Guest Comments by the Civic Exchange

Editor’s Note: The Civic Exchange is a public-policy think-tank based in Hong Kong.

HONG KONG – Recently, a giant desert dust cloud from northern China brought record levels of air pollution here. But local roadside pollution remains the critical public-health issue.

The greatest harm comes from living in a persistently high-pollution environment. Hong Kong has an urgent need to reduce the pollution it generates locally. In particular, toxic emissions from motor vehicles pose a constant and far-greater health threat.

“Although the dust storms created record levels of particulate emissions, we mustn’t lose sight that roadside pollution remains the single biggest threat to public health in Hong Kong”, said Civic Exchange environmental program manager Mike Kilburn.

According to the Hedley Environmental Index, the dust-cloud problem caused levels of particulate matter to exceed 700 micrograms per cubic metre. That’s more than 14 times higher than the 50-microgram limit proposed in the World Health Organization’s air-quality guidelines.

The giant dust cloud bears witness to problems due to serious overgrazing that causes desertification in widening parts of northern and western China. In Hong Kong, the occasional dust and its impact on public health are temporary. But roadside pollution has caused serious long- and short-term health impacts for decades, yet no effective measures ease the problem.

In a meeting of the Legislative Council’s subcommittee for improving air quality, the Civic Exchange has urged legislators to support an Environmental Protection Department proposal to progressively increase license fees for owners of the most polluting vehicles.

Since roadside pollution is generated exclusively in Hong Kong, the local government has the power to address it. Doing so should be a high priority.

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