HONG KONG, 9 October 2007 — Hong Kong’s air pollution passed the danger level again yesterday, reigniting concerns about public health and fears that the choking smog could hamper tourism and investment.
Some of the world’s tallest skyscrapers were virtually invisible in the murk despite a series of measures to try to fight what is rapidly becoming Hong Kong’s top social and political problem.
Across the southern Chinese territory, the Air Pollution Index yesterday passed the critical 100 mark, the point at which those with respiratory or heart problems are urged to stay home.
At the weekend, the index reached 144. The high yesterday was 113.
The poor air quality was recorded even though many factories in the neighboring Pearl River Delta in mainland China have been closed for a week-long holiday.
More than a dozen Hong Kong pensioners were hospitalized Saturday alone for breathing ailments, prompting local aid charities to cry foul. “Even I could see the air quality was particularly bad,” said Esther Yuen, a spokeswoman at Senior Citizen Home Safety Association.
“For the elderly, the effect would be worse and the number of those who reported they had problems breathing suddenly shot up Saturday,” she said, advising the elderly to stay home or breathe through a wet towel when outdoors. The Environmental Protection Department said the soaring levels are due to concentrations of ozone, a pollutant that can inhibit the lungs and irritate the respiratory system.
The Hong Kong Observatory said the airborne particles were trapped here by Typhoon Krosa, which left at least five people dead in Taiwan and more than one million evacuated in China’s southeastern coast.
“Because the local winds are light today, the particles are trapped here and can’t go anywhere,” said the observatory’s Kwok Yuen-ha.
The blanket of pollution which mostly originates in neighboring southern China’s heavily industrialized Pearl River Delta region, has become an almost daily hazard.
Hong Kong authorities have introduced a series of measures to combat pollution, which business groups warn is deterring investment and tourism and making expatriates think twice about coming here.
Diesel taxis and mini-buses are being replaced with vehicles that run on cleaner liquefied petroleum gas, and the government has tightened emissions caps on power plants.
But environmentalists say emission reduction targets are too low, and air pollution figures are not telling the real story because the danger limits are set much higher than those of the World Health Organization.
