Reply To: Oct 08 petition re air pollution

#8236

Just sent to EPD:

Quote:
Is the Ove Arup survey valid, or have decisions already been taken re HK air quality objectives?

– Donald Tsang indicated something re this.

Do we, in our self-proclaimed World City, look set to have Third World air quality objectives – WHO standards aimed at being first rung on ladder for developing nations wishing to try for some improvements to dire situations?

I’m sure much is frustrating for you guys in EPD – surely joined in hopes of making Hong Kong – and the world – a better place, but instead hard to do much apart from monitor the filth.

filthy air filter

I’m attaching a shot of an air filter, which I’ve just taken out of filter machine in my 3-year old son’s bedroom.

Bought the machine in hope of reducing adverse impact of particulates on his growing lungs; maybe a couple of years ago.

Other than extremely rare cases when very very high pollution in daytime, this filter has been used only at night, in room with closed door. Chiefly from autumn to spring, when air quality here worst.

We live on Cheung Chau – so not so affected by street level pollution; more the regional pollution – south China, with HK contributions.

This filter was white to start with; I’ve put a piece of white paper on top.

The grey stuff, then, is from particulates (there’s another filter in front, takes out much of larger dust): just gives some indication of the crap that people here breathe day in, day out. And if like this on Cheung Chau, what is the situation in the city?

You – in EPD – know all this of course; surely used to seeing filthy filters, inc all the hideous soot gathered in monitoring stations.

There was great fuss made over melamine – horrible problem, but rather small impact; SARS got monster coverage but killed relatively few, yet air pollution seems mostly a minor issue.