Hong Kong’s sky “a little more blue”
Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Efforts to clean up the city's smog are having “beneficial results”, and the air is cleaner. Comparing data from the last nine years for a 10-week period from May to July, this year had seen the “fewest days with high pollution”. The claim was made by Hong Kong’s newly appointed secretary for the environment, green groups were left gasping at “his audacity”, expressing their grave doubts over pollution observation procedures. Measures to reduce emissions include switching taxis and some minibuses from diesel to LPG, and providing grants and tax concessions to the public to switch to vehicles with lower emissions of pollutants.
Academics and environmentalists however cast doubt on assertions this was a result of government measures, saying prevailing winds had just as much impact on air quality. Environmentalists also claim that the air pollution index adopted by the government did not take into account the standard 100 day period, rather it considered an arch of 71 days; moreover Figures for more traditionally polluted winter months were not among the data revealed.
According to a 2006 scientific report in collaboration with Civic Exchange, air pollution in Hong Kong causes at least 1,600 deaths a year, above through heart attacks, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. It is 40% greater than levels in Los Angeles, America’s most polluted city: in 2004 in Hong Kong there were 62 microgram’s of particles per metre cubed, compared to 30 in London, 22 in New York. For 45% of the year there is “scarce visibility” and for more than 50 days a year it is not possible to see beyond 8 km distance.
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19/04/2007
