The Council for Sustainable Development will seek public views next year on the issues identified in its report on Better Air Quality, Chief Secretary for Administration Rafael Hui says.

The council today forwarded 14 recommendations on improving air quality, involving institutional issues, and those relevant to electricity, transport and industrial sectors.

Recommendations

The recommendations include:

* reviewing Hong Kong's air quality objectives against World Health Organisation guidelines;

* assigning priority to the sourcing and combustion of ultra-low sulphur coal;

* accelerating the installation of flue gas desulphurisation equipment for coal burning units owned by power companies before 2010;

* facilitating the use of liquefied natural gas as a clean fuel;

* developing a clear policy on the transmission of electricity across the boundary to minimise adverse impacts on air quality;

* accelerating the conversion of light vehicles to cleaner fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and more upgrades to the Euro-IV standard;

* ensuring all applicable medium and heavy vehicles and non-franchised buses are equipped with catalytic converters and particulate traps (for older vehicle versions);

* accelerating the retrofitting of particulate traps on franchised buses and phasing out old versions;

* preventing Hong Kong vehicle owners from filling their tanks with low-grade, high-sulphur diesel on the Mainland;

* encouraging the uptake of hybrid vehicles;

* accelerating the proposed cap on the volatile organic compound content in materials in HK;

* mandating the switch from industrial-grade diesel to ultra-low-sulphur diesel for industry, catering, construction, port and ferry activities, and promoting a similar change in the Pearl River Delta (PRD);

* promoting cleaner production methods for Hong Kong-owned businesses in the PRD; and,

* developing a green procurement, merchandising and investment code for business activities in the PRD by local and foreign chambers of commerce.

Gov't response 

Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works Dr Sarah Liao said the Government has been working with the council on the subject.

Some proposed measures have already been taken up, such as encouraging owners of old diesel commercial vehicles to replace their old vehicles by offering a one-off grant, providing tax incentives to encourage the use of environment-friendly cars, and a comprehensive study on Hong Kong's air quality objectives. For details click here.

Secretary for Economic Development & Labour Stephen Ip added that the Government will continue its efforts to follow up on measures mentioned in the report while maintaining a safe and reliable electricity supply to Hong Kong.

For details of the report click here.