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Press
Release
API
expected to improve later today
The Environmental
Protection Department (EPD) forecasts that the Air Pollution
Index (API) which reached the "very high" band yesterday and
this morning will improve and drop to lower levels in the
late afternoon today when the winds are becoming stronger.
The Principal
Environmental Protection Officer, Mr Raymond Leung, said the
wind speed stood at almost zero throughout yesterday and at
midnight. Under such condition, pollutants emitted locally
were trapped and accumulated to very high levels. The main
pollutant was nitrogen dioxide.
"The
wind has become stronger since this morning and the concentrations
of nitrogen dioxide at various air quality monitoring stations
are coming down. We expect the API readings to drop to lower
levels in the late afternoon today," Mr Leung said.
With
the introduction of various clean air measures, the overall
air pollution level in Hong Kong is beginning to improve.
"As compared
with 1999, the average levels of respirable suspended particulates,
total suspended particulates and nitrogen dioxide in 2000
have reduced by 8.5 per cent, 12.8 per cent and 6.2 per cent
respectively.
"We expect
the levels of these pollutants to continue to reduce in future,"
Mr Leung noted.
APIs
reaching the "very high" band during days with unfavourable
weather conditions are still possible but the frequency of
having these days should reduce in the coming years.
It will
take time for various clean air measures to be fully implemented
and their results to become noticeable. For instance, 4 300
diesel taxis have been replaced by LPG vehicles. There are
still 14 000 diesel taxis to be replaced.
Franchised
bus companies have started their transition into ultra low
sulphur diesel and they have planned for full conversion by
the end of 2001.
More
than 8 000 pre-Euro light diesel vehicles have been retrofitted
with particulate reduction device and the programme covering
all the 42 000 vehicles will run until October 17 this year.
There
are other measures on which the Government is working hard
including retrofitting pre-Euro heavy vehicles with catalytic
converters and replacing diesel light buses with cleaner vehicles.
Mr Leung
noted that when the general ambient API exceeds 100 and reaches
the very high band, people with heart or respiratory illnesses
should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities.
Members
of the public can check the API readings of different locations
on 2827 8541 or from the EPD's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/epd.
End/Monday,
January 8, 2001
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