Friends of the Earth says people need longer to consider information on air quality impacts

Cheung Chi-fai
SCMP

“Green group Friends of the Earth has called for a public consultation on proposals to expand Hong Kong International Airport to be extended, claiming people need more time to digest information to be released on possible environmental impacts.

The Airport Authority – which has run a huge publicity campaign in favour of plans to build a third runway – bowed on Wednesday to public pressure, promising to release a set of eight consultancy reports, including one on the environmental considerations.”

“Of around 1,000 people polled by Friends of the Earth last week, about 73 per cent said they had not heard about air quality impacts from the Airport Authority, while half said it was unreasonable to be asked to make an uninformed decision. It was subsequently announced the reports would be released next week – still less than a month before a September 2 deadline for the consultation.”

“The group said it was highly unlikely that the third runway option would pass an environmental test as air quality objectives on nitrogen dioxide in Tung Chung, south of the airport, had already been breached.”