XN000022-1985-11-18 — Page 9

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1985

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IN FACT, OVERALL CONCENTRATIONS OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE HAD DECLINED FROM 1983-84 LEVELS AT MOST LOCATIONS.

HOWEVER, MR JONATHAN BOWER, SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICER IN THE EPA, ADVISED AGAINST COMPLACENCY IN THIS SITUATION, SINCE THE DECLINE APPEARED TO REFLECT CHANGED METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DURING 1984-85, RATHER THAN A TERRITORY-WIDE REDUCTION IN POLLUTING EMISSIONS.

FURTHERMORE, RELATIVELY HIGH LEVELS OF THESE POLLUTANTS CONTINUED TO BE OBSERVED IN AND AROUND KWUN TONG, ALTHOUGH LEVELS IN 1984-85 WERE NOT AS SERIOUS AS DURING 1983-84. MR BOWER INDICATED THAT LEVELS OF SULPHUR AND NITROGEN OXIDES WERE ALSO LIKELY TO BE HIGH IN OTHER SIMILARLY INDUSTRIALISED ARE.'S OF HONG KONG.

INCREASING EMPHASIS HAD BEEN PLACED THIS YEAR UPON MEASUREMENT OF ATMOSPHERIC PARTICULATE LEVELS. ALTHOUGH A DROP IN OVERALL LEVELS WAS OBSERVED DURING 1984-85, SUSPENDED PARTICULATE CONCENTRATIONS REMAIN GENERALLY HIGH, MOST NOTABLY SO DURING THE DRY WINTER MONTHS.

JUNK BAY WAS THE ONLY MONITORING STATION WHERE, AGAINST THE GENERAL TREND, PARTICULATE LEVELS ROSE VERY SUBSTANTIALLY IN 1984-85. THE UNUSUALLY HIGH PARTICULATE LEVELS OBSERVED THIS YEAR RESULTED FROM EARTH-MOVING, SITE FORMATION AND CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN THIS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING AREA.

THE COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING PROGRAM CARRIED OUT BY THE EPA WOULD CONTINUE AND FURTHER REPORTS ON THE TERRITORY'S AIR ALITY WOULD BE RELEASED IN THE FUTURE, THE REPORT SAID.

QUARTERLY BUSINESS SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED

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FIRMS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR EXPERIENCED AN IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 1985 COMPARED WITH TH SECOND QUARTER, ACCORDING TO SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

MANUFACTURING FIRMS EXPECT THE GENERAL BUSINESS SITUATION IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 1985 TO REMAIN LARGELY SIMILAR TO THAT EXPERIENCED IN THE THIRD QUARTER.

CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER WAS REPORTED BY CONSTRUCTION FIRMS AND A FURTHER UPTREND IN BUSINESS IS EXPECTED FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER.

AS FOR THE WHOLESALE, RETAIL AND IMPORT-EXPORT TRADES RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR, FIRMS ON THE AVERAGE EXPERIENCED SOME IMPROVEMENT IN BUSINESS IN THE THIRD QUARTER AND THEY ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER.

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