A report, citing figures obtained from the government, says Hong Kong’s roadside air pollution reached life-threatening levels one in every eight days last year.
The air pollution index was recorded by the Environmental Protection Department. It said there were 44 days of “very high pollution” last year. That number is up from the 39 reported days in 2008 and the 13 days in 2005.
“Very high pollution” levels — with the air pollution index exceeding 100 — can significantly aggravate the symptoms of people with heart or respiratory illness, the department said.
The composite photo above shows the Hong Kong skyline on June 20, 2007 when the index was ‘low’ and again on September 17, 2007 when the index was ‘very high.’ A department spokesman said the trend could be due to ‘unfavorable weather conditions.’
Though, a team of scientists said their findings were two to three times higher than those of the government. Chak Chan, acting head of the environment division at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said their findings were more accurate as they used mobile measuring devices where the government used stationary tools.
“Selective picking of a certain range of Air Pollution Index readings for comparison will not give a fair and comprehensive picture of how air quality changes over the years,” a department spokesman said in a written reply to AFP.
Air quality continues to deteriorate in the city due to emissions from the southern Chinese factory belt over Hong Kong’s northern border and local emissions from power generators and transport.
Source: Physorg
About Jerry James Stone
I live here in Hong Kong, and honestly, every day I feel so bad to breathe in the air. It’s awful. Everywhere you go you can smell the cars and trucks and buses. Blue skies are quite rare and the water is just… oh gosh.