XN000022-1990-07-13 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, JULY 13, 1990

"IN KWAI TSING DISTRICT WHERE RESIDENTS HAVE LONG SUFFERED HIGH LEVELS OF AIR POLLUTION, WE HAVE SEEN LEVELS OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE GAS DROP BY OVER 80 PER CENT. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A LOWERING OF LEVELS OF NITROGEN DIOXIDE GAS AND GENERAL DUST LEVELS.

"AIR POLLUTION LEVELS IN OTHER DISTRICTS AFFECTED BY INDUSTRIAL EMISSIONS, SUCH AS KWUN TONG AND TSUEN WAN HAVE SHOWN SIMILAR IMPROVEMENTS, MR TROMP SAID.

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"WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE PUBLIC MR TROMP EXPLAINED, "IS THAT AIR NOT ONLY LOOKS A LOT CLEANER, BUT WILL BE MUCH SAFER TO BREATHE.

THE

"DOCTORS AND CLINICS IN THESE AREAS CAN EXPECT ΤΟ SER A REDUCTION IN THE INCIDENCE OF RESPIRATORY AND LUNG ILLNESSES SUCH AS ASTHMA, BRONCHITIS AND THROAT INFECTIONS.

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THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL (FUEL RESTRICTION) REGULATIONS 1990 WHICH WERE GAZETTED IN JANUARY THIS YEAR AND TOOK EFFECT ON JULY 1, RESTRICT THE SULPHUR CONTENT OF LIQUID FUELS TO 0.5 PER CENT AND THAT OF SOLID FUELS TO 1.0 PER CENT. THERE IS ALSO A VISCOSITY RESTRICTION FOR LIQUID FUEL.

BEFORE THE NEW REGULATIONS CAME INTO EFFECT, MOST FUEL BURNING INDUSTRIES IN HONG KONG USED A THICK, HEAVY FUEL OIL WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO BURN AND HAS A SULPHUR CONTENT OF AROUND 2.5 PER CENT.

THE NEW, LIGHTER AND CLEANER FUEL IS EASIER TO BURN, AND THE EPD HAS DISCOVERED THAT CHIMNEYS EMITTING BLACK SMOKE, WHICH WAS A COMMON FEATURE OF INDUSTRY IN THE PAST, IS NOW AN EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE RULE.

OTHER VISIBLE EMISSIONS, SUCH AS WHITE AND BLUE HAZES HAVE ALSO

ALMOST DISAPPEARED.

EPD WELCOMED THE CO-OPERATION AND EFFORTS MADE BY THE INDUSTRIES CONCERNED AND THEIR FUEL SUPPLIERS. INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION BY EPD OFFICERS HAVE SHOWN THAT ALL FACTORIES VISITED SO FAR (AROUND 20 PER CENT OF ALL FUEL USERS) ARE NOW COMPLYING WITH THE NEW REGULATIONS.

MR TROMP WARNED THAT, IN THE FACE OF AN EVER-GROWING AND PROSPEROUS HONG KONG, FURTHER AIR POLLUTION CONTROLS WERE URGENTLY NEEDED IF THE GOVERNMENT'S AIR QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR ALL AIR POLLUTANTS WERE TO BE MET.

"PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT WILL BE THE IMPOSITION OF STRINGENT VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL MEASURES WHICH WILL FOLLOW THE INTRODUCTION OF UNLEADED PETROL NEXT YEAR. FURTHER CONTROLS ON SOME OPERATIONS ARE ALSO NEEDED, HE SAID.

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INDUSTRIAL

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