Pollutions back!

[SMOC]

Oh well looks like we're back into the usual 10 months of pollution, fire up the air purifiers.

Environmental Protection Department (http://www.epd-asg.gov.hk/eindex.php)

A casual 157 API in Central today, glad my kids aren't there.

[jed_thrust]

It's interesting to note that the monitoring station in Central is at 4.5m (and in Mong Kok 3m).

I wonder what the reading would be if it was at, say, 2m?

I'm sure they have chosen that height because it is the most pessimistic!:=

[soskipper]

Well..there are few typhoons around..what can you expect?

[N1 Vibes]

Ahhhh, welcome soskipper - to HKG and Pprune,

I guess you are still reading the China Daily version of the cause of 'hazy conditions' in HKG.

Yes, we have 2 typhoons in the East Asia region. No, typhoons have not suddenly begun to produce noxious and toxic pollutants. Typhoons traditionally produce a lot of rain and wind - not minute particles of any heavy metal you can think of.

It is the 1,000's of economy boosting businesses owned by HKG Fat Twats in Guangdong province that produce this brown ****e for us.

Keep Breathing and Keep Believeing the China Daily.

I of course wish you the Best of Health,

N1 Vibes

[boocs]

Was it really ever gone?

[Prince of Dzun]

I can't understand why some of you gents are so paranoid about pollution. Hongkong has just enjoyed 3 months of blue sky so a few bad days is really no big deal. Pretend it's not there and weigh it up against your monthly bank balance.

Prince of Dzun.

[airplaneridesrfun]

Most people are, and realizing inflation even at 2.5%/ year means that each year our best alternative increasingly is to move far away from HK and do just about anything else! Pollution in HK is terrible - no 2 ways about it!

[Harbour Dweller]

It's that bad today I can actually taste the bloody stuff!

[quadspeed]

Yes, and we knowingly put our children through this. How much are those small lungs worth?

[hongkongfooey]

Yes, and we knowingly put our children through this. How much are those small lungs worth

To the people who think 3 months a year of " relatively " clear air is acceptable, obviously not much ( I think on the black market a lung is about 50,000USD, so maybe start saving as your " great " medical insurance won't cover this ).

Roughly 1500 out of 7 mil people a year die from pollution in HK, do the math, there is a good chance it could happen to you or a loved one.
( That does not mean drop dead in the street, but a long and painful death from any number of respiratory diseases, cancers, tumours etc )
I have never worked in a company where such a relatively high number of employees, or a family member, have had a serious illness, Coincidence ? I think not.

[Roxy_Chick_1989]

Apologies if this sounds just a tad naieve. But can you not wear the appropriate filtered masks when pollution drops to bad levels? Not talking about those crappy dust masks, but the actual tight around your face with filter in the middle type things.

As an Aussie considering a future in HKG, pollution is seen as a serious concern for me, but the allure of flying for an airline seems to negate the living conditions.

[Captain Dart]

Eeeyep, come on up here to fly that BIG SHINY JET...erm...actually the aircraft work so hard and the China air pollution is so bad they're actually not that shiny...

[N1 Vibes]

Roxy,

of course we would all wear a respirator, but it leaves such terriblle tan-lines.....by the way there are also a few 'airlines' in Australia.

But seriously if you intend to be here, and have children already, or plan to have children. This is a sincere recommendation - do not come. If you plan to come here as a single person and never have children, go for it, it's your life.

Best Regards,

N1 Vibes

[hongkongfooey]

Dart, that was bluddy funny :ok:, you too N1 ;)

Roxy, seriously, other than an approved military gas mask, you are waisting your time, the tiny particles that attach themselves to your, and your loved ones respiratory system will get through any mask, and even if they did'nt, would you really like to walk around with a mask on 9 months of the year ?
Most of us have air purifiers ( 14,000hkd each ) in every room running 24/7 which is the same amount of time I am currently spending on getting out of this toxic paradise.
BTW, as an added bonus, it is scientific fact that your unborn child can be damaged by the pollution you breathe in during pregnancy.......Nice :{

Cheers

[Harbour Dweller]

Hmm... Talk of pollution, planning kids, pregnancy, have kids already?

None of this will be relevant to future cadet pilots of Cathay Pacific. On their new package they won't be able to afford to have / raise kids in this city.

Now back to the lovely view out my apartment window.. :ok:

[Rice power]

dweller, the wind is from the south and has been since last night. If it is 100 m then it is in rain, not airborne industrial crap.

