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Press Release
Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network results for 2007 announced today
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Environmental Protection Bureau of Guangdong Province (GDEPB) announced today (April 30) the 2007 report on the monitoring results of the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network (Network), which covers last year’s regional air quality situation. The report is available at both the GDEPB’s website (http://www.gdepb.gov.cn) and EPD’s website (http://www.epd.gov.hk).
The Network measures the concentrations of four major pollutants (i.e. sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and respirable suspended particulates). In general, air quality was better in the coastal areas than in the central and northern region of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) in 2007, which could be attributed to the relatively more favourable conditions for dispersion of pollutants in the former.
The overall concentrations of most pollutants were generally higher in the winter months (e.g. in January and from October to December) than in the summer (e.g. June and July) . Apart from heavier rainfall and higher mixing layer, the relatively clean maritime air stream prevailed in the PRD region under the influence of southern monsoon also accounts for a lower level of pollution in summer time. That notwithstanding, the monthly variations in the concentrations of pollutants may change from year to year. Long-term monitoring is thus required before a general pattern can be established.
On the whole, two-thirds of the Regional Air Quality Index as recorded by the Network in 2007 were in Grade I or II, meaning the pollutant concentrations are within Class 2 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Intermittent high level of pollutants exceeding Class 2 NAAQS (applicable to general residential areas) was recorded in all monitoring locations of the network in the reporting period, which was mainly triggered by meteorological conditions unfavourable to pollutant dispersion.
Overall, the Network operated smoothly during the reporting period. To ensure that air quality data from the monitoring stations are of a high degree of precision and accuracy, the Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) activities of the Network were carried out in accordance with the QA/QC Operating Procedures.
The Network is one of the major achievements of cooperation between Hong Kong and Guangdong in environmental protection. It comprises 16 monitoring stations, 13 of which are in Guangdong province, i.e. Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Zhongshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Shunde, Huiyang, Panyu and Conghua, and three are in Tsuen Wan, Tung Chung and Tap Mun of Hong Kong. The Network was commissioned on November 30, 2005. The Guangdong Provincial Environmental Protection Monitoring Centre and EPD are respectively responsible for the coordination, management and operation of the monitoring stations of the two sides.
The environmental monitoring authorities of the two sides will continue to monitor the changes in the regional air quality and regularly announce the latest monitoring results. The monitoring results for the first half of 2008 are expected to be available in October 2008.
Ends/Friday, April 30, 2008
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