Hong Kong air pollution to remain ‘very high’ health risk after brief relief in morning
- Air Quality Health Index expected to return to ‘very high’ on Wednesday after brief period of ‘moderate’ in morning
- On Tuesday, 12 stations around city recorded a ‘very high’ health risk level – with one reaching ‘serious’
Hong Kong’s air quality is expected to return to unhealthy levels of haze and pollution on Wednesday after a brief break in the morning, the city’s environmental watchdog said on Tuesday.
The latest forecast by the Environmental Protection Department was that the Air Quality Health Index would worsen to “very high” after it returns to “moderate” in the morning. Temperatures on Wednesday were expected to range from 27 to 32 degrees Celsius.
Air quality levels of “very high” and “serious” were reported across the city on Tuesday.
“Over the past few days, Hong Kong was under the continued influence of a high background pollution airstream with fine and hot weather,” the Environmental Protection Department said.
“The sunshine enhanced photochemical smog activity and the rapid formation of ozone and fine particulates in the Pearl River Delta region. The high level of ozone also promoted the formation of nitrogen dioxide.”
By 3pm on Tuesday, the air quality index had reached a “very high” health risk level at 12 general monitoring stations around Hong Kong. The monitoring station in Tap Mun off Sai Kung recorded a “serious” level, making the island the worst hit area of Hong Kong.
The air quality index is based on the cumulative health risk caused by average concentrations of four air pollutant: ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter PM2.5 or PM10.
The index is reported on a scale of 1 to 10 and 10+ and are grouped into five health risk categories: low, moderate, high, very high, and serious.
With a health risk category in the “very high” level or above, children, the elderly and people with existing heart or respiratory illnesses are advised to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities, according to the department.
At a “very high” level the public is advised to avoid staying outdoors for too long, especially in areas with heavy traffic.
When air quality hits the “serious” level, employers should assess the risk of outdoor work and take preventive measures to protect the health of employees, while the general public should avoid outdoor activities.
The Hong Kong Observatory said an anticyclone was expected to bring generally fine and hot weather to Guangdong province in the next couple of days. A strong easterly airstream was expected to affect the coast of Guangdong over the weekend when it would turn cloudy with showers.
