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Press
Releases - 1998
Roadside
API forecasted to fall from "very high" level
The Environmental
Protection Department today (Tuesday) recorded a roadside
Air Pollution Index (API) of 119 at the Causeway Bay air monitoring
station.
This
is the fourth consecutive day that the API at the station
has exceeded 100 and hit the "very high air pollution" band.
The Causeway Bay station represents the roadside in busy commercial
areas with heavy traffic and surrounded by high-rise buildings.
"Persons
with heart or respiratory illnesses should reduce physical
exertion or avoid staying near roads with heavy traffic,"
the Principal Environmental Protection Officer, Mr Leung Pak-ming
said.
"The
poor air circulation at the Causeway Bay station has caused
the nitrogen dioxide to accummulate. Nitrogen dioxide has
come from the oxidation of nitric oxide emitted from motor
vehicles by ozone which has been in more abundance than usual
in the region," he said.
At two
other roadside stations at Mong Kok and Central, APIs were
respectively 94 and 75 in the "high" band. For the general
stations, the APIs today ranged from 61 to 74.
The API
forecast for tomorrow (Wednesday) is 60 to 75 for the general
stations, and 80 to 100 for the roadside.
Members
of the public can check the API readings on 2827 8541 or from
EPD's website at "http://www.info.gov.hk/epd/".
End/Tuesday,
October 20, 1998
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