I refer to the leader 'In fight against pollution, seeing is believing' and the articles 'Improvement in air quality is hailed' and 'Cross-border links a pollution threat' (South China Morning Post, September 4).
Notwithstanding the good progress in improving Hong Kong's air and water quality, more is being done.
For air quality, contrary to the doubt expressed on whether we would meet the target set in 1999 of reducing 60 per cent of the particulates emitted by motor vehicles by the end of this year, we in fact achieved that target in May. We are on course to achieve the 80 per cent reduction target set for the end of 2005. Following the programme to retrofit particulate emission-reduction devices on light diesel vehicles made before the Euro standards were introduced, we started late last year retrofitting 38,000 pre-Euro heavy diesel vehicles. These devices will become mandatory for pre-Euro light diesel vehicles from December and for pre-Euro heavy diesel vehicles by the end of 2004.
As well as encouraging the replacement of diesel taxis with LPG models, we are implementing an incentive scheme for the early replacement of diesel light buses with LPG or electric light buses before 2006. We are working with Guangdong on ways to improve regional air quality and tackle our smog problem. Last year, we reached a consensus with its government to aim to reduce by 2010 the regional emissions of four major air pollutants by 20 per cent to 55 per cent from 1997 levels. We are working on a joint regional air quality management plan. We have also agreed on a pilot emissions trading scheme for our power plants and selected ones in Guangdong to achieve such targets more cost-effectively.
Concerning the reported deterioration in water quality in the western part of the harbour, it is not surprising some deterioration has taken place. What is built so far is the first stage of what was intended to be a more comprehensive scheme; the present outfall was always intended to be temporary. Still, the overall improvement achieved by the first stage of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme is very significant. We aim to complete our studies on the next steps towards the end of this year, when we will consult the community on the system it wants and how much it is willing to pay.
M. J. STOKOE, Deputy Director of Environmental Protection