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API
to be released every hour
To keep
the public better informed of the latest air quality situation,
the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will release
Air Pollution Index (API) information every hour starting
from tomorrow (Thursday).
The hourly reading will give an indication of the air pollution
level in the past one-hour period or 24-hour period, whichever
is the higher.
Speaking
during a press visit to EPD's air monitoring laboratories
at the Revenue Tower, Wan Chai, Acting Principal Environmental
Protection Officer, Mr Leung Wah-hing said: "The hourly
APIs can better help the public in planning and conducting
their outdoor activities, particularly those who suffer from
heart or respiratory illnesses."
"This
is a great improvement to the present daily API release, thanks
to the successful development of an automatic API system,"
he said.
The current
practice of issuing at 4 pm a forecast of the APIs for the
next day will continue.
Also on
July 1st, the EPD will start to report API for Tung Chung,
after a two-month trial of the new monitoring station there.
"With
the new Tung Chung station, we are operating a total of 11
general and three roadside air quality monitoring stations
throughout the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,"
Mr Leung said.
While
briefing visiting reporters on EPD's work in collecting air
pollution data from the monitoring stations, and the computer
system used for calculating the APIs, Mr Leung said the enhanced
API system took $1.5 million and 18 months to complete.
The public
can get the latest API information through the radio or television,
or by calling the API hotline at 2827 8541. Internet users
can alternatively read the APIs in the EPD homepage at http://www.info.gov.hk/epd/.
End/Wednesday,
June 30, 1999
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