The Pearl River Delta region air-monitoring network aims to accumulate air-quality information for long-term assessment, Permanent Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works Keith Kwok says.

It is not a system for air-pollution forecasts, he said.

Speaking ona radio talk show today, Mr Kwok said it provides comprehensive and accurate information on the region's air quality, allowing the jurisdictions on both sides of the boundary to better analyse and tackle air pollution, and to evaluate the emission- reduction measures' effectiveness.

He said the index, based on the air-monitoring data collected in the past 24 hours, is calculated and reported daily online at www.epd.gov.hk and www.gdepb.gov.cn , and authorities of the two places will release a regional air quality report once every six months.

Mr Kwok said the air quality indices in the past two days were high because the region was dominated by northerly winds with a weak air flow.

80% pollutants come from delta

Mr Kwok said 80% of air pollutants come from the delta region while the rest are locally generated.

He said 82% of sulphur-dioxide content originates from local power plants, while vehicle emission and volatile organic compounds from printing plants are also major pollutant sources.

Mr Kwok stressed the importance of power-plant emission-reduction measures, saying an annual emission ceiling has been included in the conditions of China Light & Power's licence renewal.The conditions will be tightened in the coming years.

Turning to the construction waste-disposal charging scheme, Mr Kwok said it is not intended to raise Government revenue, but as a means to implement the "polluter pays" concept.

Waste strategy to be released soon

The charges for disposing of one tonne of construction waste at public fill reception facilities, sorting facilities and landfills would be $27, $100 and $125. Disposal charges will be levied from January 20.

As public fill reception facilities only accept recyclable materials like cement and rock debris, the disposal charge is lower, he explained.

Mr Kwok said the Environmental Protection Department has thoroughly briefed the sector on the scheme in the past few months.

He added the municipal solid-waste-management strategy, which outlines ways to handle the problem in the next 10 years, will be issued in two weeks' time.