Updated on Apr 08, 2008
Congratulations to the government of the Hong Kong SAR. In its drive to ensure Hong Kong is “Asia’s world city”, it has another milestone to celebrate, world-class smog.
As measured by the amount of time the air pollution index (API) is high or above, Hong Kong set a new record during the first quarter of this year.
Refusing to listen to critics who said it couldn’t be done, the API was in the range judged by the World Health Organisation to be dangerous 70 per cent of the time.
That is higher than for the first quarter of any year since records began in 1999 and puts us well on track to record the smoggiest year ever.
Unfortunately, summer is just around the corner and those pesky southern winds will blow the smell that puts “fragrant” into “Fragrant Harbour” away from us for a month or two. But don’t worry, the smog will be back to limit your children’s lung growth just in time for the new school year in September.
William Hayward, Wan Chai