Air pollution hits record high

Air pollution levels in Hong Kong were the worst ever last year, says the Environmental Protection Department.

Readings at roadside monitoring stations in Central, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok showed that pollution levels were above the 100 mark more than 20 per cent of the time. That was 10 times worse than in 2005, when high readings were recorded only 2 per cent of the time.

The department blamed the pollution on poor weather conditions and older cars on roads.

Environmentalists renewed their calls for new air quality standards. The government says anti-pollution measures are already being considered.