THE Environmental Protection Department has stated that it is concerned about the steadily worsening air quality in Hongkong. Every day, we inhale polluted air without realising the inconspicuous, long lasting, harmful effects it has on our health. Studies show that the main air pollutants have all exceeded the air quality objectives by 15 to 40 per cent. Various control measures adopted to combat the air pollution problem have only helped Hongkong to remove the worst of our problems. There are many obstacles facing air quality control in Hongkong. Firstly, legislative loopholes. While the level of penalties awarded under the Ordinance is already low, the actual fines imposed by the courts for breaking the law have also been very small when compared with the laid-down maximum levels. Secondly, control problems. Unless regular inspections are carried out, which would drain our limited environmental inspection manpower resources, we cannot ensure compliance with air pollution control regulations by industries. Further, how to define whether industries are causing or contributing to air pollution nuisances is another hard nut to crack. Thirdly, cost factor. The air pollution problem is aggravated by the fast increasing number of vehicles in Hongkong, the bulk of which are diesel powered. Since shifting from diesel to petrol-engined vehicles involves high costs, the problem of controlling motor vehicle emissions has no easy solution in sight. The Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 1992 recently passed in Legco comes to grips with some of the problems already mentioned. The bill imposes more stringent penalties and delegates to the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands the power tomake regulations to improve the methods and standards for determining air pollution. Hopefully, more stringent legislative control can help to jog industries out of their inertia and alert them to their responsibility in keeping Hongkong air clean. Meanwhile, businesses must be given the incentive to explore energy-saving devices and keep up their efforts in promoting sustainable development. The Government, equipped with technological expertise and resources, must help industries to adopt new initiatives such as Liquified Natural Gas, safe nuclear power and City Diesel which has proved successful in Sweden. The Financial Secretary, in this time of budgetary and surplus planning, should lay the groundwork so that the oil companies will find it to their advantage to bring in fuel such as City Diesel. There is a need to adopt the stick-and-carrot approach in order to improve our air quality and to protect the health of Hongkong people. PETER H. Y. WONG Legislative Councillor
