Air Pollution

[BScaler]

To any of you interested in the 'real-time economic costs of Hong Kong's air pollution in terms of public health impacts and monetary value'.

The Hedley Environmental Index
HEI - Home (http://147.8.71.207/pollution/home.php#s)

The Hedley Environmental Index is the newest and most authoritative voice for what is really happening out there in the air of Hong Kong. It has been formulated under the auspices of The School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.

The Hedley Environmental Index exposes the Government's own pollution indexes as outdated and largely irrelevant, especially with respect to the particulate size that the Government monitors, which masks the more damaging air pollution made up of smaller particulates.

What I find particularly useful is the way the index quantifies the damage that air pollution is having on Hong Kong. At a glance, you can see the cost in premature deaths, straight dollars, doctor's visits and hospital bed days. You can play around with the time frame. You can also see real-time data referenced to WHO standards.

If you live in Hong Kong or you are a 'wannabee', and you are concerned with the potential effects of air pollution on you and your family, this is worth checking out.

[HKPAX]

Backward Trajectory (http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/trajectory/trajectory_e.shtml)

From this very useful resource you can see why things are so bad now: all that mush washed across. A problem that can only be fixed by more than one government.

[TruBlu351]

Damn!

Almost 7 million doctors visits.......78,000 hospital bed days and over 1000 deaths attributed to that lovely air.

China is wihout doubt the world'd pollution capital! Don't expect them to change anything :ok:

http://comps.fotosearch.com/bigcomps/CSP/CSP100/1005626.jpg

http://www.treehugger.com/china%20air%20pollution.jpg

[hongkongfooey]

China is wihout doubt the world'd pollution capital!
To the point even 25% of California's smog comes from China !!

Some :mad:wit wrote into SCMP today saying pollution is caused by us HKers ( cars, buses etc ) China is not to blame, and the wind has nothing to do with it............so how do you explain all the clear days in summer ( no cars on the road ??? ), and how do you explain Tung Chung blanketed in 5hit the last few days ( whilst central viz 10 times better ) during the arvo and nearly clear at night :confused:

[TruBlu351]

Good old westerlies taking the smog for a ride. Over Japan and onto the US :ok:

http://www.intute.ac.uk/sciences/worldguide/satellite/737.jpg

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/images/content/217380main_May9_fires_label_500.jpg

[hongkongfooey]

It's a disgrace !!

[goathead]

Have a look at this report , any bets on long this old system will be replaced by an up to date version ??.....years....

Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com (http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/12/21/riminton.intv.hedley.pollution.cnn)

[N1 Vibes]

TruBlu,

fascinating picture. Interesting to note - population of China 1.2 billion, India 0.8 billion - 2 billion people and yes they do produce a lot of pollution. Now look again at the picture - USA population 300 million, Mexico 100 million, Canada 30 million - 430 million people on a much larger land mass (less dense poplulation) - see how much pollution they produce and watch it drift over, mainly from Mexico, to dear old blighty and continental europe.

To be fair I think you will find that proportionately the US/Canada/Mexico is producing just as much if not a lot more particulate pollution per head of population than continental Asia, or Europe for that matter.

To me no pollution is the target - anywhere....just look in the back of your underpants, inside your laptop, mobile, ipod, plasma TV and see where they were made - China(?). One may live in the purest air in Switzerland/Aus/NZ - but your toothbrush was moulded here....

Food for thought,

N1 Vibes

(Do your bit - buy stuff that was made to last, with low impact on the environment, not stuff that was made 'cheaply')

[Kitsune]

What, you mean get rid of the Airbus'.....? :}

[GlueBall]

The polluted [sulfur smelling] air comes from next door and there is nothing that Hong Kongers can do to stop it until the Mainlanders are ready to address the issue. Meanwhile, don't bring your kids and don't plan to retire in HKG. While you're here [for work] consider installing an electrostatic air filter on your aircon evaporator air intake to improve the air quality in your apartment. :8

[Runway101]

electrostatic air filter on your aircon evaporator air intake

Let me know where you buy such things (or anything that actually works) and I am the first one to put my credit card down.

Had an air filter for some other purpose (working on PCBs/electronics) but not sure if it worked.

Most of us don't even clean our air conditions often enough. And to be honest, I am not sure if these aircon service companies in HK actually do the real cleaning or just remove visible dirt.

Found the following info on the Hedley page:

A special high-tech air filter can improve indoor air quality considerably, but obviously you will only benefit from reduced exposure for as long as you stay in the same room. Additionally, effective air filters are very expensive and require frequent replacement. Ordinary air-conditioning and dehumidifier filters will not help as they can only remove the largest dust particles, and not the ultra-fine particles or gases that are most damaging to your health.

[GlueBall]

Air Pollution Hong Kong - Help us Clear The Air (http://www.cleartheair.org.hk/index.php)

[BusyB]

"concern in the UK, now, is the high mortality rate directly caused by pm10 particles from diesel engines."

I understand all the latest diesels with cat converters are totally free of these.:ok:

[FlexibleResponse]

I thought all the new technology diesel engines were now environmentally cleaner (or at least, less damaging) than petrol engines?

I wonder if environmentally cleaner still includes humans these days, or have we dropped by the wayside in the new quest for the mythical environmental golden fleece?

