South China Morning Post
Joyee Chan

Hong Kong’s dated clean-air targets will be toughened – for the first time in 25 years – starting in 2014, but green groups say they will still fall short of World Health Organisation standards.

The Executive Council on Tuesday endorsed 22 new air quality objectives first put out for public consultation in 2009. The new objectives, which lay down atmospheric concentrations for seven pollutants, are more stringent than existing ones. Among them, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide will be monitored at the higher end of three WHO standards.

However, standards of respirable and fine particulates will be in line with the loosest of the WHO targets. These are harmful as they can penetrate deep into people’s lungs.

Other measures include more car-free zones, phasing out heavily polluting vehicles and promoting hybrid or electric vehicles.

The full article can be found in the South China Morning Post archives.