West side of Hong Kong and the poor most at risk from city’s dirty roadside air, study finds
Problem will only continue to worsen in the absence of better transport management policies, green group says
Recent Hong Kong government figures may show a general improvement in air quality – but the threat to public health from street level pollution remains dire and will continue to worsen in the absence of better policies in transport management, an environmental group has warned.
The Clean Air Network has found roadside air pollution to be worst in the western parts of Hong Kong, with the hardest hit neighbourhoods also the poorest, most socially deprived, densely populated and clogged with traffic.
“Major air pollutants may be decreasing in concentration but the public’s health is still not sufficiently protected,” said community relations manager Loong Tsz-wai. “The government must target the crux of the problem and that is high traffic density.”
In the first half of the year, average nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations at monitoring stations on the city’s eastern side, including Tseung Kwan O, Tai Po and in Eastern district, averaged about 39 micrograms per cubic metre of air. This was within the city’s own air quality objective and World Health Organisation limit of 40mcg.
