TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1986
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NEW SYSTEM IMPROVES AIR MONITORING WORK
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THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY NOW HAS IN OPERATION A NEW SYSTEM WHICH HAS GREATLY INCREASED ITS ABILITY TO INVESTIGATE AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS IN THE TERRITORY.
THE NEW +ENVIRONMENTAL TELEMETRY SYSTEM+, THE FIRST IN HONG KONG, AND ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD, ENABLES THE EPA TO RETRIEVE AND ANALYSE INSTANTLY AIR QUALITY DATA FROM ANY OF ITS MONITORING STATIONS IN THE TERRITORY.
GIVING DETAILS OF THE NEW SYSTEM TODAY (TUESDAY), THE SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE EPA'S AIR MONITORING NETWORK, MR JONATHAN BOWER, SAID THAT INFORMATION ON A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF AIR POLLUTANTS IS RAPIDLY RELAYED VIA PHONE LINE FROM THE EXISTING STATIONS AT JUNK BAY, CENTRAL-WESTERN, TSIM SHA TSUI, CAUSEWAY BAY, SHAM SHUI PO AND KWUN TONG.
THE INFORMATION IS THEN PROCESSED AND DISPLAYED AT A COMPUTERISED TELEMETRY CONTROL CENTRE, SPECIALLY INSTALLED IN THE EPA CENTRAL LABORATORIES.
THE OVERALL SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPED BY A JAPANESE COMPANY IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
ITS ADVANCED DESIGN INCORPORATES THE LATEST IN MICROCOMPUTER AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY.
ALTHOUGH IT COST LESS THAN $1 MILLION TO DEVELOP AND INSTALL, THE LOCAL SYSTEM HAS A NUMBER OF INNOVATIVE FEATURES WHICH ENABLE IT TO OUT-PERFORM SIMILAR BUT COSTLIER INSTALLATIONS IN USE ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD.
MR BOWER EXPLAINED THAT THE TELEMETRY SYSTEM WILL CONSIDERABLY STREAMLINE THE OPERATION OF THE EPA'S AIR MONITORING NETWORK.
IT WILL ALSO ENABLE THE AGENCY TO RESPOND RAPIDLY AND FLEXIBLY TO AIR QUALITY PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN HONG KONG.
HE ADDED THAT IN THE FUTURE, IT WILL ALSO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE EPA TO DEVELOP A CONTINUOUS AIR QUALITY INDEXING, REPORTING AND FORECASTING SERVICE.
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