Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau include another air pollutant in regional monitoring network in bid to cut smog
- Volatile organic compounds will be covered by the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network
- These compounds react with nitrogen oxides in the air, and in presence of sunlight, form ozone – a major component of photochemical smog
Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau will include one more air pollutant in a regional monitoring network in a bid to cut smog levels.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) will be covered by the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network, which collates data from 23 monitoring stations and is part of a joint effort by the three governments.
Before the inclusion of VOCs, the network monitored five other air pollutants: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, respirable suspended particulates and fine suspended particulates.
“Hong Kong and Guangdong will include ambient VOCs in their routine monitoring to step up regional ozone control,” the Environment Bureau said in a statement released after a meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection and Combating Climate Change in Guangzhou on Thursday.
Although preparations for the addition have started, the Environmental Protection Department did not give a timeline for when data on VOCs would be released under the network.
VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids, such as paint, fuels and many cleaning products. They can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches and even liver, kidney and central nervous system damage. The policy address this year said the department would restrict the content of these compounds in paint.
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The fumes also react with nitrogen oxides in the air, and under sunlight, form ozone – a major component of photochemical smog, which can cause respiratory diseases at high levels.
The government considers ozone pollution a regional problem, as the pollutants are mainly emitted from industries in the Guangdong area.
Clean Air Network, a non-governmental organisation in Hong Kong, welcomed the move.
“At the moment, ozone levels in Hong Kong are rising, but academics do not have accurate data on the regional concentration of VOCs,” said Patrick Fung Kin-wai, the group’s chief executive.
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The lack of information has led to difficulties when trying to review the government's annual Air Quality Objectives, which set daily and annual limits for the concentration of air pollutants, Fung said.
However, Fung said, the group hoped Hong Kong and the mainland could set regional emissions targets for ozone as a whole.
“VOC is just the precursor to ozone, it is only step one. What we really hope for is a cross-border regional target for ozone emissions, as that has bigger implications for public health,” Fung said.
