XN000022-1992-08-13 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 1992

THE HIGHER DISPERSIVE CAPABILITY OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN JULY KEPT AIR POLLUTANT CONCENTRATIONS AT LOW LEVELS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE ANNOUNCEMENT SERVED TO MAKE THE PUBLIC MORE AWARE OF THE GENERAL AIR QUALITY LEVELS TO WHICH THEY MIGHT BE EXPOSED.

THE DAILY HONG KONG AIR QUALITY OBJECTIVES OF Soz, NO2, TSP AND RSP ARE 350, 150, 260 AND 180 MICROGRAMS PER CUBIC METRES RESPECTIVELY.

THESE OBJECTIVES ARE COMPARABLE TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED AIR QUALITY STANDARDS RECOMMENDED FOR PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

HIGH LEVELS OF 802 CAUSES RESPIRATORY ILLNESS, REDUCES LUNG FUNCTION AND INCREASES MORTALITY RATE.

NO2 CAUSES RESPIRATORY IRRITATION, INCREASES SUSCEPTIBILITY RESPIRATORY INFECTION AND IMPAIRS LUNG DEVELOPMENT.

TO

TSP ACTS SYNERGISTICALLY WITH OTHER GASEOUS POLLUTANTS AND RSP CAUSES RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND REDUCES LUNG FUNCTON. SOME FORMS OF RSP MAY CAUSE CANCER.

THE MONG KOK, CENTRAL/WESTERN AND KWAI CHUNG STATIONS BROADLY REPRESENT AIR QUALITY RESPECTIVELY AT LOCATIONS CLOSE TO ROAD TRAFFIC IN BUILT-UP URBAN DISTRICT; COMBINED COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS; AND DISTRICTS CLOSE TO INDUSTRIAL AREAS.

CURRENTLY THE DEPARTMENT OPERATES A TOTAL OF 11 FIXED AIR QUALITY MONITORING STATIONS, INCLUDING THE THREE MENTIONED ABOVE.

PO,

THE OTHER EIGHT STATIONS ARE AT KWUN TONG, SHAM SHUI

TSIM SHA TSUI, TSEUNG KWAN O, TSUEN WAN, HONG KONG SOUTH, TAI PO AND SHA TIN.

NOTE TO EDITORS:

FURTHER ENQUIRY CAN BE DIRECTED TO THE ACTING PRINCIPAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OFFICER MR W S TSUI ON TEL 810 3049.

/Hong Kong