The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (July 12) launched a three-month consultation to solicit public views on the findings of the review on the Air Quality Objectives (AQOs).

     The Government has all along been actively putting forward and implementing various emission reduction measures to improve air quality and safeguard public health on a sustainable basis. To attain the ultimate targets set under the World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines, the Government will review the AQOs every five years in accordance with the law and assess the progress in improving air quality to aid in deciding the AQOs for the next five year period.

     Hong Kong's prevailing AQOs took effect on January 1, 2014, with a view to broadly attaining them by 2020. In mid-2016, the Government set up an AQOs Review Working Group to undertake a series of assessments and discussions to evaluate air quality improvement and set the AQOs to be attained in 2025. The Working Group comprised over 60 members including stakeholders and experts from various sectors including air science, health professions, green groups, academia, chambers of commerce, professional bodies and trade, as well as representatives from relevant government bureaux and departments. The Government completed the review in December 2018 and submitted a review report to the Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE) in February 2019. The report was discussed by members of the ACE and the Panel on Environmental Affairs of the Legislative Council at their respective meetings in March.

     "The Working Group adopted scientific approaches to assess the situation of the air quality in 2025. Based on the assessment results, the Working Group proposed to tighten the AQOs for sulphur dioxide and fine suspended particulates (as shown in Annex). The Government will make the final recommendations after taking into account views gathered during the public consultation," a spokesman for the EPD said.

     The EPD will arrange two public consultation forums to brief the public on the AQO review and garner their views. Details of the forums are as follows:
 

Date	August 6 (Tuesday)	August 13 (Tuesday)
Time	7pm to 9pm
Venue	5/F, Hong Kong Productivity Council, 78 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong	Ming Hua Hall, 4/F, St James’ Settlement, 85 Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai
Language	Cantonese	Cantonese with simultaneous interpretation in English and Putonghua

     Seating at the two forums is reserved on a first come, first served basis. Members of the public who would like to attend may complete the online registration form on the dedicated website of the public consultation (www.aqoreview.hk), or submit the completed registration form to the EPD by email (aqoreview@epd.gov.hk), fax (2838 2155), or post (Air Policy Section 1, EPD, 33/F, Revenue Tower, 33 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai). 

     The public consultation will end on October 11, 2019. The public are invited to download the consultation document and views collection form from the dedicated website. The completed forms can be returned to the EPD via the aforementioned means.

Ends/Friday, July 12, 2019
Issued at HKT 17:50

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