Warning of disaster from HK's pollution
Pollution fighter Anthony Hedley has called for a 10-point plan to clear Hong Kong's air before a disaster hits the city.
His plea was sparked by pollution levels earlier this month when nitrogen dioxide and particulate levels in the air reached 150 to 200 micrograms per cubic metre.
Professor Hedley, chair professor in community medicine at the University of Hong Kong, said the levels were more than seven times those considered dangerous in Canada and New Zealand for particulates, and more than five times the WHO European guideline for nitrogen dioxide.
'It's pushing people into hospital beds, doctors' clinics and coffins,' he said. The estimated cost of the affects of sickness from pollutants to hospitals, government services and companies is more than $1.3 billion a year. It also kills 3,500 to 4,000 people a year through heart and lung disease and stroke.
'We are running the risk of a disaster. The 'Asian Brown Cloud' shows a continuing haze over most of Asia. Hong Kong is part of that. It is quite possible if present trends continue that there could be a catastrophic episode.'
Virtually everyone is exposed to the risk of damage to heart, lung and arterial systems from breathing air pollutants. The four most common and harmful pollutants are fine particulates, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone - a secondary pollutant that is formed by the action of sunlight on volatile organic compounds.
In addition compounds such as benzopyrene, mainly from fuel and diesel combustion, have been implicated in causing respiratory cancers and leukaemia.
Children and the elderly are the most vulnerable to pollutants, but in people of all ages pollution may lead to health problems.
Professor Hedley has said that each 10 micrograms of pollutant per cubic metre of air causes or aggravates respiratory symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, wheezing and sore throats in up to 40,000 primary schoolchildren aged eight to 12.
He says it is a disgrace that evidence of the affects of pollution is not being translated into an effective policy aimed at eliminating the problem.
Hong Kong has taken few steps to deal with the problem since 1990 when the Environmental Protection Department restricted sulfur content of fuel oil to 0.5 per cent by weight.
This relatively modest reduction had a dramatic effect on lowering levels of sulfur dioxide, especially in the heaviest polluted districts.
The intervention provided the strongest evidence yet that pollution controls would save lives.
On average, pollution-related deaths fell by 600 a year with benefits to all age groups over 45. The reduction in respiratory deaths was nearly 5 per cent a year.
Since then, further major restrictions have been made on sulfur content in fuels.
The 10-point plan
1 Less sulfur in fuels
2 A ban on ships using highly polluting bunker fuels
3 Conversion to alternative fuels, including LPG in all commercial vehicles
4 Scrap plans for more roads in areas like Central
5 More railways instead of roads; trolley buses instead of motor buses
6 Energy production using cleaner fuels
7 Move pollution sources from densely populated areas
8 Action by business interests to use cleaner fuels in Pearl River Delta factories
9 The government must stop pretending it is doing enough and that it would not be cost-effective to clean up the air
10 Consider how we will be able to comply with new WHO air quality guidelines
