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December, 2010:

High pollution blamed on ageing vehicles

RTHK  31 DEC 2010

The government says Hong Kong’s ageing vehicle fleet is responsible for the very high levels of roadside air pollution. Days with roadside readings above 100 – which are particularly hazardous to the young, elderly and those with heart and respiratory problems – increased by 35% this year over 2009.

Mok Wai-chuen, an Assistant Director of the Environmental Protection Department, said while levels of respirable suspended particulates and sulphur dioxide had fallen since last year, nitrogen dioxide emissions had increased 6%.

Mr Mok said older franchised buses were a major cause of the problem. But he said many older buses are now being retrofitted with emission limiting devices to upgrade them to more modern, or Euro-4 standard. He also said a pilot scheme would designate pollution blackspots – Central, Causeway Bay and Mong Kok – as low emission zones, in which the use of Euro-4 or better buses would be increased as far as possible in 2011, rising to 100% by 2015.

http://rthk.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/news.htm?main&20101231&56&723591