Monitoring Indoor Pollution;

[Prince of Dzun]

Does anyone know if there is available in Hongkong a reasonable priced air quality particle counter for use indoors ? I only wish to monitor a single in room IQ150 to keep tabs on its performance. $HK 25,000 for a professional unit is a little expensive.
Is there such a thing like a carbon monoxide patch that changes colour as the pollution level varies or even something like the type of monitor that X-ray personnel are required to wear ? Any suggestions sincerely appreciated.

Prince of Dzun.

[hongkongfooey]

Prince, the problem is that the stuff that's doing the most damage is microscopic and measuring equipment is expensive. From the many tests I have had done I can tell you that a) if you have any windows open even the IQ can't keep up and will only reduce the particles by around 10%, the only way to have clean air is to keep the machine running 24/7 b) on bad days, which is now more than 30% of the time the air in the larger rooms of your flat will still be above WHO levels, only small rooms that are shut will be clean.

Today and yesterday the particle readings were 1.1 million and 770,000 respectively, the WHO limit is 60,000, this is in the middle of summer !!
These readings were backed up by the Headley index.

You are doing yourself and/or your family irreparable damage, get out of there.

[Prince of Dzun]

hongkongfooey;

Thanks for the info. It looks as if the IQ150 will have to be left running 24/7 and hope for the best. It will be interesting to see how long before the filters change colour.
I had a look at the Hedley Enviromental Index figures and they certainly make sombre reading. Appreciate all the past good gen you have posted on this subject. Regards,

Prince of Dzun.

[marcopolosnr]

[email protected]
George Woo
indoor air consultants
They have the equip
check for PM2.5 levels

[larrikan larry]

Re Indoor Pollution

I generally find the obtuse verbiage of a CTWO++++ brief to be the biggest polluter.

Looking out the window and not listening is a great filter and works well year round.

If you're really stuck on model numbers I'd suggest staying away from the "Gday Worker 1000" and spend you dough on something more lasting; perhaps the "Call'n'sick 2L8" or the best model yet... The "Good Luck 'N ' Suck 2011-2015" guaranteed til 2015

[Prince of Dzun]

Indoor Pollution;

marcopolosnr;

Thanks for the contact. I will chase them up and let you know what they have to say. Regards.

Prince of Dzun.

[Prince of Dzun]

Indoor Pollution;

marcopolsnr,

I've been in touch with your suggested contact George Woo of Calcite Indoor Enviromental Services Ltd and they do residential air quality assessments at HK$800 per visit. However for that fee they only measure air particles larger than 0-3 microns. I'm now starting to wonder how much of the air we breathe is smaller than 0-3 microns and whether it matters anyhow.
There is a much used expresion in the Malay language that goes " tak apa " which means " never mind " or " forget it " or " don't bother " and I'm thinking of taking " tak apa " on board as regards this pollution business. Regards.

Prince of Dzun.

[ReverseFlight]

If you're worried about indoor pollution in the Fragrant Harbour, you'd better not venture outdoors ...
Battered Japan struggles to show it's safe for visitors

As part of the effort to lure visitors before the northern summer ends, the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) recently posted online the radiation levels for downtown Tokyo that the tourism group says are lower than in tourist destinations such as New York, Singapore and Hong Kong.

[marcopolosnr]

Particulate matter

the major problem with HKG is lack of decision making by Lame Duck Tsang. The EPD has 1800 staff but no experts. The major problem is PM2.5 which the Government monitors but refuses to issue figures on - it just issues PM10 data and its API index is 27 years out of date. Power station emissions are reducing due to FGD equipment being finally installed and increased use of gas instead of coal. The problem in HKG is the apathetic Govt is scared of all the diesel trucks blocking Central if they do what they must and phase out old diesels and buses. The idiots mandated particulate traps for old diesels but not the required catalytic units in the exhausts. The result is available online in previous reports and that is what happened - the particulate filters without the catalytic units increases the vehicles' NO2 emissions. That is why at CNY when the chinese factories were shut and HK on holiday we had API readings of 177 in Central and Causeway Bay. The NO2 from the old diesels plus VOCs from the old diesels and cars in the presence of sunlight creates a photo chemical smog. Meanwhile the busiest shipping lines in the world pass through HK waters and the heavy bunker fuel is belching 3% sulphur that drops nicely into the overbuilt urban canyons of Likasingville and sits on top of the chemical smog - hence the 'haze; where you cannot see across the harbour.
Air Pollution Hong Kong - Help us Clear The Air

[hongkongfooey]

Yep, all that Marco and the fact that nearly 1/2 of HKs pollution comes from the environmental terrorists up north, which lame duck Tsang will never be able to fix

[marcopolosnr]

when the winds are from the north we do get some of the PRD pollution but conversely they get ours when the SW winds cross HKG. After much pushing the Govt finally with brown trousers clamped down on the power company emissions. CLP - Exxon Mobil is actually cleaner than HK Electric which does not have enough gas turbine capability to burn the 50% gas target set by the Govt. Local Power station emissions have actually decreased significantly whilst roadside pollution has increased , mainly from the old diesel buses nose to tail in Central, Causeway Bay and Mongkok. The Govt f-d up by mandating particulate traps without specifying SCR devices in the exhaust systems that caused an increase in NO2 emissions. A Uni report on this embarrassed them and they are now funding SCR for the buses.
China actually had flue gas desulphurization installed before Hong Kong in their power stations. The problem is the lack of supply in PRD causes black and brownouts so the factories burn low quality diesel in their standby gennies. Since HKG is not a 'country' it is not recognised by Marpol and cannot impose its own ship emissions laws for HK port and sea lanes and this is where we get pollution from year round. Whilst ULSD in our trucks is restricted to parts per million the bunker fuel is 3% sulphur. There is also an interesting story in SCMP today regarding Peak Oil.