METAR VHHH 030500Z 22010KT 9999 FEW012 SCT028 BKN060 28/24 Q1003 NOSIG=

[Prince of Dzun]

Rice power;

Well put ! Harbour Dweller will find it hard to refute that METAR. His remarks are just another case of gross exaggeration about Hongkong pollution, remarks that could be traced to a bizare notion of wishful thinking.

Prince of Dzun.

[Harbour Dweller]

Geez boys... was the sarcasm to subtle for you two. :p

[Rice power]

No, but the bull**** meter went into meltdown and that is why you have edited your post.
Don't mistake me, I am anti the crap that drifts south but reckon it better if you keep it real.
The truth never bit anyone on the arse, but a deliberate mistruth has sunk many a fine fellow's reputation.

[AGNES]

With all those pollutions, the life expectancy of Hong Kong people was 82.2, ranked 2nd in the world just below Japan's 82.6. In the past several months, the sky was so blue and the cloud was so white that we could see Macau clearly from the Control Tower.

[boxjockey]

That's cute Agnes. Have you been to Japan? Let's talk about the average life expectancy 10 years from now. Why is it the only people who ever deny the horrific level of pollution here, are from here?

box

[Bill Smith]

Probably why the ATC standard has declined. They were all looking in awe at this strange phenomenon of blue sky that rarely appears.

[Prince of Dzun]

Harbour Dweller;

As I type this ( 4 Sep 1930 local HK time ) the pollution index at Tung Chung and the airport is 22 which is a " low reading " and the lowest of todays Hongkong readings. Perhaps you shoud relocate and take some of the strain off your good self.

Prince of Dzun.

[411A]

I can't understand why some of you gents are so paranoid about pollution. Hongkong has just enjoyed 3 months of blue sky so a few bad days is really no big deal. Pretend it's not there and weigh it up against your monthly bank balance.

Prince of Dzun

Hmmm, one wonders, perhaps it's time for another 49 to go.
Any volunteers?:}:rolleyes:

[Air Profit]

411, I gave up paying any attention to you years ago. However, your cretinous reference to the 49er's cannot go without mention. For you to even suggest that such a travesty should ever again happen shows just how hollow your soul is. I suggest you continue to wither away in Fountain Hills and leave the rest of us to help ensure that another such episode never happens again. You continue to demonstrate just how empty your own life must be with such appalling comments.

[Captain Dart]

Why does 411A even bother posting this drivel? What has Fragrant Harbour got to do with him? He must be a very bored and mixed up old man.

[411A]

He must be a very bored and mixed up old man.
Certainly not mixed up, as you put it.

Just a slight reminder that the pilots at CX have no effective say in the management of the company...IE: they cannot fight city hall.
Not even with their so-called AOA, which, from all accounts, is not at all effective.

[badairsucker]

7000+ posts 411A

You really have no life at all!!


You are nothing more than a wannabe in this industry, you sprout the most pointless drivel I have ever read. Please crawl back to which ever rock you have crawled from.:ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

[Get-a-raise]

Boxjockey-You got a problem with HongKongers? What Agnes said is true. That's a fact. If the city is such an abysmally toxic place as you all suggest, then why are HKers having such long lives? We all would have been poisoned dead long ago if that was the case.

Don't get me wrong, pollution can be very bad, especially with that sandstorm earlier this year, it was downright unbreathable. But other times, it's not that bad. You have to gauge it in a scale of "badness" of pollution.

Here is my totally unscientific but more practical way of knowing whether pollution is bad on a particular day. If you can see Macau, Zhuhai or in the general the western shore of the Pearl River Delta from HKG, then pollution is low (usually the summer months). If you cannot see it, then pollution is high (rest of the year).

[A. Le Rhone]

Get a raize and Dzun - are you two for real. Talk about putting your head in the sand!

I have been in HK for 20 years. The pollution has increased exponentially over the last 10 years to the point now where it's a disgrace. This 10 year period is not long enough to empirically calculate the effect it is having on longevity.

The old folks who are dying now are older than their predecessors because they have had better diets, fewer wars and for most of their lives clean air.

Their kids and grandkids don't have that.

So just watch the longevity curve turn and start to plummit.

Human beings' lungs just can't take the bombardment of such toxic chemical ingestion without serious health implications.

And Dzun - one good METAR does not dismiss this very real and lethal problem.

Why slowly kill your kids in this environment?

[Beta Light]

[/url] Environment&set_id=1&click_id=143&art_id=nw20100908110435786C

Hong Kong - Roadside air pollution in Hong Kong hit record highs in the first six months of the year, hurting public health and economic competitiveness compared with Asian rivals, activists and lawmakers said on Tuesday.

The city's air quality hit "unhealthy" levels about 10 percent of the time between January and June, the highest level in five years, said environmental group Friends of the Earth.

