With community support the Government is determined to achieve the emission targets agreed with Guangdong for 2010, through reduction measures and co-operation with the province, the Environmental Protection Department says.

It said today that air quality is a serious issue not only for Hong Kong but the whole Pearl River Delta, given the rapid growth in urbanisation and industry. Whenever the weather is calm, pollutants are trapped close to the ground, a phenomena affecting Hong Kong for the last few days.

To improve air quality, the two governments have agreed to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), respirable suspended particulates (RSP) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) by 40%, 20%, 55% and 55%.

The department has already made good progress in cutting NOx, RSP and VOC emissions. For SO2, however, much of the effort has been impaired by the rise in emissions from power plants. The current SO2 emission is 47% higher than in 1997.

Biggest source

Electricity generation is the biggest source of air pollution in Hong Kong accounting for 92% of SO2 and half of NOx and RSP emissions. The department has asked the power companies to accelerate emission reduction projects, increase the use of ultra-low sulphur coal and use natural gas for power generation as much as possible.

At the same time, it will progressively tighten emission caps on the power companies to ensure reduction targets are met. It has also asked them to use more renewable energy for electricity generation and to implement demand-side management measures to minimise consumption.

For the new Scheme of Control, the Government has proposed to link the permitted rate of return on all fixed assets of the power companies to their achievement of the emission caps, providing economic incentive for reduced emissions.

In the coming years the department will pursue additional measures, such as introducing Euro IV emission standards to newly-registered vehicles, and a scheme to control volatile organic compound emissions from various products.