of relatively more favourable conditions for pollutant dispersion in the former. This situation was in line with the observations in previous years.
The Network is one of the major achievements in co-operation between the two sides in environmental protection. It comprises 16 automatic ambient monitoring stations scattered over the region, 13 of which are in the PRD Economic Zone, namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Zhongshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Shunde, Huiyang, Panyu and Conghua, and the other three in Tsuen Wan, Tung Chung and Tap Mun in Hong Kong. The Guangdong Provincial Environmental Monitoring Centre and EPD are respectively responsible for the co-ordination, management and operation of the monitoring stations of the two sides.
The report covered the monitoring results of four major air pollutants (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and respirable suspended particulates) measured by the Network in 2011, and is available at both the GDEPD's website (www.gdep.gov.cn/) and EPD's website (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/resources_pub/publications/m_report.html).
Ends/Thursday, April 26, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:01
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