The government advises people with heart or respiratory problems to avoid lingering in traffic-heavy places when the air pollution index goes into "unhealthy" territory.

"Think of the health cost and also the disincentives to tourists and to people investing and setting up companies in Hong Kong," said legislator Audrey Eu who joined green activists in unfurling a big black banner over a roadside monitoring station at the heart of Hong Kong's Central financial district.
Continues Below ↓





Health experts estimate poor air has cost the city HK$1.18 billion in healthcare bills and lost productivity, along with 3.8 million visits to the doctor, this year.

"The bad air and pollution is actually giving Hong Kong a bad name and deterring people from coming," added Eu, who was among a coalition of lawmakers urging the government to do much more to resolve the problem including accelerating the phasing out of diesel buses and imposing stiffer fines.

Hong Kong's air pollution soared off the charts to unprecedented highs in March when sandstorms from northern China cloaked the city in dust.

A survey by Mercer Consulting ranking the quality of life of 221 cities, found air pollution weighed heavily on Hong Kong, a business gateway to China, knocking its ranking to 71, far below Singapore at 28.

"Hong Kong's always been rated lower than other neighbouring cities ... it's due mainly to our air quality problems," said Edwin Lau, director of Friends of the Earth.

"The government seems to have done a lot of things, but I would say they've only been tinkering on the edges," said Lau, referring to a recent law to ban idling engines.

He noted, however, that imported pollution from China's vast industrial hinterland of the Pearl River Delta, across the border from Hong Kong, had shown mild improvement over the past year given a push to phase out older, more polluting industries there and other emission-reduction measures.

Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department had no immediate response when contacted by Reuters, but earlier noted that while roadside pollution had peaked, overall atmospheric pollution levels actually fell in the first six months. - Reuters

[Get-a-raise]

You seem to have reading comprehension problems, rhone. Did I say pollution was ok in Hong Kong? Now where in my original post did I say pollution was ok in HK? You see the problem with this forum, people are so thin-skinned, the minute someone disagree with anyone's opinion, well, all hell brake loose. No, I'm saying it's not always that bad. I recalled during the past summer months we had plenty of blue sky and we could see Macau and Zhuhai quite clearly. Pollution is very seasonal due to the winds. In the fall and winter, winds tend to blow from the north or northeast, which brings all the pollutants from the mainland. In the summer, winds tend to blow from the south or southwest, which brings cleaner air from the South China Sea.

[cxlinedriver]

The pollution pumping out of China is f*cking vast. With the dry monsoon the overall air flow is from the north - hence the pollution gets worse. The airflow takes the crap a long, long way south of HKG, so it takes a long, long time with a wind from the south for the air to be clear again.

A METAR showing it is a southerly and therefore claiming that the poor vis is not from pollution is crap.

HKG is a polluted ****hole - thanks to the money grabbing scum to the north. Japan, Europe and USA all had bad pollution - but the people demanded change and got it. The technology does exist. The Chinese leadership don't give a **** about the people, it is all about the profit, so no use of the technology which will reduce pollution and margins. In commie countries like China, people who speak out disappear so the drive for a better place to live which occurred elsewhere will not happen until the commies are gone.

The pollution in the air and food in HKG will shorten your life. Your kids will be sicker more often.

There are pilots who have had to quit CX on medical advice to themselves or family members.

Pollution is a big reason there is so much demand for base slots.

[freightdog188]

the Chinese government is however slowly waking up to the problem. At least they start to work on it, even though I think what they do is still too little and almost too late - as opposed to our Bowtie Tsang and his cronies (that includes the few brainless people here who parrot this nonsense), who claim we don't really have a problem and tries to prove it with the HK life expectancy....:ugh::ugh::ugh:


if medical professionals at the WHO determine that pollutant concentrations above a certain limit are endangering your health, who in his right mind would question that?

now take a look at today's pollution values vs the WHO limits - and today is a "good visibility day":

http://hedleyindex.sph.hku.hk/lib/class.tracker.php?district=-1&guideline=2&date=2010-9-9

[kluge]

spot on cxlinedriver

After 14 fantastic years in HK I recently relocated to Singapore.
Aside from living in a larger version of DB or the Truman show the quality of life in Asia's 'Fine' City is far superior and the air is cleaner. I do miss the sailing, friends and Amazonia's :E but that's it.

Memsahib and self became really concerned regarding the health effects caused by the pollution. In my experience it has increased significantly in the last 7 or 8 years. Talk to any western doctor there about the side effects and long term implications of constant exposure to that atmosphere. Scary and sobering stuff. We noticed occasional shortness of breath and as has been mentioned at times you can taste the pollution. It has to be terrible for young children.

