Hong Kong’s overall air quality improved last year, the Environmental Protection Department has found.
Assistant Director of Environmental Protection Mok Wai-chuen told the media today the air monitoring network found levels of most pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and respirable suspended particulates, dropped last year compared with 2013's figures.
Mr Mok said the Government had made continuous effort in emission reduction, including reducing the emissions of power companies, tightening the emission standard of newly registered vehicles, introducting LPG taxis and minibuses, and installing particulate removal devices for pre-Euro diesel vehicles.
A scheme was introduced last year to phase out 82,000 pre-Euro IV diesel commercial vehicles by the end of 2019.
The Government has tightened the sulphur content of light diesel for vessels, and will enact a new regulation this year mandating that ocean-going vessels switch to cleaner fuel while at berth.
Mr Mok said that from 1999 to 2014 respirable suspended particulates were reduced by 45% at the roadside and by 17% in the ambient air.
He said the rising ozone level is a key area that needs improvement through regional co-operation.
He expects that by committing to its control measures, Hong Kong will broadly meet its air quality objectives by 2020.
