The thinktank Civic Exchange yesterday announced the setting up of a new Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) Concern Group and urged the government to enhance its target levels of air quality soon by adopting the guidelines laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO).

"The current AQOs in Hong Kong are lax and outdated," Professor Anthony Hedley, with the Department of Community Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) told a press conference yesterday.

"It was introduced back in 1987 based on information reviewed by US Environmental Protection Agency and had not been reviewed by the government since," he said.

"The Air Pollution Index (API) values, derived from AQOs, simply under-represent the health impacts caused by air pollution," the professor added.

The group recommends the government to adopt the WHO Air Quality Guidelines immediately. Released on October 5, the WHO guidelines are the latest set of guidelines that provide the lowest air pollution index.

The group highlighted health impacts of air pollution by comparing Hong Kong's average pollutant levels in 2005 and a low API with the WHO recommended guidelines at 20 as a benchmark.

According to statistics by HKU's Department of Community Medicine, School of Public Health, at average API of 50 last year about 1,600 deaths, 64,200 hospital admissions and 6,811 doctors visits per year are projected.

At a low level of API at 25, which is seldom recorded in Hong Kong, the projected annual health risks are still greater than the WHO guidelines, according to the group.

For example, particulates (PM10) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) will be 32 per cent to 100 per cent above the WHO guidelines.

Christine Loh, CEO of Civic Exchange and a member of the group, said the present AQOs would hide the real health risks of poor air quality from general public and lawmakers.

The group urged the government to pull its socks up and work faster on its review of AQOs in Hong Kong, she said.

The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced in July to conduct an 18-month comprehensive study to review the Hong Kong AQOs and the development of a long-term strategy on air quality.

She said the government should map a long-term air quality management strategy, including a clear timetable with associated health-based milestones which would eventually converge to the WHO guidelines.

She said they would recommend the WHO guidelines to the government on November 27 at LegCo's panel meeting of environmental affairs.

An EPD spokesperson said they had planned to set up a steering committee comprising representatives from relevant government departments, members of the Advisory Council on the Environment and academics.

The government was determined to combat air pollution following measures jointly taken by the Guangdong government to achieve emission reduction targets by 2010.