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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, on measures to improve air pollution and Lung Mei beach at a media session after attending the meeting of Legislative Council Panel on Environmental Affairs this afternoon (October 22):
Reporter: Secretary, two questions, one on the air quality and the other on the Lung Mei beach. At the end of the day do you think it is still suitable for swimmers to go there for swimming? And the other question is on air quality objectives, would the Government at the end of the day adopt the most stringent standard by the WHO?
Secretary for the Environment: On Lung Mei, according to the EIA, the water quality would meet the beach standard so that people would be suitable to swim there. It depends on the sewage connection from the nearby villages. I understand that the progress of connection is in good shape, and the water quality will be improving over time. According to the recent data, actually the water quality there is getting from "poor" to "good". I think the trend will become better and there will be supporting evidence for having a beach there, if we want to have one. About the air quality, we are all concerned about the public health in Hong Kong for a long time. Among all the polluting sources, the vehicles would be the most critical one and we would like to address the roadside air pollution, that related to buses and diesel commercial vehicles. The key is to address the problems that are the most polluting so that we can safeguard the roadside air quality.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, October 22, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:20
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