XN000022-1990-06-29 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 1990

SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN AIR QUALITY EXPECTED

PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING IN KWUN TONG, KWAI TSING, TSUEN WAN

HONG AND OTHER MIXED INDUSTRIAL/RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN

KONG CAN LOOK FORWARD TO A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN AIR QUALITY FROM JULY.

AIR POLLUTION BY SULPHUR DIOXIDE, WHICH ATTACKS THE EXPECTED TO DROP BY ALMOST 80 PER CENT IN HONG KONG'S MAIN AREAS AFTER THE FUEL (RESTRICTION) REGULATIONS SUNDAY (JULY 1).

LUNGS, IS INDUSTRIAL

COME INTO EFFECT ON

THE USE OF HIGH SULPHUR HEAVY FUEL OIL WILL BE BANNED THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY AS FROM SUNDAY, UNDER THESE REGULATIONS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT (EPD) SAID THAT BY LIMITING THE SPECIFICATION OF LIQUID FUELS

NO MORE SIX THAN 0.5 PER CENT BY WEIGHT OF SULPHUR AND A MAXIMUM VISCOSITY OF CENTISTOKES, THE REGULATIONS SHOULD REMOVE ABOUT 80 PER CENT OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE AND UP TO

PER CENT

AND OF SMOKE EMITTED FROM INDUSTRIES.

90

THE

PARTICULATES

"RESIDENTS LIVING IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS SURROUNDED BY CHIMNEYS SHOULD BE ABLE TO BREATHE MUCH MORE EASILY VERY

HE: SOON,"

SAID.

WHERE

AT PRESENT, ABOUT 1.5 MILLION PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN AREAS THE HEALTH-RELATED AIR QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR SULPHUR DIOXIDE ARE NOT BEING MET. MANY PEOPLE ARE AT THE SAME TIME AFFECTED BY HIGH LEVELS OF SMOKE AND PARTICULATES EMITTED FROM FACTORY CHIMNEYS.

THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FUEL RESTRICTION REGULATIONS WILL MEAN THAT MINOR MODIFICATIONS TO FUEL-BURNING APPLIANCES ARE REQUIRED IN BUILDINGS AND ABOUT 1,000 FACTORIES AS WELL AS IN VARIOUS GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS.

THE EPD SENT OUT LETTERS IN MARCH TO ALL THOSE AFFECTED то INFORM THEM OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEW REGULATIONS AND TO REMIND THEM TO MAKE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS IN TIME TO MEET THE TARGET DATE OF JULY 1.

FOLLOW-UP ENQUIRIES TO BOTH END USERS AND SUPPLIERS HAVE SHOWN THAT OVER 90 PER CENT OF THE FACTORIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED HAVE ALREADY MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONVERTING THEIR BOILERS TO USE THE LIGHT DIESEL OIL BY JULY 1.

"SO FAR, ONLY A HANDFUL OF FACTORIES HAVE RUN INTO PROBLEMS IN

MOST CASES MODIFYING THEIR APPLIANCES, AND IN

HAVE THESE PROBLEMS BEEN SOLVED AFTER WE WERE CALLED IN FOR ADVICE, HE SAID.

"

"IT IS GOOD TO SEE THAT THE BULK OF INDUSTRY IS DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE EPD SPOKESMAN SAID.

+

/HE POINTED