TO BEGIN, THE TITLE STATEMENT, "AIR QUALITY GOOD ABOVE STREET LEVEL FOR ALL OF 2009", IS A WILDLY MISLEADING STATEMENT. ALTHOUGH THE GENERAL (AS OPPOSED TO ROADSIDE) MONITORING STATIONS DID NOT CONSISTENTLY SHOW API READINGS IN EXCESS OF 100 DURING 2009, HK'S API IS SEVERELY OUTDATED (1987) AND PERMITS EMISSIONS LEVELS 2-4 TIMES GREATER THAN THOSE RECOMMENDED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (AIR QUALITY GUIDELINES). THUS, API READINGS BELOW THE HK GOVT'S DANGER LEVEL OF 100 DO NOT MEAN THAT THE GENERAL POLLUTION LEVEL IS ACCEPTABLE.
Roadside air pollution in Central hit life-threatening levels on an average of one in every eight days last year, while the number of very high pollution days on Mong Kok streets has increased 37-fold over the past five years, analysis by the South China Morning Post (SEHK: 0583, announcements, news) has found.
But above street level, the air quality was good throughout last year. The 11 rooftop general monitoring stations recorded no days of very high pollution - when the air pollution index exceeds 100 and when people with heart and respiratory conditions are advised to avoid areas with heavy traffic.
Academics said the stark difference meant that the severe roadside pollution was a result of traffic emissions.
THE DRAMATIC AND SYSTEMATIC DIFFERENCE IN READINGS BETWEEN THE ROADSIDE AND AMBIENT STATIONS MEANS THAT THE ROADSIDE IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM AND THAT OUR FOCUS ON OUTMODED HIGHLY POLLUTING COMMERCIAL DIESEL VEHICLES IS WELL WARRANTED. JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THERE IS MUCH WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO IMPROVE THE EMISSIONS (ROADSIDE VEHICLES) WHICH ARE AFFECTING OUR HEALTH THE MOST. THE PUBLIC WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT THE EPD'S EXPLANATION THAT "CHINA IS TO BLAME".
The Environmental Protection Department attributed more days of very high pollution to unfavourable weather conditions last year, adding that there was a drop in the annual average concentration of major pollutants in the past decade.
THIS STUDY POINTS, IRREFUTABLY, TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WEATHER PATTERNS ARE NOT THE MAIN CULPRIT. WE HOPE THAT, INSTEAD OF CONTINUING DOWN THE PATH OF DISINGENUOUS BLANKET DENIAL, THE GOVT WILL USE THIS SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AS POLITICAL AMMO TO DEVISE A SOLUTION SPECIFICALLY TARGETED AT TRANSPORT EMISSIONS.
But the explanation drew criticism from academics who said it was unsatisfactory that the government was blaming pollution on the weather. They criticised the administration for relying too much on an annual drop in pollution concentrations, while failing to consider air pollution as a public health issue. An increase in very high pollution days meant people were exposed to a greater danger to their health more often.
When the weather played a part in local air pollution, the government should take that into account when drawing up measures to deal with persistent air pollution rather than simply blaming the weather conditions, they said.
The Post analysis, based on air pollution index records provided by the Environmental Protection Department, found that roadside monitoring station in Central last year registered 44 days of very high pollution, at an average of once every eight days. This compared with 39 days in 2008 and 13 days in 2005.
The Mong Kok station recorded 37 such days last year, compared with one five years ago. In Causeway Bay, the figure was 25 days, up fivefold from 2005. Central has recorded the most days of very high roadside pollution in the past five years.
A monthly breakdown of the data shows the three roadside stations recorded the highest number of very high pollution days in October, with both Mong Kok and Central having 11 and Causeway Bay eight.
The department said air pollution index readings reaching life-threatening levels were usually recorded under unfavourable weather conditions last year.
It said the number of days Mong Kok recorded very high pollution levels fluctuated over the years. Before one such day was recorded in 2005, 38 days had been recorded in the year before. It said changes in pollutant concentration readings were more reliable than the index to assess air quality trends.
The department's data showed that roadside concentrations of respirable suspended particulates fell 33 percent, nitrogen oxides 31 per cent and sulphur dioxide fell 48 per cent in the past decade.
However, the concentration of nitrogen dioxide, a major pollutant contributing to ground-level pollution, rose 11 per cent during the same period.
Professor Chan Chak-keung, acting head of the environment division at the University of Science and Technology, said the frequent occurrences of very high pollution in Central were alarming.
With air quality better above ground, he attributed roadside pollution to heavy traffic rather than regional pollution.
Roadside pollution was also linked to poor dispersal of pollutants, caused by urban design favouring high-rises, which might result in a wall effect, he said.
