An arrangement strengthening ties with the Mainland on tackling air pollution has been signed. Both sides will have regular exchanges and joint studies will be commissioned on policies and technologies for tackling the problem.

Permanent Secretary for Environment, Transport & Works Keith Kwok signed the document with State Environmental Protection Administration Pollution Control Department Deputy Director General Li Xinmin in Beijing today.

Mr Kwok said: "Air pollution has no boundary. The State Environmental Protection Administration and Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department have all along been sharing experience and professional knowledge in air pollution control in the past years. The signing of the co-operation arrangement will strengthen co-operation between the two sides."

Interest areas

Specific areas of interest under the co-operation arrangement are:

* vehicle emission standards and control technology;

* vehicle fuels specifications and supervision;

* alternative fuels for vehicles;

* ambient air quality monitoring for criteria pollutants;

* strategies for controlling sources of air pollution including total emission controls, emission databases, emissions trading, and continuous emission monitoring;

* toxic air pollution control, including ambient and source monitoring and control of toxic air pollutants;

* control of ozone depleting substances;

* compilation of emission inventory and emission forecasts;

* control of volatile organic compounds; and,

* use of numerical air quality models.

The first joint event under the co-operation arrangement will be a workshop on in-use vehicle emission control and vehicle fuels to be held later this year. Representatives from Mainland institutions will be invited to join the workshop and share their experience.