Try walking on Bowen road when the pollution is high. It's like sucking on a car exhaust. :yuk:

Try going over the new bridge and smelling the sulphur from the container ships/port. :yuk:

We loved HK and especially the low tax but its not worth the health risks and that's why we left. I still love going back on business and I notice the pollution even more as a result of not living in it. HK has changed for the worse and the quality of life has decreased significantly.

I cannot recommend HK as a place to live because of the pollution. :(

[Runway101]

Today the pollution was terrible. "Just in time for some PR work" must have been the thinking over at the government, and so they released the following statement to their friends at RTHK:

Govt plan to cut carbon emissions
from RTHK On Internet - Instant News
The government has announced a plan to cut carbon emissions by up to 33-percent by the year 2020, compared to the levels five years ago. The target is part of a climate change strategy and action agenda, which include raising energy efficiency and cutting coal-burning in power stations. This will involve changing the building energy code, promoting the use of green vehicles, and altering the fuel mix in power generation. The government said the action plan will involve different sectors of the community.

[hongkongfooey]

Ha ha ha, the " life expectancy " thing ( are you Donald Tsang ? ) is such a load of unequivocal bull5hit !!
The pollution has only been real bad for the last decade or so, if you take up smoking at the age of 70 you are hardly likely to die of cancer before you die of old age now are you ? :ugh:

Even the government admit 1500 ( roughly ) die from pollution each year and 10s of thousands sick, yes, that 3 months of blue sky ( actually MAYBE 2 ) is obviously a good compensation for 9-10 months of toxic, heavy metal infested air.

Lets wait and see what life expectancy is like in 20 years, on second thoughts, I'll let you wait.

I'm outta here :ok:

[Al E. Vator]

Good post kluge - unfortunately there is all too often the attitude of "if you didn't like it then good riddance troublesome gweilo" which is head-in-the-sand dismissiveness at its best.

Selfish businessmen, myopic politicians and aggressive non-thinkers on PPRuNe won't change this new reality - HK is unfortunately killing its residents in its own (and its neighbours) filth.

Pollution = wealth. But as stated, like the wealthy on the Titanic, they still died.

My kid got sick in HK. We left, he is healthy and happy now.

So much more to life than material possessions and bank balances.

[Prince of Dzun]

cxlinedriver ; You may not know it but there are a number of Cathay pilots and other expat staff happily retired in Hongkong. For them the pleasures of life in the harbour city far outweigh your dreaded pollution and that same pollution is certainly not driving them away. Your bad language and attitude to the country that gainfully employs you makes me suspect there is more to your discontent than some dirty air every so often. Today at the airport it's CAVOK and blue blue sky so sit back and enjoy. Prince of Dzun.

[boxjockey]

Prince,

While I am very happy to be employed by CX, it does not mean I will put my head in the sand with regard to the horrendous levels of pollution that Hong Kong experiences. Occasional dirty air? Are you serious? Have you ever lived anywhere else? LA looks like Switzerland compared with HKG. You can't be serious.... :eek:

box

[Prince of Dzun]

boxjockey; Good to see someone admit they know which side their bread is buttered on. The answer to your two questions is yes and I must add to that by telling you I have yet to find a city as enticing as Hongkong, pollution and all. Prince of Dzun.

[SMOC]

Hong Kong Air Kills More Than SARS, Pressuring Tsang - Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-07/hong-kong-pollution-killing-more-than-sars-as-tsang-prepares-policy-speech.html)

Hong Kong’s record roadside air pollution is prompting health and business groups to step up pressure on Chief Executive Donald Tsang, saying the blight kills more people annually than the SARS outbreak did in 2003.

As Tsang prepares to give his annual policy address next week, figures updated daily by the University of Hong Kong’s School of Public Health show air pollution this year may kill more than twice the 299 who died during the SARS epidemic.

“This has to be the priority for the government,” said Joanne Ooi, chief executive officer of the advocacy group Clean Air Network, which drove a truck covered in black balloons through the city last week to highlight the issue. “The impact of roadside pollution on health is getting worse and it’s extremely dangerous. There is no bigger problem in Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong’s roadside smog, which was the worst on record during the six months ended March and set another high in the third quarter, is harming the city’s ability to attract top talent, according to the General Chamber of Commerce.

“You’ve got decision makers with families who could be based in Singapore or Shanghai and they have to decide whether they want to put their kids in school here,” said Alex Fong, chief executive officer of the chamber, which has 4,000 corporate members in Hong Kong. “People in the business community, particularly the expatriate community, are saying the air in Hong Kong is not improving and that’s affecting their ability to recruit.”