Angus Wong Chun-yin, a senior campaign officer with environmental group WWF, said that when there was no drastic change in traffic flow in the areas affected, more days of very high pollution might be due to the number of old vehicles on the streets.
He said the government should consider the worst-case scenario. "People should not be asked to wear masks in the streets whenever pollution is high because of the weather. The air should be good to breathe anytime."
Professor Anthony Hedley, head of community medicine at the University of Hong Kong, said the department failed to see air pollution from a public health point of view.
Such a high number of very high pollution days posed a very serious threat to the health of young people, the elderly and the sick who faced a greater risk of heart and lung problems and strokes, he said.
LAST WEEK, A U.S. STUDY SHOWED THAT 12 MONTHS OF EXPOSURE TO HIGH POLLUTION CAN DOUBLE SENIORS' RISK OF CONTRACTING PNEUMONIA, ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH AMONG THE ELDERLY. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/mu-apl122109.php
Hedley called on the government to enforce a law requiring people to comply with policy, such as replacing smoky vehicles. Everything the government was doing was based on voluntary involvement and it was not working, he said. "We must take immediate action to make environmental policy mandatory."
Chan said in the long term the government should aim to deal with air pollution on a 24-hour basis, rather than on an annual one.
ANOTHER RED HERRING ALWAYS CITED BY THE GOVT: WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT ANNUAL LEVELS OF EMISSION TONNAGE HAVE FALLEN IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, ROADSIDE LEVELS HAVE REMAINED THE SAME, WORSENED OR DIMINISHED SO LITTLE THAT THERE WILL BE NO APPRECIABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE NEAR TO MEDIUM TERM. PROFESSOR TONY HEDLEY'S SUBMISSION TO LEGCO RE: CHILD HEALTH GIVES AN EXCELLENT SNAPSHOT (SEE PAGE 3) OF ROADSIDE EMISSIONS AND THEIR TRAJECTORIES FROM 1997 TO 2008. http://www.hongkongcan.org/eng/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/Legco_air-pllution-and-child-health.pdf
He said to achieve this the administration should work on urban planning. He also called for more collaboration between the Environmental Protection Department and the Transport Department to deal with traffic pollution.
CONSIDERING THAT THE MAIN FOCUS OF EMISSIONS CLEAN-UP IS TRANSPORT, SUCH COORDINATION SEEMS INDISPENSABLE. BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE INTERESTS OF THESE TWO DEPARTMENTS ARE OPPPOSED. FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE THE EPD SEEKS EARLY RETIREMENT OF OLD BUSES, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WANTS TO KEEP BUS FARES AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
According to the Hedley Environmental Index, developed by the professor and other academics, air pollution led to 831 premature deaths, 63,424 hospital bed days and a HK$1.88 billion financial loss.
A department spokesman said it would continue to encourage vehicle owners to voluntarily replace pre-Euro and Euro I diesel commercial vehicles with Euro IV models through a HK$3.2 billion one-off grant scheme to improve roadside air quality.
Since the introduction of the scheme in 2004, it has received 13,050 applications. There are still 39,100 such vehicles on the road.
GOING BACK TO HEDLEY'S POINT ABOVE, IN THE ARTICLE, "We must take immediate action to make environmental policy mandatory", WE CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF STICKS TO ACCOMPANY CARROTS. THE GOVT'S SUBSIDY SCHEME ENABLING EARLY REPLACEMENT OF OLD DIESEL VEHICLES HAS BEEN A RESOUNDING FAILURE WITH TOO FEW VEHICLE OWNERS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE SUBSIDY. A CARROT ALONE IS A JOKE! IN A RECENT MEETING WITH THE EPD, THEY MENTIONED THAT THEY WERE CONSIDERING HIGHER LICENSE RENEWAL FEES FOR OLDER VEHICLES, BUT THE PENALIZING INCREMENT UNDER CONSIDERATION WAS "JUST A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS". PER THE EPD, SUCH DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT WOULD APPARENTLY "SEND THE RIGHT SIGNAL". BUT, HONESTLY, SUCH A DE MINIMIS PENALTY IS LAUGHABLE.
The department had proposed in a review of air quality objectives cutting bus trips in non-peak hours by 10 per cent to improve roadside air quality, but no timetable has been set. The public consultation on the review ended in November.
In 2002, the department set a 2010 target to cut emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, respirable suspended particulates and volatile organic compounds in the Pearl River Delta region by 40 per cent, 20 cent, 55 per cent and 55 per cent, respectively, from 1997 levels. By 2008, emission levels of the pollutants, except sulphur dioxide, had already or almost met the reduction target.
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