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Following is a question by the Hon Leung Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (May 24):
Question:
In an issue of Time Asia Magazine published this month, one article praises Seoul of South Korea for its efforts to clean up the environment while another casts doubt about whether the Hong Kong authorities have the imagination and determination to tackle the air pollution problem. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it has conducted studies on the amount of economic and manpower losses caused by air pollution in Hong Kong each year; if so, of the results;
(b) whether it has studied the measures adopted in foreign countries to clean up the air, with a view to determining which of them are suitable for Hong Kong; if so, of the results; and
(c) of the new long-term and short-term measures to clean up the air of Hong Kong?
Reply:
Madam President,
The environmental costs and health care expenditure attributable to air pollution are indirect and long-term. According to a study commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and conducted by the University of Hong Kong and Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2002, the economic losses (including consultation and hospitalisation fees and productivity loss incurred) caused by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases possibly related to air pollution can reach $1.7 billion each year, estimated on the basis of the air quality and population data of 2000.
The HKSAR Government has been monitoring closely the technologies and policy measures adopted overseas to combat and prevent air pollution, as well as studying their practicability in the local context. We have successfully implemented a number of emission reduction measures in recent years, including:
(a) Newly registered vehicles are required to comply with Euro I, II and III emission standards in tandem with the European Union, and the Euro IV emission standards have been introduced in stages since 1 January 2006;
(b) Diesel vehicles are required to use ultra low sulphur diesel;
(c) Dynamometers are used for conducting smoke tests for diesel vehicles and computers are used to control the smoke test programme of the dynamometers; and
(d) Financial assistance was provided for retrofitting pre-Euro diesel vehicles with catalytic converters, and legislation had been subsequently introduced to make the installation mandatory.
On power generation, for over a decade, with reference to the experience of developed countries in Europe and the U.S., the Government has required all coal-fired generating units be equipped with electrostatic precipitators. New generating units also have to be installed with low-NOx (nitrogen oxides) burners and flue gas desulphurization systems. Moreover, all new generating units commissioned after 1997 have to be powered by natural gas. Meanwhile, by drawing on the experience of Europe and the U.S. in implementing emission trading, the HKSAR Government and the Guangdong Provincial Government are currently finalising the details of the Emission Trading Pilot Scheme for Thermal Power Plants in the PRD Region.
To tighten control on the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC), we have required the installation of vapour recovery systems at petrol filling stations, having regard to extensive overseas experience. With reference to the successful experience in handling smog pollution in California of the U.S., we are also drafting a regulation to control VOC emissions from architectural paints, printing inks and consumer products. The regulation is expected to be introduced to the Legislative Council within this year.
To bring long-term improvements to air quality in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, including Hong Kong, the HKSAR Government reached a consensus with the Guangdong Provincial Government in April 2002 to reduce, on a best endeavours basis, the emission of four major air pollutants, namely sulphur dioxide, NOx, respirable suspended particulates and VOC by 40%, 20%, 55% and 55% respectively in the region by 2010, using 1997 as the base year. Achieving these targets will not only enable Hong Kong to meet its air quality objectives but also significantly improve the air quality of the PRD and relieve the regional smog problem.
To fully achieve the above emission reduction targets, the following additional emissions reduction measures are being pursued:
(a) tightening the motor petrol standard to Euro IV with effect from 1 January 2005;
(b) requiring the installation of vapour recovery systems for vehicle refuelling at petrol filling stations with effect from 31 March 2005;
(c) introducing Euro IV emission standards to newly registered vehicles from 2006 onwards;
(d) requiring the power companies to take measures to reduce emissions and increase the use of natural gas in electricity generation; and
(e) introducing a scheme to control VOC emissions from selected products.
In 2006, the major tasks underlining the cooperation between the two Governments include the following:
(a) On combating air pollution from the power generation industry, Phase I construction of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) trunk pipeline in Guangdong Province will be completed in 2006 and a number of LNG power plants are expected to be commissioned in phases. This will substantially reduce the reliance on the more polluting fuel oil and coal in PRD. Moreover, existing oil-fired and coal-fired power plants in Guangdong Province will continue to install flue gas desulphurization systems;
(b) On controlling tailpipe emissions from motor vehicles, the Guangdong Provincial Government will strive to advance the implementation of National III motor vehicle emission standards (on a par with Euro III) in PRD cities;
(c) The data collected by the Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network are analysed jointly by the environmental protection authorities of the two governments. A regional air quality monitoring report will be submitted on a half-yearly basis, providing the public with more information on the air quality in the PRD;
(d) The environmental protection authorities of the two Governments will continue to strengthen technical exchanges and joint studies, especially on the on-line monitoring of stationary pollution sources and commissioning studies on regional air pollution on a need basis; and
(e) Details of the Emission Trading Pilot Scheme for Thermal Power Plants in the PRD Region being jointly developed by the two sides are expected to be finalised by mid-2006. Subject to agreement of the two governments, details will be presented to the power plants in Hong Kong and Guangdong in the third quarter of 2006 so that prospective participants can identify their trading partners and draw up emission trading agreements.
Ends/Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Issued at HKT 13:24
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