‘Continuous Efforts’

The chief executive is still working on his Oct. 13 policy address and his department can’t comment on its content before the delivery, a written statement from Tsang’s office said.

“The government has been making continuous efforts to improve our air quality and these efforts rank very high on the priority list of the administration.”

Tsang said in January it was unacceptable that air quality had reached “dangerous” levels one in every eight days last year.

Progress has been made in tackling overall air pollution and yearly measurements of some pollutants are falling, the city’s Environmental Protection Department said in an e-mailed statement on Sept. 24. Sulfur dioxide levels fell as much as 22 percent since 1999 after emissions from power plants were curbed and cleaner vehicle fuels introduced.

University of Hong Kong figures show air-pollution-related deaths fell to 830 last year, from 1,349 in 2004.

Roadside Smog

Hong Kong’s roadside smog during the six months ended March, registered “very high” or “severe” 18.7 percent of the time. In the third quarter the index hit “very high” at roadsides 9.3 percent of the time, government data indicated, another record for the period. At those levels, the government automatically warns Hong Kong’s 7 million people that anyone with heart or respiratory illnesses should avoid prolonged stays in heavy traffic areas. Roadside air pollution measured 100 at 8 a.m. today in the Central district, just under levels when a health warning is triggered.

By Oct. 7, an estimated 582 people died this year from illnesses related to air pollution, according to the Hedley Environmental Index, a website run by the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong. During the 2003 spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome, Hong Kong was the world’s second most-infected area after China, with 1,755 cases and 299 deaths.

Hong Kong’s smog is “a cancer on the attractiveness of this place,” Richard R. Vuylsteke, president of the American Chamber of Commerce, said in April. “There should be the wherewithal and willpower to address it.”

Unhappy Residents

Hong Kong people are the unhappiest in the world with their air quality, with 70 percent of those polled expressing discontent about the levels of smog, according to a Gallup survey of adults in 153 countries released in April. The next most disgruntled country was Chad.

The government has not updated air quality objectives since 1987 and current targets are less strict than World Health Organization guidelines, said Mike Kilburn, environmental program manager at the Hong Kong policy think-tank Civic Exchange.

“Current government targets to reduce pollutants are too low,” Kilburn said. “They’re environmental and political targets, not public-health targets.”

WHO Guidelines

The WHO guideline for ozone, found in roadside pollution, is 160 micrograms per cubic meter an hour, compared with the Hong Kong government’s objective of 240 micrograms.

The government said it’s assessing the results of a public consultation on air quality objectives that ended in November. Measures being considered include pilot “low-emission zones” where the most-polluting vehicles would be barred and it is also introducing laws to stop drivers running their engines while parked, a government report said.

Tsang’s speech “will focus on the economy, just as it always does,” said Stephen Vines, political commentator and author of “Hong Kong: China’s New Colony.” “There will be a mention of air pollution, but I think the government is high on rhetoric and low on action in this area.”

Hong Kong’s air pollution is contributing to the deaths of hundreds of people each year and target levels should be closer to WHO standards, said Wong Chit-Ming, associate professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Hong Kong.

Death Estimates

“The estimates we give for the numbers killed through illnesses related to air pollution are conservative,” said Wong. “The problem particularly is roadside pollution. It can lead to problems with lung functions in young children, to coughs, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and contribute to serious illnesses like cancer,” he said.

Hong Kong children’s doctor Aaron Yu said that every time the air pollution index reaches a high level, more youngsters are brought to his hospital.

“A noticeably higher number of children will attend our outpatients department with respiratory problems, asthma, bronchitis or chest infections,” said Yu, 50, a consultant at the inner city Caritas Medical Center in Kowloon. “You’ll likely see the same effect on old people and other areas of the population.”

[FairlieFlyer]

Just moved to Singapore and cant believe how we stuck out the grime and pollution for so long.

They have blue skies and clouds here :ooh:

Yeah, Sings not perfect either for many other reasons but for the sake of my kids health, best move we ever made

[hongkongfooey]

air pollution this year may kill more than twice the 299 who died during the SARS epidemic.

and

University of Hong Kong figures show air-pollution-related deaths fell to 830 last year, from 1,349 in 2004.

The usual HK bull$hit ( the use of the dollar sign meant to be symbolic ), so pollution " may " kill more than double the 299 in SARs but already last year it killed nearly 3 times the 299 killed in SARs ???? and is the pollution any better this year ? is it hell !!

and then this :

The estimates we give for the numbers killed through illnesses related to air pollution are conservative

FFS !!!!!