[Runway101]

More than 1m considering leaving HK (http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/englishnews/20090105/news_20090105_56_549978.htm)

A survey has estimated that more than one million people are considering leaving Hong Kong because of its worsening air quality, and one in ten people are already planning their departure. A think tank, Civic Exchange, arrived at this figure after interviewing more than 1,000 people last year. The think tank says air pollution is costing the city more than $2 billion each year directly in terms of healthcare expenditure. The Chief Executive Officer of Civic Exchange, Christine Loh, said an additional $20 billion dollars at least are lost indirectly.

[Loiter1]

I take a breath of winter air and look across the strait,
at ghostly buildings in the murk of China’s great escape,
a hint of sulphur in my lungs mixed with particulate,
makes me ponder the madness of it all,
and why we all here wait.

For some the lure of shiny jets and bars of gold is great,
for others is a housing scheme that promises treasures great,
but in the end we all must leave before China seals our fate,
as I guarantee Donald Tsang will do nothing more than wait.

ps. I have way too much time on my hands.

[A. Le Rhone]

he he...nicely written Loiter.

And as I look out the window:
VHHH 070800Z 32014KT 3200 HZ NSC 18/10 Q1020 NOSIG

[Guava Tree]

I am glad I am here and you are there:

Tung Chung
Date & Time RSP NO2 O3 SO2 CO
2009-01-07 15:00 174.9 90.6 106.0 35.9 1518.0
2009-01-07 14:00 191.5 106.0 77.0 52.4 1598.5
2009-01-07 13:00 196.7 126.1 36.1 82.8 1621.5
2009-01-07 12:00 196.8 113.9 25.3 93.0 1633.0

NOTE : (1) Time shown is in HK time.
(2) RSP - respirable suspended particulates,
NO2 - nitrogen dioxide , O3 - ozone,
SO2 - sulphur dioxide, CO - carbon monoxide
(3) Concentration shown is in ug/m3.
(4) The concentration information is based on raw data taken directly from EPD's

Environmental Protection Department (http://www.epd-asg.gov.hk/english/24pollu/pc_24station.php?station=Tung%20Chung)

Sorry about the lack of alignment for the columns RSP NO2 O3 SO2 CO.
No matter how I try to edit it, it still remains misaligned.
Anyway this is far less problem than the problems that the poor sods that are breathing this stuff have,or will have later in their life.

[RSPinhaler]

Come on guys, according to the air quality standards from across the border it is not that bad.

http://www-app.gdepb.gov.cn/raqi2/RAQI_en.htm

Even when Tung Chung is blanketed in crap, they reckon "Pollutant concentrations are generally within the air quality standards" :ugh:

[Azamat Bagatov]

The constant lies, deceit and arrogance (not to address this issue).. or shall I say eternal GREED simply amazes me to NO END.
How they can try and cover up actual figures and reproduce others which would make even a 5yr old laugh with sarcasm is totally beyond me.
I guess though, it's totally up to the individual and on discussing this issue with various professionals outside the aviation industry, it astounds me how some consider it 'okay, considering the tax I will save rather than going back home..etc.etc' ??????
Each to their own, quite clearly the case here. But this isn't the point.
Knowing these f***ers are playing with OUR lives and the lives of their very own (of which they don't seem to care - the more money they make on this earth, the more they take to their 'other' world, 'apparently'), then it really does depend on who doesn't mind and who does.
Given the opportunity to rid myself of not only the lies, deceit etc but moreso, the detrimental effects this pollution is doing to us, our families, children etc... I know which option I'd take....
Again, I realise everyones goals in life are different - but what good is enjoying your riches/spoils when one's health has deteriorated beyond repair ? I guess no amount of money will make up for that.
Just my 2 cents, especially after seeing the link with the CNN review... shocking !
Oops, almost forgot.... lying, deceitful f***ers !!!!!
(Feel 0.000000000000005% better after that)

[Guava Tree]

The lie starts in the name, "environmental protection".
In fact it is only environmental monitoring.
Better than nothing is all we can say. At least now we can see that it is not "only mist" as some Hong Kong peoples like to call it.
If you value your health, gerrout, is my advice.

[ALPHA FLOOR]

Dude - you looked outside today?

[oicur12]

Last couple of days have been so bad you can taste it. Indoors.

[yokebearer]

Last couple of days have been so bad you can taste it. Indoors.

Oh no - and I always thought its different air inside my house......:8

[ACMS]

What? I think the air has screwed your brain for good.

[BScaler]

Sharp rise in China birth defects


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45433000/jpg/_45433356_004689777-2.jpg

A senior family planning official in China has noted an alarming rise in the number of babies with birth defects, a Chinese media report says.
Jiang Fan, from China's National Population and Family Planning Commission, said environmental pollution was the cause of the problem.
He said a child was born with physical defects every 30 seconds because of the degrading environment.
The report said China's coal-rich Shanxi province had the highest rate.
The commission blamed emissions from the region's large chemical industry for the problems there.

'Prevention plan'
Correspondents say the report suggests there is a human cost to China's rapid economic development.
Researchers also blamed exposure to nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulates for the increase.
"The number of newborns with birth defects is constantly increasing in both urban and rural areas," China Daily newspaper quoted Ms Jiang as saying. "The rather alarming increase has forced us to kick off a high-level prevention plan." The commission had introduced a screening programme in the eight worst-affected provinces, Ms Jiang explained.

link: BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Sharp rise in China birth defects (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7863290.stm)