Hong Kong has met its 2010 emission reduction targets, which were jointly set with the Guangdong Provincial Government in 2002.

The figures are set out in the 2010 Air Pollutants Emission Inventory for Hong Kong, released by the Environmental Protection Department on Wednesday.

The Hong Kong and Guangdong governments reached a consensus in April 2002 to reduce sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), respirable suspended particulates (RSP) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) by 40 percent, 20 percent, 55 percent and 55 percent respectively by 2010, using 1997 as the base year.

According to the latest emission data for Hong Kong, the emission amounts of SO2, NOx, RSP and VOC in 2010 had been reduced by 57 percent, 30 percent, 59 percent and 59 percent respectively, when compared with those in 1997, surpassing the emission reduction targets.

Andrew Lai, deputy director of Environmental Protection explained, "The decrease of the emission amounts of SO2 is due to the power companies being required to use clean energy sources such as natural gas, and take some measures to reduce emissions."

However, he added that air pollution on the street is still serious, and the chief sources of pollution come from emissions from automobile exhaust.

With the endorsement on the adoption of the proposed new Air Quality Objectives in January 2012, the department has been co-ordinating implementation of 22 air quality improvement measures, intent on bringing about further improvements in the air quality of Hong Kong.

The new objectives were drawn up with reference to recommendations of the World Health Organization and the practices of advanced countries, together with a package of air quality improvement measures, aimed at improving public health.

The measures include introducing a more stringent regime to control emissions from liquefied petroleum gas and petrol vehicles, through remote sensing equipment and dynamometer tests, retrofitting franchised buses with selective catalytic reduction devices to reduce their NOx emissions.

The department said that the emission reduction targets for the next phase of the cooperation of Guangdong and Hong Kong has entered its final stage.

The two governments aim to complete the work and announce targets this year.

Prentice Koo, campaigner for Green Peace said he hoped the Guangdong side would announce the results of 2010 emission data for the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, as soon as possible.

"We also hope the emission reduction targets for the next phase could be released as quickly as possible in order to make further improvement of the air quality," said Koo.

fanfeifei@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 10/11/2012 page1)