Improvements in Hong Kong’s air quality lag behind Mainland’s
Clean Air Network launches “Clean Air Pledge” for Legislative Council candidates
Clean Air Network (CAN) has studied the data collected from the Environmental Protection
Department’s (EPD) fourteen air quality monitoring stations from January to June 2012 and found that
Hong Kong’s air quality continues to be far from satisfactory. All air pollutants (NO2, PM10, PM2.5, SO2,
and O3) reached levels that exceeded the World Health Organization’s (WHO) air quality guidelines at
every single monitoring station in Hong Kong, with only two exceptions. Although there has been, in
general, a decreasing trend in the amount of overall air pollution in Hong Kong, evidence shows that
this is most likely due to the improvements in regional air quality, rather than action on the part of the
Hong Kong Government. To ensure that better air quality gets placed as a higher priority soon, CAN
will initiate a “Clean Air Pledge” for candidates of the coming Legislative Council election. In this way,
CAN hopes that the candidates who sign will urge the Government to take stronger action. Signing the
pledge will demonstrate the candidates’ willingness to protect the health of Hong Kong’s citizens and
his or her resolve to press the administration for effective policy measures to clean up the air.
All pollutants exceeded the WHO’s air quality guidelines during the first 6 months of 2012
From January to June of this year, CAN found that, other than nitrogen dioxide levels in Tap Mun and
ozone concentrations in Sham Shui Po, all pollutants measured by the EPD –nitrogen dioxide,
suspended particulate, fine particulates,, sulphur dioxide and ozone - at all of Hong Kong’s fourteen air
quality monitoring stations exceeded the WHO’s annual average air quality guidelines; a situation that
is very worrying.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels at all stations, except Tap Mun, exceeded the WHO’s annual average air
quality guideline and Hong Kong’s annual standard, as outlined by the city’s new Air Quality
Objectives (40 µg/m3). Measurements from the Tap Mun monitoring station are considered to be
representative of the state of regional air quality and vehicles are recognized as a significant source of
NO2. Therefore, the past six-months data from Tap Mun, in addition to data showing that NO2 pollution
at roadside stations was two times worse than at general stations, indicates that local sources are
mainly to blame for Hong Kong’s poor air quality and that, in particular, vehicle emissions are a
significant contributor.
Suspended particulate matter (PM10) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are both recognized to be
deadly to human health due to their small size. Both PM10 and PM2.5 levels at all stations exceeded the
WHO annual guidelines (20 µg/m3 and 10 µg/m3, respectively) by 2 to 3 times, indicating levels that
pose a significant health threat to the general population. Furthermore, PM10 and PM2.5 levels at
Causeway Bay also exceeded the new AQOs average annual standards. As for levels of sulphur dioxide
(SO2), a marker of marine emissions, levels at all stations exceeded the WHO annual guideline (5
µg/m3*). Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung had the highest SO2 levels among all stations, indicating that air
quality in those areas is heavily impacted by ship emissions.
Hong Kong’s new Air Quality Objectives will be ineffective in improving air quality
Hong Kong’s new air quality objectives (AQOs) were announced in 2012, but will not be implemented
until 2014, and even then, there will be an additional three-year grace period. Comparing the old
AQOs, the new AQOs and the WHO’s air quality guidelines will indicate whether or not the new AQOs
will be lead to better air quality in Hong Kong’s future.
For sulphur dioxide (SO2), the number of exceedances within a 24-hour period is exactly the same
under the current AQO and the new AQO. Similarly, the number of exceedances for levels of ozone
(O3) in one-hour under the current AQOs is almost the same as the number of exceedances for levels of
ozone in an eight-hour period under the new AQO. This means that the new AQOs for 24-hour SO2 and
eight-hour O3 do not set the bar high enough and will make no difference, when compared to the
current AQOs, in regulating current SO2 and O3 levels.
The number of exceedances for 24-hour PM10 are not much different between the current AQOs and
new AQOs, however, a significant difference was found between the new AQO and the WHO’s
guideline for the same period. This signifies that while the new AQO is slightly more stringent than the
current AQO for 24-hour PM10, it is still far too lax when compared to the WHO’s guideline and will not
accurately reflect how dangerous the levels of PM10 are.
The Hedley Environmental Index estimated that, from January to June 2012, air pollution led to 1,459
premature deaths, 18,517 million in dollars lost, 71,955 hospitalizations, and 3.41 million doctor
visits. The death toll due to air pollution for the first six months in 2012 is four times higher than the
total number of deaths caused by SARS in Hong Kong in 2003. The Government has already invested a
lot of resources into the new AQOs and should not allow them to become a stumbling block on the
path to improving air quality. To ensure this does not happen, they should establish a concrete
timetable for tightening the standards, and thereby, adequately protect public health.
Hong Kong’s air quality holds back overall air quality improvement in the Pearl River
Delta Region
There is, in general, a decreasing trend in the overall air pollution in Hong Kong, but this is likely due
to the improvements in regional air quality in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) area. This is demonstrable
by concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in the PRD region falling thirteen percent, while Hong Kong’s
NO2 concentrations were rising by twelve percent. Hong Kong, despite being a highly-developed city, is
not taking the lead in improving air quality, and instead, is holding the region back from achieving
better air quality.
Campaign manager of Clean Air Network, Erica Chan, says, “This mid-year air quality review shows
that Hong Kong’s air quality has not shown any improvement locally, and even goes so far as to
negatively impact regional air pollution; this is something that our city and our Government should be
ashamed of. We urge the Government to strengthen cooperation with the PRD authorities, eliminate
old and polluting commercial diesel vehicles from our roads, and also collaborate with Legislative
Councillors, who sign CAN’s Clean Air Pledge, in making policies that will improve our air quality.”
For media enquiries, please contact:
Clean Air Network Campaign Manager
Erica Chan
Tel: 3971 0106/ 9633 1943
Email：ericachan@hongkongcan.org