10
MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1991
THE AIR POLLUTANTS MAINLY COME FROM COMBUSTION OF FUEL IN
TSP AND INDUSTRIAL PLANTS AND MOTOR VEHICLE ENGINES.
RSP ARE ALSO GENERATED BY CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES AND SOME MANUFACTURING PROCESSES.
HONG KONG'S DAILY AIR QUALITY OBJECTIVES OF 802, NO2, TSP AND RSP ARE 350, 150, 260 AND 180 MICROGRAMS PER CUBIC METER RESPECTIVELY. THESE WERE NOT EXCEEDED IN SEPTEMBER.
THESE OBJECTIVES ARE COMPARABLE TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED AIR QUALITY STANDARDS RECOMMENDED FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE GENERAL HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC.
HIGH LEVELS OF S02 CAUSE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, REDUCES LUNG FUNCTION AND INCREASE MORTALITY RATE.
NO2 CAUSES RESPIRATORY IRRITATION, INCREASES SUSCEPTIBILITY ΤΟ RESPIRATORY INFECTION AND IMPAIRS LUNG DEVELOPMENT.
TSP ACTS SYNERGISTICALLY WITH OTHER GASEOUS POLLUTANTS AND RBP CAUSES RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, REDUCES LUNG FUNCTION AND
FORMS RSP MAY CAUSE CANCER.
SOME
OF:
BROADLY
THE MONG KOK, CENTRAL/WESTERN AND KWAI CHUNG STATIONS REPRESENT AIR QUALITY RESPECTIVELY AT: LOCATIONS CLOSE TO ROAD TRAFFIC IN BUILT-UP URBAN DISTRICTS; COMBINED RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS; AND DISTRICTS CLOSE TO INDUSTRIAL AREAS.
THE MEASURED CONCENTRATIONS AT THE MONG KOK STATION ARE RELATIVELY HIGHER THAN THOSE RECORDED AT OTHER STATIONS, REFLECTING THE FACT THAT AIR QUALITY AT LOCATIONS CLOSE TO THE TRAFFIC IS GENERALLY POORER.
CURRENTLY THE EPD OPERATES A TOTAL OF 11 FIXED STATIONS, INCLUDING THE THREE MENTIONED ABOVE.
PO
MONITORING
AND SHA
THE OTHER EIGHT STATIONS ARE AT KWUN TONG, SHAM SHUI PO, TSIM SHA TSUI, TSEUNG KWAN O, TSUEN WAN, HONG KONG SOUTH, TAI TIN.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
FURTHER
ENQUIRIES CAN BE DIRECTED ΤΟ THE PRINCIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICER, MR RAYMOND LEUNG, ON TEL. 836 1048.